Chrystal Foreman did so well in her first Southwestern Michigan College mathematics course that instructor Ria Thomas recommended she tutor.

That was in 2010. Foreman since earned her associate degree in accounting in May 2014, is an internship away from an associate degree in business and won a new traveling trophy as 2015 Niles Campus Tutor of the Year.

This fall she tackles a bachelor’s degree in accounting as a Ferris State University student on the SMC campus.

Foreman works part-time doing accounting as assistant business manager for LaBre Law Office in Edwardsburg three days a week and tutors the other two.

Her aptitude for mathematics made her consider pursuing accounting, but she learned “it’s about a lot more than math.”

Foreman tutors for math, accounting, business, economics and humanities.

She logged 108 hours with 56 students fall/spring semesters 2014-15.

“I could tutor English because we all want to be cross-trained, but I haven’t taken that training yet,” she said.

Foreman, who moved to Niles about six years ago, completed high school in Dowagiac in 2000.

“I started at SMC shortly after that for an education degree,” Foreman said, “but my daughter (Alexandra, now 15) was young so I had to take a break and kind of changed my mind about what I wanted to do. When I came back I went into accounting after considering teaching. Tutors reinforce what teachers give students and help them understand it better.

“Meeting students is rewarding. You become friends and interested in how well they’re doing — even when it’s not something I help with. I just enjoy the positive environment of students and staff. They like to hear if they’re doing a good job” or an encouraging “You can do this.”

Foreman, one of seven tutors, knows math can be “intimidating,” but “each thing you learn builds on itself, so it gets easier. In high school, my worst subject was history, though I was really good with dates.”

The oldest of three girls, “I tutored my sisters a lot,” she said. “I talked to someone at my bank the other day who recognized my name as a tutor because (economics instructor) Dr. (Ronald) Herr talks about us in class.”

Chrystal’s husband, Steve, does property maintenance.

In her spare time there’s gardening. “Most of my back yard is a garden” producing flowers and vegetables. “We have big family cookouts a lot. I try to spend as much time with my daughter as she’ll allow,” Foreman said.

“Chrystal and the rest of the staff are there if someone needs to talk and have someone listen,” said Louis Noakes, Niles Campus Learning Center coordinator. “Students appreciate the family-like environment.”

At SMC last fall, each of 16 sections of Math 102 was assigned a shadow tutor.

In addition to Learning Center tutoring, shadows attended class, assisting instructors and facilitating study groups.

Noakes developed “blitzes” as further outreach to students “who want to use us, but aren’t sure. We go to classes. I don’t know how many have said, ‘I wouldn’t have used you if you weren’t here’ because for many it’s nerve-wracking to walk in.

“Our numbers for the Writing Center (which he helped create on the Dowagiac campus in October 2008 to assist with term papers, resumes and business plans) have skyrocketed. We had 197 visits in the fall and 179 in the spring, both highs since the Writing Center started here in 2011. When I became coordinator (in 2012) it was 32 students, 100 visits. Now, we’re consistently above 150. The blitz is a huge reason for that. Our students are parents working two part-time jobs with kids going to soccer, football, baseball, band, choir or karate. They don’t have a lot of time. The blitz allows us to meet with them.”

Noakes is busy this summer organizing the Michigan Writing Centers Association (MWCA) conference SMC hosts Oct. 17 around the theme “Blurred Lines: Focusing the Academic Kaleidoscope through Collaborative and Creative Thinking.”

 

About Southwestern Michigan College

Southwestern Michigan College is a public, residential and commuter, community college, founded in 1964. The college averages in the top 10 percent nationally for student academic success based upon the National Community College Benchmark Project. Southwestern Michigan College strives to be the college of first choice, to provide the programs and services to meet the needs of students, and to serve our community. The college is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the American Association of Community Colleges.