The path to our vibrant, urban campus isn’t always a linear one. Some of us, faculty and staff included, lived a previous life in another career until, one day, we realized that we weren’t living our purpose or serving others.
Included in this group is Kimberly Gleason, Senior Lecturer and Director of Tutoring Services at Marilyn Davies College of Business (MDCOB). For 20 years, Gleason worked in outside sales and marketing and, while successful in her role, she aspired to become a teacher. Gleason pivoted, got her MBA in Management, and started applying to institutions in higher education. It wasn't an easy task, as the job market in academia is competitive.
One day, as fate would have it, Gleason got a call from the University of Houston Downtown-Northwest. The first day she stepped into the classroom, she knew she was home.
In 2023, Gleason was given the opportunity to lead the MDCOB Tutoring Center. Within two short years, Gleason doubled the number of tutors, gave students an online option in addition to in-person, and added opportunities for evening sessions. The result? The center boasts a 30% increase in student activity from Spring 2024.
“At the time there were three tutors, and we’ve expanded it to nine,” said Gleason. “When I took over, there was no online service. Zero. 63 students were tutored. Once we introduced an online component, there was a 105% increase.”
But why else is MDCOB’s Tutoring Center so successful? Gleason carefully selects highly qualified tutors, a combination of undergraduate business students and post-graduate staff, who have a proven track record of academic success. Students seeking extra assistance in everything from Accounting to Management Information Systems can get help in real-time.
And as the tutoring program grows, so do the opportunities for students. When it was brought to Gleason’s attention that students wanted assistance in Excel, something that wasn’t previously available, the tutors banded together to see how they could rise to the occasion. Today, business students who struggle with the program can quickly access the tutor schedule online and get the help they need, when they need it.
Interested in learning more about the college’s free tutoring services? Think you’d be a great addition to the tutoring team? Check out the MDCOB Tutoring Center page or email Kimberly Gleason at gleasonk@uhd.edu.