Students and staff provide advice to students new to campus 

This article aims to provide some highlights of the resources offered on campus.? 

By Kai Lee

Students who are new to the UW Tacoma campus can sometimes have trouble finding resources and getting advice. This often leaves people unsure of who to contact, what resources are available or how to access them. 

Venessa Wilson, a transfer student in her first year at UW Tacoma, also feels this common sense of confusion. She suggested that students who aren’t new to campus share resources they recommend. Students won’t know unless they’re told, Wilson said. 

Reaching out to advisors is always helpful, Nikolas Suharno, a sophomore in his second year at UW Tacoma. 

The tutoring center can help students who might be struggling with their classes. The Writing Center specifically helps students improve their writing and teaches them how to read complicated articles. Students can make an appointment for help with multiple parts of a writing assignment, but the center also accepts walk-ins, according to the Writing Center. 

The Quantitative Tutoring Center supports several subjects, including mathematics, computer science, chemistry, business, accounting and finance, according to the Quantitative Tutoring Center. More subjects and courses the staff can help students with can be found here. 

An off-campus resource some may not think utilize enough is YouTube, specifically channels that educate students on specific topics related to their classes, said Laura Batista, a student majoring in Psychology and a Student Advising Mentor. 

Student Advising Mentors are student staff who guide other students through how to use registration resources, such as MyPlan, time schedules and degree audits (DARS), according to UW Tacoma’s Advising website. 

The Tioga Library can provide research help to students and let them check out books, according to the Library. It also allows students to check out equipment and technology, such as laptops, calculators and charging cables, and print, according to Library IT Help. 

Students can reach out for research help through UW Libraries 24/7 Chat or schedule an appointment. 

“Peer tutors definitely helped me manage my schedules, and time management in general, and not stressing out,” Suharno said. 

Peer Success Mentors, or peer tutors, can also help students learn skills to better study and take tests, as well as navigate other campus resources. 

“Take advantage of your professors’ office hours,” Laura Batista, a Student Advising Mentor, said. “Everybody says this, but most people don’t do it. I really think it’s a crucial thing, especially if your pre-med, pre-dental or just pre-health.”  

Will Taylor, the Associate Director of University Academic Advising, said that reading the syllabus is also a key part of succeeding in classes. 

“Follow that syllabus, because it’s going to be your road map to the course,” he said.  

Being involved on campus, whether through Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), the Associated Students of the University of Washington Tacoma (ASUWT) and being employed or other activities, can provide students with skills they may otherwise not learn. These skills include the ability to gather and lead members of a group, public speaking and resolving conflict, said Conor Leary, the Director of Student Involvement & Leadership. 

“We also are constantly telling our students… that [they] can build skills that they can then use to better support their future career path. Leary said.  “Hopefully, they can gain more confidence and competence in what they’re choosing to do with the rest of their lives.”  

Students can also look at Handshake for jobs, both on-campus and off-campus jobs, as well as internships.  Handshake is a platform for current university students and alumni, according to UW’s Handshake webpage. 

The UWY, a YMCA on campus, is a space where students can exercise, reserve a study room, visit the game room and more. 

The campus also has the Pantry, where students can get free food assistance and hygiene products to provide short-term relief from food insecurity. It is located in 010 William Philip Hall (WPH) and open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the Pantry.  

First Gen has programs, such as Financial Wellness Cohort, which teaches students financial wellness skills and First Generation Fellows, which connects students with support programs and services. 

As this is a commuter campus, many students worry about parking on and around campus, including Batista. 

Batista also recommends students take advantage of the free public transit they get as part of their tuition. “Whenever I don’t find parking in UWT, which is literally every other day, I go to Tacoma Dome,” Batista said. “If you don’t find any parking [at UW Tacoma], go there and take the Link.” 

Taylor provided some advice that can make a significant difference in a student’s performance in class. 

“Go to class [and] be actively engaged when you’re in class,” Taylor said. “Maybe that’s asking questions to the instructor or making connections with other students in the class. Don’t just show up physically but show up mentally as well.” 

More links 

You can find more Student Health resources here. 

The Office of Student Advocacy & Support (OSAS) helps students connect with the resources that best fit their situation. 

You can view a list of UW Tacoma’s resources for students here.