AIC opens new Center of Academic Success

Date: 12/8/2009

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD -- American International College (AIC) is taking additional steps to ensure the success of students with the opening of its Center of Academic Success on Wednesday.

Located in the lower level of the Shea Library, the new facility offers "one-stop shopping" for students looking for a variety of academic support programs, according to Carol Sitterly, the center's director.

Sitterly explained the various programs had been located around the campus in other sites and this was the first time the college has assembled them in one office.

The programs at the center include tutoring, developmental education and the writing center.

The new center was financed in part by a $1.8 million federal Title III grant, Sitterly explained. The two goals of the Title III grant -- summer orientation and academic support -- are designed to increase student confidence in their ability to succeed academically.

She does not see the center as a place for remedial instruction for students, but rather as a place "available for everyone." She noted that students who are doing well work at the center with other students as peer tutors.

"In the context of the college's mission and the demographics of many of our students, it's hard to understate the importance of the grant. At the same time, the realities of the economy increase the competitive nature of the job search process for college graduates. Students who graduate from college in the next decade and beyond need strong skills, a clear sense of their career goals and a professionalism that will give them the competitive edge.

"The Title III grant enables AIC to build a strong, cohesive program of support that follows students through each year of their education, complementing the academic programs and giving students that competitive edge as they launch their careers," she said.

Sitterly said additional improvements to the writing center are forthcoming and the center has created five new positions.

AIC President Vince Maniaci said the grant would assist the college in fulfilling its mission. "The College has a long history of outreach to non-traditional students, and continues to reach out, identify and enroll students who would not have ordinarily considered attending college. Academic programs founded on the knowledge, skills and values of the liberal arts engage students in theory and emphasize applied learning, while preparing them for challenges and opportunities in the global environment," he said.