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FacebookSOS to the rescue
By Marilyn Smulders - October 1, 2009
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| SOS, a new student society, wants to help first year students over the "post Thanksgiving hump." Members include Ally Farran, Jessie Roy, Christine Murray and Jesse Guth. (Nick Pearce Photo) |
Once October comes, the honeymoon glow of back to school is officially over and midterms loom.
But this year, there’s a new society on campus designed to get first-year students through that post-Thanksgiving hump.
It’s called SOS—Students Offering Support. And while the Dalhousie chapter is brand new, chapters have sprung up on university campuses throughout Canada over the past five years. Its main program, dubbed Exam-Aid, originated with SOS founder Greg Overholt who coordinated review sessions for two first-year economics classes at Wilfrid Laurier University in Kitchener in 2004.
Essentially, SOS offers review sessions before midterms and final exams for some of the larger first-year classes at Dalhousie, including calculus, mathematics, engineering, biology, chemistry and physics. Tutors, who have been selected for their smarts and ability to communicate, will review all the material learned in class in advance of the big tests.
“The tutors are students who’ve already taken the class, did well and can understand where the first years are coming from,” says Jessie Roy, a fourth-year biology student and president of the new society. “I don’t think these will be your typical study sessions; for one thing, the tutors are not only talented in their field of study, they’re really good at communicating the material.”
So far, about a dozen tutors are onboard and ready to roll up their sleeves. (They are: Hannah Dahn, Peter Horwich, Shumona De, Amanda Suh, Iain Arsenau, Evan McDowell, Daniel Sawler, Matt Foss, Aled Iaboni, Peter Green and Beth Croteau.) And just in time—the first review session is slated for Biology 1010 on Thursday, Oct. 8, followed by Physics 1100 on Tuesday, Oct. 13. (Students should register online at www.dalhousiesos.com; times and locations to be announced.)
“This is a huge resource for students on campus that just wasn’t here before,” continues Ms. Roy. Joining her on the SOS executive are: Christine Murray, a fourth-year biology student from Sydney, N.S.; Jesse Guth, a second-year management student from Toronto; Ally Farran, a second-year neuroscience student from Calgary; and Sam Eisen, a second-year psychology student from Barrie, Ont. All of the students involved have a strong interest in community service and international development.
But students at Dalhousie aren’t the only ones who’ll benefit by SOS. The society helps students in developing countries by raising money to improve or build educational facilities. The Dal chapter is looking specifically at raising money for a nongovernmental organization based in Ecuador, a country located on the Pacific coast of South America.
A $10 donation is suggested for attendance at any of the review sessions.
“You’d pay $10 for two pieces of pizza,” says Ms. Roy. “And we think the cause is amazing.”
The society, which wants to be associated with stress relief on campus, has other ideas for raising money, for example, by offering chair massages and handing out cups of green tea.
LINKS: Dalhousie SOS | Students Offering Support (national group) | Dalhousie SOS on Facebook | Dalhousie SOS on Twitter
UPCOMING REVIEW SESSIONS:
- Oct. 8: Biology 1010 review. 6:30 to 8: 30 p.m. in Scotiabank Auditorium, Marion McCain Building.
- Oct. 13: Physics 1100 review. 6 p.m. in Room 117 of the Dunn Bldg.
- Oct. 14: Chemistry 1011 review. Time and location to be announced.
- Oct. 29: Math 1000 review. Time and location to be announced.
- Oct. 13: Engineering Math, Math 1280 review. 6 p.m. in Room 301A of the Dunn Bldg.
Readers Say
October 1, 2009 11:32 PM
October 2, 2009 1:18 AM
October 2, 2009 8:56 AM
It is a $10.00 suggested donation for a great cause (Funding educational programs in Latin America) and we hope that students who are able to contribute will. If money is an issue then please pull one of the executives aside and we will figure it out (confidentially)! Whether it is $2 or just a positive attitude we just want to be there for students. A lllllllot of hard work and energy went into prepping for these review sessions and we are trying to give back every way that we can. Asking for donations puts us closer to helping build a school in Ecuador!!!!
I can assure you Randy that you will not miss out because we do not want to isolate any students! I hope that you do attend the session and that you come out feeling more confident in your subject material.
If anyone has any questions about SOS please contact myself at jessica.roy@dal.ca
October 2, 2009 8:56 AM
It is a $10.00 suggested donation for a great cause (Funding educational programs in Latin America) and we hope that students who are able to contribute will. If money is an issue then please pull one of the executives aside and we will figure it out (confidentially)! Whether it is $2 or just a positive attitude we just want to be there for students. A lllllllot of hard work and energy went into prepping for these review sessions and we are trying to give back every way that we can. Asking for donations puts us closer to helping build a school in Ecuador!!!!
I can assure you Randy that you will not miss out because we do not want to isolate any students! I hope that you do attend the session and that you come out feeling more confident in your subject material.
