Mentors help students succeed in psychology classes through PASS

Wayne State students struggling in their psychology courses have a unique resource at their disposal – their peers.

Psychology Academic Support Services (PASS) pairs students with a PASS mentor who has taken the class before to receive tutoring. Established in 2011 by Psychology Advisor Shelly Seguin, PASS has garnered a positive reputation within the psychology department thanks to the dependability and dedication of the student mentors.

PASS is all about helping undergraduate students reach their academic potential. By meeting with a mentor for a specific class, students can gain study strategies and advice from a student who was previously successful in the class. Undergraduate student John Adams has received help from PASS mentors in the past and highly recommends other students to take advantage of the program.

"I've always been a pretty solid student in between that gap of doing okay and knowing I can do better," said Adams. "That's where PASS comes in. It's about making that transition from doing well to hitting your goals."

While PASS can help students bump up their grades, mentors can also offer guidance about gaining experience through research and volunteering, as well as insight into job opportunities in the field and graduate school. PASS mentor Clinton LeClerc sees the program as much more than tutoring.

"A single word comes to mind when I think of the energy that I feel in the office every day: gemütlichkeit," said LeClerc. "It means a friendly, warm atmosphere, void of judgment and full of love. This is what makes PASS such an asset to students."

Students should come to PASS with a set of goals listing what they want to accomplish in the session that their mentor can help them with, explained former PASS mentor Camilla Cascardo.

"Students should come to their first visit with material from their class of interest," said Cascardo. "Coming prepared with questions, notes and perhaps their textbook can really help PASS mentors structure the visit to make the most of their time."

Students may email PASS at psychologymentors@wayne.edu for the tutoring schedule.

Melanie Barnett, marketing and communications associate