When life became hectic for Dillon Ketcham and work began to take up a majority of his time, his grades started to slip. After connecting with a free tutor through the Teaching and Learning Center at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business, he not only improved his grades but also understood himself better.

“I run my own business while I'm at school, so I looked for help when I wasn't traveling and working. I needed to study and I missed a lot of class, which my teachers were aware of. I needed extra help with tutoring. I'd reached out to one of the advisors within the college and they sent me to the Teaching and Learning Center and then from there I got tutors for my classes,” explained Ketcham, a sophomore finance major from Omaha, Nebraska.

During the spring semester, the center serviced 11.2 percent of all students enrolled in a College of Business course, a number continuing to grow as students accommodate to the new resource. Dr. Kasey Linde, assistant director of the center, shared how Ketcham’s situation was not uncommon. 

“When research suggests that 10-15 hours of on-campus work is the most ideal for full-time college students, the reality of how many hours students are working is alarming. It’s not surprising students are having difficulty balancing the responsibilities of being a full-time student. This is one of the reasons the Teaching and Learning Center is such a valuable asset. The resources provided by the center help students participate in effective and deep learning activities,” explained Linde.

Through the center, Ketcham connected with Megan McCann, a senior actuarial science major from Stillwater, Oklahoma. McCann’s joy for helping people led her to becoming a tutor for the College of Business. Thanks to her experience tutoring, she recognized the challenges Ketcham faced and addressed them in a manner tailored specifically for him.

“Dillon's challenges typically involved a disconnect between his learning style and the professor's teaching style, so I helped by slowing down the pace and taking some time to explain the topics in a way that worked for him. I also broke some of the concepts into smaller pieces so they would be easier to learn,” explained McCann.

Alongside Ketcham, the number of students utilizing the center’s resources continues to grow, with nearly 1,500 visits to the center from business students in the spring. As the center continues to thrive, so do the free offerings to all College of Business students, faculty and staff, including specialized workshops, exam reviews and a computer lab.

“For some students, our largest lecture hall is big enough to seat their entire hometown. This drastic shift in learning environments is not easy, but the center’s tutors can help students successfully transition,” Linde stated. “If I could emphasize anything for current and incoming students, it’s that all of these resources are free to students taking a business course. We are fortunate to have a Dean, generous alumni and friends of the college who want to see students’ success so much they are providing the financial resources to ensure everyone can be successful.”

Due to his experience, Ketcham better understands both the subject of statistics and how he learns. He encourages students to take advantage of the many offering at the Teaching and Learning Center.

“My grade improved significantly. I was more confident going into tests and taking quizzes because I had gone over the material several times with somebody who knew what they were doing. It wasn't like I went into a test not nervous, – I still was – but I was also ready and prepared,” he said.

To learn more about the Teaching and Learning Center, visit: https://business.unl.edu/tlc.

Published: August 14, 2019