Tutoring Program Earns High Marks

Association cites rigorous and professional approach to advance student learning

Key Highlights

• Sacred Heart University’s Center for Teaching & Learning peer tutoring program earned CRLA Level 2 Advanced Certification, following Level 1 in 2024
• Certification recognizes high standards in tutor selection, training, service, and evaluation
• Program helps students understand coursework, prepare for exams, and manage assignments

Every day, Sacred Heart University students can access a resource that helps them better understand coursework, prepare for exams, and manage their notes and assignments. For the second time, that resource has earned international recognition.

The Center for Teaching & Learning’s (CTL) peer tutoring program was recently granted Level 2 Advanced Certification by the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) for meeting its high standards for tutor selection, training, direct service, and evaluation. In 2024, the program earned Level 1 certification from the organization. Level 2 designation signifies expanded professional development resources and training for tutors.

“This recognition demonstrates that our tutors have been trained in the best practices for tutoring to advance student learning,” said Lisa Henderson, assistant director of tutoring and writing support at the CTL. She noted that the certification signals a rigorous training program that leads to success. “Each year, the tutors are building off their experience and engaging in hours of training. It is creating a deep bank of support.”

The work needed for certification is worth it, Henderson said, given its impact on student academic success and support.

“I love when we interview a potential new tutor, and they say they want to help out because a previous tutor helped them get through coursework,” she said. “They now want to do the same.”

For more than 30 years, CRLA has been a leader in learning assistance, reading, and academic support programs. To earn recognition, a program must fulfill certain criteria, including tracking tutor hours and training, observing tutor sessions, and developing online and in-person training modules.

“Earning CRLA Level 2 Advanced certification reflects the strength of our peer tutoring program and our commitment to excellence,” Henderson said. “It reinforces our belief that academic support is most impactful when it develops both the learner and the leader. Not only do our tutors foster student success, but they also grow as confident leaders who guide and inspire their peers.”

While SHU has long provided tutoring services to its students, the CTL has worked in recent years to deepen that support by focusing on tutor hiring, onboarding, training, and assessment.

"Achieving the CRLA Level II Advanced Certification marks a notable milestone for our team,” said Ann Devine, coordinator of tutoring and writing support for the CTL. “This certification equips tutors with more sophisticated tutoring strategies that will enrich student learning.”

As much as this effort has helped students to grow and excel, tutors have also benefited.

“Being a tutor has helped me to figure out how to problem solve and adapt, as I find ways to explain topics to specific students,” said Kayla Tracy ’26, a biology major who has been tutoring for three years. “Everyone learns differently, so I have learned to adjust based on a student’s needs. It feels validating to have a student improve throughout a semester and watch their growth.”

Fellow tutor and biology student Emily Heath ’26, said she values the connections the program fosters.

“I have learned to value the importance of collaboration in education and have strengthened my communication skills in the process,” Heath said. “The teaching, problem-solving, and overall communication skills that I developed through my involvement in SHU's tutoring program will continue to serve me in my future professional career in medicine.”

Rich in resources

In addition to the tutoring program, the CTL recently announced a more streamlined and user-friendly PASS (Pioneer Academic Support Services) Portal, available on the web and through a mobile app. Designed to make academic support easier to find and use, the portal is a one-stop hub where students can connect with tutoring, writing support, and group study or review sessions.

With a tap, the platform directs students to the help they need when they need it.

“We are always thinking about ‘who are we missing,’ when it comes to providing support,” Henderson said. “In that discussion, the question of how we can use technology to better serve students came up, which led to the launch of the new and improved PASS Portal.”

The CTL also opened a new learning support desk at the Ryan Matura Library on Park Avenue Campus to help students seeking tutoring or other academic support.

While Henderson and Devine are pleased to have earned the Level 2 Certification, they have even “bigger goals,” according to Devine. Both are preparing for the next level.

“We aim to attain the CRLA Level 3 Master Certification by next spring to further enhance the professional development of our tutors," Devine added.

It’s a significant effort, but it’s worth the investment, Henderson said.

“For each level, we provide different training, building upon what the tutors have already learned,” she said. “With each level, the tutors gain more advanced training and access to further professional development, which ultimately benefits students.”