By Keiana Hadjireza
Finding yourself overwhelmed in math or science courses is a common college experience, but there’s help at UW Bothell’s Quantitative Skills Center (QSC) where students receive tutoring from trained and knowledgeable peers.
Beyond problem-solving, the QSC is a space where students can feel safe and comfortable and often make new friendships, says Amber Parsons, QSC manager the past five years.
“Students can’t fully learn if they’re not in a safe environment” she says.
Students visit the QSC nearly 13,000 times a year for help with mathematics, health and climate science and business, to name a few. Located in UW2-030, the QSC uses computer tracking and an electronic queue system. Online tutoring also is available. A good place for a campus job, the center is accepting applications for new student tutors for winter quarter.
"We’ve improved in how we can better serve not just students, but the community as a whole," says Michael Cook, a mechanical engineering student and QSC tutor. "We now have a specific spot for parent students if they choose to bring their children in and keep an eye on them."
“My number one resource for help is the QSC, “says Samer Alekaili, an electrical engineering student who goes to the QSC on a weekly basis. “The QSC is a very warm, comfortable place to be in and everyone is nice and helpful. I have made and will continue to make friends there.”
The QSC supports faculty by providing direct feedback on the areas students struggle with most and by inviting professors to hold office hours in the center.
A vital resource, the QSC helps students develop their learning styles, increase confidence in quantitative reasoning and form a community where like-minded individuals can bond over commonalities.
“I love that I get to invest in students as they embark on their careers,” says Parsons.
