The STEM Center at Citrus College is offering in-person tutoring in addition to online tutoring to all students.
The STEM Center is available on campus from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and via Microsoft Teams from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. They are also available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays on Teams.
The STEM Center helps with biology, physics, chemistry, statistics, calculus, general and advanced math. The most popular subjects the STEM Center helps with are calculus, statistics, physics and chemistry.
STEM Center Coordinator Cristian Farias said the STEM Center has helped a little over 300 distinct students for the fall 2021 semester at Citrus College.
“Our usage rate is a lot higher because those 300 students visit multiple times,” Farias said.
For in-person tutoring, students must check in on the CitrusMobile pre-screening app. Seating is spread out and limited to three students per table.
The STEM Center is in the MA building.
STEM Center tutor Kelly Sands said a challenge about tutoring online is making sure all the technology works properly because a lot of students struggle due to technological issues.
Most students prefer in-person tutoring, Sands said, but due to health concerns, a lot of students have been using online tutoring.
Sands said in-person tutoring is a more personal experience and makes it easier for students to ask questions.
Sands likes tutoring at the STEM Center because she and other tutors can work one- on-one with students and make better connections with them.
“Tutoring at the STEM Center is a relaxed environment where the students are able to get the help they are looking for when it comes to their classes,” Sands said.
She tries to have the students work the problems on their own before she goes and helps them, she said. It makes the students feel more confident that way.
Nicholas Palomarez, who is another STEM Center tutor at Citrus College, was reached out five times through email from Sept. 21 through Sept. 23 but did not respond for an interview.
Ryan Mendoza, another STEM Center tutor at Citrus College, was reached out three times through email from Sept. 21 through Sept. 23 but also did not respond for an interview.
