Wayne College’s Smucker Learning Center offers tutoring, testing and student support

Wayne College, a branch campus of the University of Akron, located at 1901 Smucker Road in Orrville, offers students a supportive learning environment, exemplified in no small part by the Smucker Learning Center, which was established in fall 2001. The center was established through a donation by Lorraine Smucker with a mission to provide opportunities for student development in a friendly, learner-centered environment.

Chris Dreher, in her 30th year at Wayne College, has been the manager of the Smucker Learning Center for 13 years.

“The center provides tutors for students in all core subjects including science classes, math, writing and study skills," Dreher said. "Most of our tutors are professional tutors with at least a master's degree in the subject matter they are teaching. We do have peer-to-peer tutors who are referred by professors and who earned an A or B in the subject matter they are tutoring. We also offer online tutoring to provide maximum flexibility for our students.”

The center provides a quiet place for students to study. There also are four private study rooms that may be used for study groups and additional supportive services including study skills workshops and stress-relieving activities. There are puzzles available for students to work on, and new this semester is bullet journaling, which is a form of writing things down in bullet points, like tasks to do, appointments, comments and things to remember. Students may utilize the free personal counseling that is available to any currently enrolled Wayne College student.

The Smucker Learning Center also is a testing center.

“The testing center provides exam and placement testing," Dreher said. "We monitor students as they test to ensure academic honesty and integrity.”

The center includes staff monitoring of both computer activity and student activity via cameras installed in the testing center. Professors can have students use the testing center for regular exams, and students also can take makeup exams in the center.

The learning center also connects students to the ADA coordinator, who determines and implements classroom accommodations for students with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations may include extended time for taking tests, readers for tests and notetakers.

In addition to the Smucker Learning Center, Wayne College provides students with a supportive environment in other ways. This year each first-year student has been paired with a mentor. The college also held a Welcome to Wayne Day, a new initiative as an orientation for new students.

The college is working to increase student engagement and activities. The library has a series of activities including Loud in the Library, with various groups and clubs meeting in the library to play board games, and there is a book club called the Fireside Readers.

The college also houses a cafe that is open to the public. Marr’s Cafe is located in the Student Life Building with hours Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cafe offers sandwiches, salads and its famous cheesecake.

For more information about the programs offered at Wayne College, visit wayne.uakron.edu or call 330-684-8960.