Community Partner Highlight: UNT Learning Center

Another week for the community highlights! This week, learn more about the UNT Learning Center!

1. Your name and title?
   1. Allyson Gardner, Associate Director
2. What is your organization and what does it do?
   1. The Learning Center at UNT.  We provide tutoring and academic support to all UNT students.  We have one-on-one tutoring, supplemental instruction, the math lab, academic coaching, academic skills workshops, and a GRE prep course.  All of our services, except for the prep course, are completely free and are available online and in-person 7 days a week and in evenings.
3. What is your organization’s mission?
   1. Our mission is to provide programs that enhance learning and facilitate academic excellence for all UNT students.
4. Why did you choose to work in this field?
   1. I chose this field because I love learning and working with people and absolutely love seeing people succeed, especially when they are downtrodden and think it is not possible.  I have always been a huge believer that we all learn differently but we can all learn, we just might need to be shown the best way to do that.  And I get to see this philosophy lived out every day in the Learning Center, nothing could be better.
5. What led you to work with the Center for Leadership and Service?
   1. In an effort to provide tutoring for courses we might not have paid tutors for, we have a volunteer tutor program where top students can get by trained by us to provide tutoring throughout the semester with a flexible time commitment.  We initially partnered with CLS to help us spread the word to people looking for volunteer opportunities.
6. What is your favorite initiative that you have worked on so far?
   1. Our school supply pantry.  This fall we started a school supply pantry for UNT students in need where they can request up to ten school supplies from a list.  We are continuing this Spring and I hope to see it continue to grow.
7. What would you say to students who want to get involved?
   1. Yes!  Do it! Getting involved is a great way to not only grow personally but also academically.  Research shows that involved students have better campus and social networks and the support to thrive when times get tough academically and typically have higher grades.  I would also make sure you don’t just get involved all willy nilly though.  Be purposeful in who you decided to get involved with and devote your time to.  I recommend being involved intensely in fewer things than being involved just a little in a bunch of stuff.  That can become very overwhelming and may not be as fulfilling.