Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is excited to announce an expanded academic partnership with Knack, a leader in online peer-to-peer tutoring. Knack currently serves the undergraduate students on our Winona Campus, working with the Student Success Center to power their peer tutoring program. We’re excited to expand our partnership with Knack to pilot their peer-to-peer tutoring platform with graduate students in select programs and courses in the School of Graduate and Professional Programs (SGPP) beginning in fall 2021. This service will be provided to students in selected pilot courses at no cost to the students due to funding made possible by the partial sponsorship of our long-time partner in innovation, Wiley Education Services.
“As the official peer tutoring platform for the undergraduate Student Success Center, we at Knack couldn’t be more excited and grateful to expand our partnership to include students from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota’s Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs. This expanded partnership furthers Knack’s goal to support students of all backgrounds — across a vast array of graduate degrees and professional programs — and showcases the institution’s commitment to innovation and holistic student success,” said Samyr Qureshi, Knack co-founder and CEO.
Using the Knack online platform, students in need of additional academic support will be able to book tutoring sessions with fellow Saint Mary’s students who have demonstrated academic excellence in course content and who have been trained in the best practices of peer-to-peer tutoring.
Knack’s award-winning platform includes:
- A state-of-the-art online tutoring classroom with infinite whiteboard space
- An intentional student-to-tutor matching algorithm that prioritizes long-term success
- iOS, Android, and web apps so students can take Knack with them wherever they go
Through the partnership, we’re providing high-achieving students the opportunity to become verified peer tutors on Knack network.
Some benefits to becoming a tutor include:
- The chance to deepen your connection to fellow students and support student success in the greater Saint Mary’s community
- The opportunity for develop strong communication and critical thinking skills in a hands-on student-centered learning environment
- The flexibility and ownership over working hours as an independent contractor at a competitive hourly rate
“In the spirit of student service innovation and connected to our Saint Mary’s strategic plan as part of Initiative 8: Student Services Innovation, the introduction of Knack to our SGPP allows us to more deeply serve our students. By leveraging the power of online peer-to-peer tutoring, we envision an enhanced student experience that further supports students in achieving their academic potential,” said Andrea Carroll-Glover, vice provost, online strategy and programs.
More information on Knack will be communicated to students and faculty included within the pilot in the coming weeks. Once again, we are excited to further our commitment to student-centered academic support by engaging with Knack to ensure that all students have the resources and support they need to succeed.