International students receive virtual professional development support, interactive eLearning workshops, and useful resources for academic and career skills through Shorelight’s Center for Academic Success (CAS). This resource, designed to help students succeed in college life and beyond, is available free of charge to all students enrolled at Shorelight universities. Find out more about CAS from three Shorelight staff members who helped design the program and continue to ensure it provides the best resources for student success.
The Center for Academic Success is the brainchild of Scott Helfgott, Shorelight’s vice president, academic affairs. It’s “the premier destination for students to access the tutors and the skills-building and knowledge-based workshops they need to be successful in their university studies,” he said. “The goal of CAS is to provide students with a convenient and student-friendly one-stop shop to access all their academic, social-emotional, and career needs.”
Students who take advantage of CAS offerings build a strong foundation for a successful and rewarding university experience.
With CAS, Helfgott explained, “students will be entering a world of learning that was designed specifically to address the unique needs of international students. Our tutors, courses, and webinars are available to students on demand, and they can find out more about our Career Services offering CPT and OPT advice, virtual internships, and job placements. In the future, students will also be able to learn about Shorelight’s Marketplace products such as test prep and specialized courses/tutoring for college admissions and certificate programs.”
Access All the Essentials for Studying Abroad
Jennifer Paz, manager of instructional design and CAS, is proud of the resources CAS provides. “CAS offers a variety of virtual services through our website, including free virtual tutoring (on academic subjects), free virtual coaching (on more personal tasks), short, self-paced interactive eLearning courses, live and on-demand webinars, and access to career services experts and information.”
Pre-Arrival Support
International students in need of assistance before arriving on campus will find it through CAS. Dr. Sarah McKenzie, director, academic operations projects, understands that “taking steps towards studying abroad can be an intimidating and overwhelming process, and we recognize that our students need guidance and support. Therefore, we offer a wide range of pre-arrival help through Before You Start webinars and through the CAS website.”
Students do not have to go through the process alone. “Very early on in the student’s journey, we introduce them to their dedicated student success coach (SSC), who will guide them through the pre-arrival steps such as navigating visa appointments, preparing for travel and packing, housing information, understanding insurance, as well as helping students understand different teaching styles and academic expectations in another culture,” said Dr. McKenzie. “The SSCs also guide the students towards engaging with the free pre-arrival courses on the CAS website on relevant topics such as Major and Career Exploration for Undergraduates, Obtaining Your Visa, Understanding Health Insurance in the USA, and How to Make American Friends.”
Virtual Coaching
Student success coaches not only help with pre-arrival support, but also guide students in navigating campus life once they get to university. Dr. McKenzie explained, “The team is well trained in supporting general academic questions such as ‘What is a GPA?’, and ‘Why do universities require General Education courses?’ [Staff is also prepared for] questions and topics relating to the student’s sense of belonging on the campus, how to find clubs and societies and build a community of friends, managing stress and supporting good mental health.”
Students meet with their coach online, since SSCs “are located across the globe — some are based in India, China, and Colombia, which works very well with us being able to offer evening slots for check-ins and coaching sessions,” said McKenzie. There is also a Live Chat option on the CAS website after hours. On the Live Chat, “students can ask any questions and be supported towards finding the right resources,” noted McKenzie. “Our student success coaching sessions can be booked via the website using Calendly.”
“As students have been guided by their SSC pre-arrival, this continued communication, connection, and outreach from someone they know when our students are settling in can be important for continuity and familiarity,” said McKenzie.
Virtual Tutoring
The Center for Academic Success also offers virtual tutoring with “professional instructors in their fields who have ample experience teaching international students — and that can make a huge difference in the kind of help students receive,” said Paz. “Our academic and English skills tutors, for example, all have master’s degrees or higher in teaching English, and are well-versed at teaching international students any type of academic skill they need to succeed in their courses, as well as career skills such as resume and cover letter writing, how to build an online profile, and networking techniques.”
International students will find a common ground with CAS tutors as well, as “all of our tutors have lived abroad and some are former international students themselves. In addition, it may simply be more convenient to meet a tutor online rather than having to go somewhere on campus,” said Paz.
Interactive eLearning Courses
The heart of CAS may lie in its broad range of short interactive eLearning courses, which “were designed by experts in higher education who know which skills international students need to succeed in their university studies, their career search, and even what they struggle with prior to arrival,” said Paz.
A sampling of available eLearning courses include:
Campus & Academic Resources
Academic Advising & Registration
How to Make American Friends
Major & Career Exploration
Culture Shock & Mental Health
Understanding CPT and OPT
Developing a Resume
Writing a Cover Letter
Preparing for an Interview
Financial Wellness for Students
How to Give an Engaging Presentation
Communication in an Academic Context
Understanding Academic Integrity & Plagiarism
Essay Writing Fundamentals
Summary & Response Writing
Citation Basics
Live and On-Demand Webinars
“Similar to our courses, we offer live and recorded webinars on a variety of topics to support international students along their academic and career journey. These webinars are primarily delivered by our wonderful CAS tutors and our career counselors, who are experts in their respective fields,” said Paz.
“Our career experts can guide students on CPT and OPT placements, as well as get them set up for a virtual internship or a Pluralsight subscription [for skills training] that offers online STEM and business certifications. They also deliver specialized workshops on Global Citizenship and Design Thinking that look great on a resume,” Paz continued.
Get Started on Academic Success
Since CAS is free to all international students enrolled at Shorelight universities, there is no reason not to take advantage of the website’s impressive resources. Dr. McKenzie said it is easy to “sign up on the Center for Academic Success homepage as soon as they’ve paid a deposit to [their] Shorelight university.” Universities may also pre-enroll their confirmed students.
After signing up, students will also have access to “a community space on the CAS website where they can connect with other students, if they wish, or just ask questions (there are also discussion boards in each course). Students can also keep tabs on their stats and achievements, and they’ll get a shareable Certificate of Completion for every course they take,” said Paz. “Last, but not least, we invite students to give us feedback on our webinars and courses, and they are welcome to submit their ideas for future topics because our goal is to support them in every way possible.”
