There is hope for Rowan College of South Jersey–Cumberland (RCSJ) students who are looking to enhance their knowledge on class-related subjects of their choice. That hope is manifested in the form of the Cumberland Campus Tutoring Center. 

The Tutoring Center provides free online and virtual tutoring services for students who seek to gain a little, extra assistance for classes they may find challenging. The center is also a safe space for students who aspire to raise their GPA to lofty levels.

There are numerous benefits for students who utilize the Cumberland Campus Tutoring Center including receiving a personalized learning experience; helping to upgrade academic performance; helping to bolster study habits; instilling confidence in self; and more.

“Sitting down with one of our tutors, they get to understand the course content better," said Ramona Pontelandolfo, tutor coordinator, RCSJ–Cumberland Tutoring Center.

“Some of the tutors [who] have had the instructors themselves, they'll have … a little bit of an inside scoop of what that instructor may be looking for."

Students also have opportunities to create their own social and scholarly communities by using the Tutoring Center. 

“They get to know new people," said Pontelandolfo. “When they come here, they meet some of their … other classmates [and] sometimes they may want to form … a little study group."

Several students spoke about some of the advantages of employing this indispensable resource. 

“Guaranteed, without the Tutoring Center I would be in quite a pickle," said Jonathan Orr, freshman, RCSJ–Cumberland. “I am admittedly not the best at math, so I rely on the tutors to teach me things."

“I'm the kind of student [who] can't look at a theorem; I can't look at a formula with generic values. I need to have a solid example," the Electrical Engineering Technology major continued. “I need to walk through the process with a person. Now, YouTube videos can help sometimes, but I can't ask that person a question."

“I wasn't doing too well in my English 101 class last semester," Stephanie George, freshman, RCSJ–Cumberland, added. “I was having a hard time expressing myself 'correctly' in my writing. So, my teacher referred me to the Tutoring Center.

“Coming here, not only [did I find] the help that I need, but coming here and getting it for free … was a big stepping stone [for] me getting through my classes last semester." There are 25 tutors who are willing, able, and available to aid students when they need additional academic assistance. Their positive impact on student success cannot be overstated and is certainly not lost on George.

“[The tutors] have taken time out of their busy day to … help me brainstorm for my essay, or to help me figure out how to graph something for my algebra class," said George, a Biological Sciences major, who is also currently working at Inspira Health as a patient care technician. “I will value that forever."

“We are a nurturing Tutoring Center [and] we want to help you," said Pontelandolfo. 
Orr and George shared several more thoughts about the significance of the Cumberland Campus Tutoring Center. 

“I think that the Tutoring Center is an amazing resource that should be utilized by every student at least once," said Orr, who is also enrolled in RCSJ and Rowan University's 3+1 program. 

“College is more of a challenge than I originally thought. It's easier with tutoring," he affirmed. “[P]recalculus, which is the main class I get tutored for, doesn't cause me nearly as much stress as it would without the Tutoring Center. It's been great in that respect." 

“Knowledge is priceless," George declared. “The Tutoring Center gives me the ability of learning the things I don't know. That is something that I will say is very valuable, not only to me, but to other [students] as well."

The Cumberland Campus Tutoring Center is open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Online tutoring services are also available throughout the day and after 6 p.m. 

​For more information about the Rowan College of South Jersey's Tutoring Services, please visit RCSJ.edu/Tutoring.​​​​