Nearly 100 University of Michigan students, faculty and community members convened at the U-M Science Learning Center Wednesday afternoon to attend the center’s open house event. The open house celebrated the fact that SLC was awarded the 2024 Frank L. Christ Outstanding Learning Center Award. The award, granted by the International College Learning Center Association, recognizes institutions that provide exemplary work in supporting students’ academic pursuits and fostering their development.
The event opened with a mingling hour over refreshments, which was followed by keynote speeches from SLC Director Joe Salvatore, Tim McKay, LSA associate dean for undergraduate education, and Angela Dillard, vice provost for undergraduate education.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Salvatore said receiving this award was an honor and representative of the staff’s hard work. The SLC employs eight full-time staff members and nearly 400 students, ranging from desk staff to tutors.
“Receiving the Frank L. Christ Outstanding Learning Center of the Year Award is a very humbling honor for us,” Salvatore said. “To be selected among so many great institutions and learning centers is an honor and it really speaks to the hard work of many people (at the SLC).”
The SLC provides students with a number of resources to assist them in their science courses, such as tutoring and peer-led study groups. These academic support programs are part of the center’s larger mission of promoting inclusive opportunities for students to thrive, especially students of diverse backgrounds or those who face additional barriers to success.
Rebecca Falash, Environment and Sustainability graduate student, told The Daily that the SLC provides an accessible space that provides inclusive resources, including study groups and printing.
“The SLC gives access to students by offering GSI hours or study hours as well as study groups,” Falash said. “It’s an accessible space for all students, able-bodied or not. It provides a place for printing and safe, accessible study areas.”
Salvatore explained that addressing equity gaps and providing access to resources for students typically underrepresented in STEM fields and anyone else in need of targeted support is a priority for the center.
“We’re really dedicated to trying to address some of the equity gaps that exist for STEM students and improve some of the graduation rates among minority students on campus,” Salvatore said. “So while our programs and services are open to everyone, we want to try to be part of a transformational change to really help all students on this campus.”
Engineering junior Layla Chehab, who works as a desk staffer at the SLC, said she feels the center is deserving of this award because of the resources it provides for students. Chehab also recalled how these resources were personally helpful during her freshman year.
“(The SLC) is always the first place I would recommend if you needed to go to help with anything, because it honestly does help,” Chehab said. “I remember when I was a freshman and I would use it for help with Gen Chem and I saw so many differences in my grades and how I studied.”
In his speech, Salvatore emphasized the SLC’s commitment to continue growing and becoming a transformative source of knowledge and opportunity for students.
“We carry out these programs and services, along with GSI office hours, workshops and exam reviews in an effort to help all students, but with a particular emphasis on what we can do to contribute to our campus efforts toward diversity, equity and inclusion,” Salvatore said. “We look forward to continuing these efforts in partnership with all of you to bring about real and transformative change for minoritized students on our campus.”
Daily Staff Reporter Tenzin Menrinetsang can be reached at [email protected].
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