If anyone has any questions about SOS please contact myself at jessica.roy@dal.ca
October 2, 2009 10:16 AM
October 2, 2009 10:16 AM
October 2, 2009 11:20 AM
Furthermore, we've paid thousands to be here, how significant is a $10 or $20 DONATION to a great cause to do better? I think it's extremely hypocritical to say that a $20 donation is excluding people who all have already paid $5000 to go to school. Charging $5000 for tuition is 'perpetuating the privilege that wealthy students already enjoy', but for all of us at Dal, we are blessed with THAT privilege, so it is our DUTY to help those who can't - AKA donate to help children in poverty gain access to education. EVEN for students who take out loans to pay for tuition, why would they not donate an extra $20 to make the most of their time/money here?
Thank you Jessica and your team for doing this, if i was in first year i would be at EVERY ONE, my and my friend definitely needed this last year. I hope you raise a ton of money!
David
October 2, 2009 11:20 AM
Furthermore, we've paid thousands to be here, how significant is a $10 or $20 DONATION to a great cause to do better? I think it's extremely hypocritical to say that a $20 donation is excluding people who all have already paid $5000 to go to school. Charging $5000 for tuition is 'perpetuating the privilege that wealthy students already enjoy', but for all of us at Dal, we are blessed with THAT privilege, so it is our DUTY to help those who can't - AKA donate to help children in poverty gain access to education. EVEN for students who take out loans to pay for tuition, why would they not donate an extra $20 to make the most of their time/money here?
Thank you Jessica and your team for doing this, if i was in first year i would be at EVERY ONE, my and my friend definitely needed this last year. I hope you raise a ton of money!
David
October 3, 2009 6:06 PM
They seem to be a lower priority than upper year students (who enjoy small class sizes in their prof's favourite subject). First years are still learning how to survive on their own, are trying to connect to other people, with a high school education isn't always good enough preparation. Great idea!
October 3, 2009 6:06 PM
They seem to be a lower priority than upper year students (who enjoy small class sizes in their prof's favourite subject). First years are still learning how to survive on their own, are trying to connect to other people, with a high school education isn't always good enough preparation. Great idea!
October 4, 2009 3:42 PM
In my comment, I was seeking to gain assurance/emphasize that Dal's SOS group was NOT strictly adhering to the registration website's mention of a $20 cost per session, and to point out that it might be onerous for some students to come up with an extra $10. I am glad that the SOS group is treating the $10 as an optional donation, and doing so discretely, because it can be shameful to admit that while one is attending school and paying over $5000, it is hard to come up with additional cash. David eloquently demonstrated this stigma.
The fact is that post-secondary education in Canada is not accessible to everybody. Many capable people just cannot afford to attend. But some people coming from a background of poverty do manage to find enough funding to attend university and pay tuition.
What happens when they get to university? They have to make choices about what they can afford and cannot afford. They have to decide if they can buy the extra study guide that their prof recommends. They have to weigh their food budget against the benefit of hiring a tutor.
Wealthy students do not have to worry in the same way about these issues. Their educational prospects are not limited by choices about money. This is the distinction I wanted to draw. It would be upsetting if any first-year student did not go to SOS's review session because they were worried about the $10.
Finally, there is a difference between not being able to donate cash to a worthy cause, and not wanting to donate. Donations can come in many shapes and sizes. The organizers of SOS are a great example because they are donating their precious time.
Great idea, great program! Thanks for the replies and all the great work!
October 4, 2009 3:42 PM
In my comment, I was seeking to gain assurance/emphasize that Dal's SOS group was NOT strictly adhering to the registration website's mention of a $20 cost per session, and to point out that it might be onerous for some students to come up with an extra $10. I am glad that the SOS group is treating the $10 as an optional donation, and doing so discretely, because it can be shameful to admit that while one is attending school and paying over $5000, it is hard to come up with additional cash. David eloquently demonstrated this stigma.
The fact is that post-secondary education in Canada is not accessible to everybody. Many capable people just cannot afford to attend. But some people coming from a background of poverty do manage to find enough funding to attend university and pay tuition.
What happens when they get to university? They have to make choices about what they can afford and cannot afford. They have to decide if they can buy the extra study guide that their prof recommends. They have to weigh their food budget against the benefit of hiring a tutor.
Wealthy students do not have to worry in the same way about these issues. Their educational prospects are not limited by choices about money. This is the distinction I wanted to draw. It would be upsetting if any first-year student did not go to SOS's review session because they were worried about the $10.
Finally, there is a difference between not being able to donate cash to a worthy cause, and not wanting to donate. Donations can come in many shapes and sizes. The organizers of SOS are a great example because they are donating their precious time.
Great idea, great program! Thanks for the replies and all the great work!
October 13, 2009 10:32 AM
October 13, 2009 10:32 AM
October 13, 2009 12:31 PM
October 28, 2009 2:00 AM
I've seen some of the Dalhousie results and am thoroughly impressed. I went on an outreach trip to Costa Rica this summer and it changed my life. I too empathize with not having that much disposable income, but that $20 truly does go a long way. I've seen it. Continue doing what you're doing Dalhousie, and all the best from Ontario!
- Jason
October 28, 2009 2:00 AM
I've seen some of the Dalhousie results and am thoroughly impressed. I went on an outreach trip to Costa Rica this summer and it changed my life. I too empathize with not having that much disposable income, but that $20 truly does go a long way. I've seen it. Continue doing what you're doing Dalhousie, and all the best from Ontario!
- Jason