Jubilee Rodriguez, a summer 2010 graduate of Cal State Long Beach (CSULB), was recently named this year’s winner of the Tom Pasternack Outstanding Tutor Award by the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA).

Established by the CRLA International Tutor Program Certification committee, the award was created to honor the late CRLA newsletter editor Tom Pasternack and to reward an outstanding tutor.

Rodriguez, who received a B.S. degree in mathematics, will receive the award at the 43rd CRLA Annual Conference on Nov. 3-6, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In existence since the mid-1960s, CRLA is an international professional association of faculty and staff active in the fields of reading and learning assistance.  It encompasses developmental education, the range of learning support that includes tutoring, and mentoring at the college/adult level.

The organization’s most vital function and overall purpose is to provide a forum for the interchange of ideas, methods and information to improve student learning and to facilitate the professional growth of its members.

“Jubilee is an exceptional tutor,” said Vanessa Najpauer, associate coordinator of Tutorial Services of CSULB’s Learning Assistance Center (LAC), where Jubilee tutored on campus.  “She really makes math accessible to students who come to the LAC looking for help.  The LAC is honored to have one its tutors be recognized for such a prestigious award.”

Jubilee was hired at the LAC in spring 2008.  Her employment included two semesters of training (CRLA certification levels I and II) and then an optional third level for which she conducted original research and prepared training sessions for newer LAC tutors.

Rodriguez has tutored at Millikan High School in Long Beach, Long Beach City College, CSULB's Learning Assistance Center, the West Carson Kumon Center and Narbonne High School, Harbor City.

“I was extremely surprised when I received the award; I was not expecting it at all,” Rodriguez said.  “I have always known that I am a ‘good’ tutor, but I never considered myself to be ‘great.’  I believe I was selected because my intentions for mentoring students are genuine and sincere.  I became a tutor because I enjoy working with different people.  I try to inspire everyone, not only my tutees, but also my classmates, co-workers, and supervisors, to be successful.

“It is a great experience knowing that I am making positive changes in students’ lives,” she added. “For example, when I was young, math was my weakest subject.  It wasn’t until I had an awesome math tutor in middle school who helped me realize what it meant to be a good student.  That was a critical turning point in my life, and it’s amazing how one tutor can truly make a difference.”

In applying for the award, Rodriguez submitted an essay on the topic, “Tutoring: Helping Create the Future.”  In addition, nominees had to have a 3.0 minimum grade point average and a letter of recommendation by a faculty member of the institution.  She was nominated for the award by Saleem H. Watson, professor and graduate associate chair in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

“Receiving the award as the ‘Most Outstanding Tutor’ is one of my greatest accomplishments as a student in college,” said Rodriguez.  “To me, this award symbolizes my passion for helping others and learning mathematics.  I finally have the perfect memento to represent my past achievements as a math tutor.”

Since graduating, Rodriguez has been employed as a full-time math quality control specialist for ALEKS Corporation, an online education company, where she reviews hundreds of math problems and fixes minor bugs in the program’s algorithm.  She plans to pursue a master’s degree in mathematics at CSULB.

Source: California State University, Long Beach
This Week @ The Beach
Week of August 30, 2010