BY JASMINE MATTSON-WOLFF, Kóot Xeech
For the UAS Whalesong
Welcome, my fellow Whalesong readers, to the start of yet another semester here at UAS! Hopefully the semester has started off well for all of you! I know that the classes I’m enrolled in this semester really have my interest, but at the same time they are some pretty intense classes. I’m going into my third year here at UAS and am taking upper division classes that are rather demanding with reading, writing, and just being able to comprehend everything that you are learning at one time. It can get overwhelming fast, but I have learned with my time here to be a little more at ease because of all the awesomeness our Juneau campus encompasses. There are so many   opportunities for getting help with any and all the classes you are enrolled in, and the following information is to help lay out a map of where to go if you find yourself needing advice, homework help, or places to find/meet with study groups.
Let’s start off with heart of our tutoring and study place at UAS: the Learning Center. Located in the lower level of the Egan Library, The Learning Center, formally known as “The Think Tank,” is one of the places I became very accustomed with in the last three years of my education here. I am all done with my math credits for now, but when I was enrolled in challenging math classes, the Learning Center was basically where I lived on campus. We have 10 math tutors, 3 math specialists/experts (Gabe, Patty, & Auguste) and many math professors cycling through who are just waiting to help with any questions you have about math. But wait! There is more! The Learning Center doesn’t cater only mathematic inquiries. Although it may seem like that place is just overflowing with extra math books, computers, calculators, pencils, erasers, staplers, and any other ‘must have’s’ for math classes, there is more.
In the Learning Center there is tutoring for other fields of study, including, but not limited to, Chemistry, Psychology, Spanish, and Writing. Currently there are multiple tutors in each subject listed who have hours in the Learning Center. I really can’t express how much the Learning Center can help if you are looking for help in any of these  subjects. The people who work there take great care to ensure that the students who come through are given the help and support they are looking for to aid in their success here at UAS. All of these services are provided to us as students to help in not only our educational growth, but personal assurance and sense of place on campus. Our university is small in comparison to many, but with the heart of our mission surrounding Student Learning we all work hard in creating a campus fostering unity and providing healthy avenues of education. So now that you know what the Learning Center is all about and the vast amount of wonderful guidance, help, and sense of community the place holds, here are some things you should know:
• There will be hours coming soon for Spanish tutoring time.
• There are usually writing tutors in the Learning Center, but generally you should go make an appointment with them ahead of time vs. dropping in and just expecting to be helped. The actual Writing Center (also located in the lower level of the library) hopes to open soon with more space and tutors for those looking specifically for writing help.
• The Learning Center is also where many math, science, and distance tests are proctored throughout the semester. Don’t be intimidated by the quiet little testing room—you’ll get used to it and it will ensure you’re complete focus and diversion from distractions while you are taking tests.
• Here on campus there is an Alaska   Native Languages and Studies program under the Bachelor of Liberal Arts. We currently offer Tlingit and Haida language classes. There are tutors and faculty on campus (and via distance learning) for anyone looking for guidance or information on any indigenous language classes. There will soon be tutoring/open lab hours for our campus Language Lab. The lab is located by Spike’s Cafe in the Egan building. If you have any questions before we get Language Lab hours solidified don’t hesitate to contact myself or stop by and ask Kolene in the Native & Rural Student Center (lower level of Mourant) for any inquiries!
I hope that this article has educated you on some of the avenues of help that you can utilize during your studies here at UAS. Also, on a side note—if there is a subject that you need help with that wasn’t covered in this article, don’t hesitate to ask your professor, peers, or some of the current assistance places for help. They could even help you organize a study group for that subject! If you are looking for more information and help, there is no doubt that others are too! Here’s to fantastic semester at UAS. Happy studying!