UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio — A $1.3 million gift is changing how some John Carroll University students learn and putting the school in a class of its own.
The school launched a new pilot program called COMPASS, which gives students with learning disabilities one-on-one support with professional tutors, academic coaches and skill-based workshops.
"It was created to provide individualized support to students with learning disabilities with a focus on academic, social and professional development," Allison West Kaskey said.
West Kaskey is the director of Student Accessibility Services at John Carroll University.
The donation originally went to Notre Dame College, but when it closed its doors the gift came to John Carroll University.
"It was rehomed at John Carroll University, and we were the lucky recipients of this gift from the Noetzel family, and we're able to develop this program along with the donors," West Kaskey said.
"The Noetzel family has a lot of strong connections with John Carroll, many alums in their family, and the Catholic university education was really important to the family," West Kaskey said.
The pilot program launched last year with 5 students. Gianna Rubino was one of them.
"I saw the opportunity of getting professional tutoring and academic coaching and also working one on one either with Allison or the whole cohort, team," Rubino said.
"I thought it would be really good for my learning disability and also just having extra support and I got into the program and I was really happy," said Rubino.
Rubino, a John Carroll University junior, is an exercise science major with a goal of becoming an occupational therapist.
"Having the professional tutoring and also talking through with my academic coach, talking through like what to do and how to like prepare for the exams and what to like walk through with that, really helped me instead of kind of figuring out on my own," Rubino said.
In this second year of the program, the size doubled from 5 to 10 students, with a waiting list to get in now.
"There's definitely a need for this service," West Kaskey said.
West Kaskey said every student in the first year kept or raised their GPA.
According to West Kaskey, only a few schools in Ohio offer a program like this.
"It really sets us apart. And then being at a Catholic Jesuit institution really sets us apart too, where we focus on the whole student and not just academics, but outside of the classroom too," West Kaskey said.
