Franklin & Marshall College

"Polaris, or the North Star is a bright star that lies in the constellation Ursa Minor. It is positioned directly above the north pole and has guided many travelers. We have named the science mentoring center after this star in the hopes that it will provide guidance and light to students."

The History

Observing that students had difficulties in the sciences Professors M. Penn, F. Owens and K. Hess envisioned a science center that would provide tutoring services to students in all scientific disciplines with an emphasis on freshman and sophomore level courses. Their vision gained immediate support by the Dean and Provost of the College. In the summer of 2009, Professor Penn recruited to this endeavor students in various scientific departments who had an interest in coordinating such a tutoring program. 

 

May Aung, Justin Brown, Alejandra Fernandez, Jackie Liu, and Rukhshana Tuli, gathered to establish the foundations of this science center and named it the Polaris Science Center.

The Polaris Science Center is dedicated to serving students enrolled in freshman and sophomore level courses by providing one on one tutoring throughout the academic year. At present, tutoring services are offered in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. The program also offers instructive workshops monthly. 

 

The Polaris Science Center has proven in its first year to be an important and beneficial service on the Franklin & Marshall campus.  The center has made great strides this year, and will continue to grow and develop into a dynamic academic institution on campus.

The Polaris Science Center has given students the opportunity to pursue new leadership roles on campus, while also encouraging academic peer interaction.  Every student who is a part of the program has gained valuable skills and learning experiences.  Coordinators, tutors, and tutees have all benefited from the center, both academically and personally.    

In the years to come, Polaris hopes to employ new techniques of advertising and obtain an exclusive and permanent location.  Polaris also plans to offer multiple styles of tutoring to best fit the needs of each student. These styles include one-on-one and group tutoring, instant message, and workshops.

Polaris will continue to foster student leadership and intellectual growth.  Polaris’ first year successes have proved worth the continued support of the F&M community.

In the future, we the coordinators of the center, plan to offer tutoring for all science courses. We also hope to acquire a permanent location on campus, such as a house dedicated to enhancing the science learning experience at F&M.