Page 10 - ADU Voice

“Our problem isn’t that we are not

equipped. Our problem is that people

still don’t know that we are there and

that they can come to us for free.”

The Academic Success Centre (ASC) has been to us). What we do is as freshmen students
actively working towards improving students’ come in, we assign them a peer mentor. Usually,
academic and university life. Ms. Deenaz Kanji, 5 or 6 new students to per peer mentor. And
the Coordinator of the Academic Success Centre they become their friend and help them settle
spoke to ADU Voice about the importance of into the university. We also offer a number
students being an integral part of the ASC, the of workshops. So, you will see that we run
shift to online learning, the success of ASC in workshops like this semester, for example
terms of student academics and more! we have twelve workshops we are running.
Everything from Math to creating videos to how
For those of us who are new, would you to do research and English and Arabic. We also
like to tell us what the Academic Success do fun stuff like how to create a fun PowerPoint.
Centre is, and what they do? So, anything that kind of helps students settle in
Sure. So, like many other universities the the university better. We also run a number of
Academic Success Centre is a unit within the competitions specifically for freshmen students.
College of Arts and Sciences where students We try to keep them engaged, especially while
can come to get additional academic help for the university has been online, we try to kind
any number of subjects taught in the General of make sure that they have something to
Education program but also for help in other keep them engaged and feel part of the ADU
programs like Engineering, Business and Health Community, cause it is hard to come in and then
and Sciences. So, if they have subjects they be online and not know anyone. So, we do a
are struggling with, then they can find a peer whole bunch of stuff like that.
tutor or a course assistant and they can set an
appointment and come to us. How important is it for ADU students to be
a part of the ASC as Peer Tutors and Course
Apart from helping the students in Assistants?
course work, what are the other activities Here is what I would say Fatima, I have my
Academic Success Center engages students students think about their 3 or 4 years at
in? university. This really is a time for you to grow.
We also run a Peer Mentorship Program, and Obviously, you will grow academically but I think
this is specifically for freshmen students in their it is also important to add different kinds of skills
first two semesters. Typically, when a student to your portfolio. It is often these skills that kind
comes into ADU, they are overwhelmed. They of make you stand out and distinguish you from
do not know the system, the processes. They other graduates. I believe that's what we do
don’t have any friends, they don’t know where at the ASC, allowing students to participate, to
to go for lunch, they don't know where to find lead. So, I believe that all of these things help
the classroom. the freshmen students, the second, third, fourth
They don’t know how to sign up for courses. year students, to develop skills, which kind of
So essentially, we also run a Peer Mentorship gives them an edge above other people.
Program where we train our young students
who volunteer or who are recommended
by their professors (if they have a social and
outgoing nature, then they send their names