Biology Tutoring and Learning Center, Grand Rapids Community College
Every few months MICLCA features one Michigan learning center, told by someone who works there. This spotlight is by Holly Christopher, the center's Tutorial Coordinator.
The Biology Tutoring and Learning Center (BTLC) provides free support for any Grand Rapids Community College student enrolled in biology courses. We are part of the Academic Support and Tutoring Services (ASTS) Department, which features nine content-specific centers across campus. Each of our centers is supervised by a faculty Tutorial Coordinator with credentials in their specific discipline. This structure gives us the best of both worlds: I get to manage a dedicated biology center aligned with our classroom faculty while collaborating within a broader department of academic support specialists.
At the BTLC, we strive to create a welcoming, inclusive, and relaxed environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and growing in their understanding. Rather than relying on a single format, we offer a hybrid approach to meet students where they are, providing drop-in tutoring, scheduled appointments (both in-person and virtual), anatomical models, posters, and online resources alongside a great physical study space. Each semester, the BTLC provides support to 2,000 to 2,500 biology students through this mix of direct tutoring and center-created online content.
Our student-centered focus is driven by our tutor team. Most of our tutors are current or past GRCC students who have successfully navigated the very courses they tutor. They are uniquely positioned to help visitors with both complex biological content and foundational study skills, whether students use our drop-in space or book targeted appointments through the Navigate portal. This relaxed, open environment resonates deeply with our students, offering a space where they can lower their anxiety and build confidence.
I work closely with the biology faculty to align my support to their curriculum, and we frequently collaborate on programs such as Biocafe and Community STEM Day. Most recently, we launched the BI 121 Jumpstart program. BI 121 is our Anatomy and Physiology I class that students need to take in order to move into our nursing and allied health programs. This class has a high fail rate, and we hope our optional workshop will provide students with practical tips and tricks to increase their odds of success.
Beyond content support, working in the BTLC provides both student and professional tutors the opportunity to grow as professionals under formal standards, as ASTS is accredited at Level 1 of the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA). I truly enjoy mentoring my tutors by working alongside them every day and learning about their unique career aspirations. We work closely together to keep our learning materials up to date, and I connect them with resources across the college whenever possible. To prepare them for their next steps, I provide mock interviews for competitive academic programs and regularly connect them with past BTLC tutors for job opportunities.
This investment in our team extends to how we celebrate them. Every year, all of ASTS comes together department-wide to celebrate National Tutor Appreciation Week. We solicit appreciation notes from students, faculty, and staff, provide gift baskets, and host a dedicated department-wide Tutor Appreciation Event packed with food and games to honor their hard work.
I am thrilled to be a part of the Michigan College Learning Center Association to engage in meaningful dialogue about shared successes and challenges, and I look forward to learning alongside all of you!
Holly Christopher
Biology Tutorial Coordinator and Department Head, Academic Support and Tutoring Services, Grand Rapids Community College
MICLCA Member at Large
Photos courtesy of Grand Rapids Community College Academic Support and Tutoring Services.
More about the center: GRCC Academic Support and Tutoring Services GRCC in the MICLCA directory
Earlier spotlight: Chemistry Success Center, Grand Valley State University
Does your center do work worth sharing? A few photographs and two or three paragraphs is all it takes. Centers at any Michigan institution are welcome, and you do not need to be a MICLCA member.
Tell us about your center →