Your Partner in Learning
The Office of Academic Support and Advising, within the Academic Success Center, provides a wide range of academic enrichment and support services to help you transition into college and build the skills you need to succeed throughout your college career.
How We Can Help You
We are here to provide you with the support you need to become a better student.
- You’ll learn about Merrimack’s policies and expectations to better manage your coursework.
- You’ll develop time management skills to help you balance your activities and academics.
- You’ll build your confidence with access to workshops, tutorials and one-to-one customized academic success coaching.
- You’ll regain and maintain your confidence through the Phoenix Program to reach your full potential inside and outside the classroom.
- You’ll grow in confidence as a DI student-athlete by participating in Student-Athlete Study Hour (SASH).
Our team works collaboratively with faculty and staff across campus to contribute to the academic and life success of all Merrimack students.
Academic Success Coaching
Build Your Confidence
Our academic success coaches will mentor, counsel, coach and advise you as you navigate your college career. We provide one-to-one direct support and promote a supportive environment for your academic success and personal development.
We also support the work of Merrimack faculty in their shared commitment to student development and learning.
Our other available services include workshops, programming and access to online resources.
Some of the topics we discuss during our coaching sessions include:
- Academic expectations and preparedness
- Building or enhancing study skills
- Time-management tools
- Organization tips
- Exam strategies
- Helpful approaches to reading at the college level
How to Meet with an Academic Success Coach
Our services are available to all undergraduate students, regardless of your major or GPA. You may request a meeting with an Academic Success Coach by calling, emailing or walking into the Academic Success Center.
Phoenix Program
Regain and Maintain Confidence
The Phoenix Program provides students on academic probation with opportunities for second chances. As a participant, you are asked to address and manage your credit load and meet regularly in one-to-one conversations with your academic success coach to discuss your academic progress.
Foundations of Academic Development
Additionally, some of our participants will be enrolled in Foundations of Academic Development, a one-credit course.
PHX1050 - Foundations of Academic Development
The course provides students with elements of educational theory and learning psychology, along with practical study strategies and opportunities for reflection about how they learn.
By the end of the course students will:
- Identify their own learning style and evaluate how it can be applied to their academic, professional and personal goals
- Integrate research-based academic practices and study habits into their approach to their academics
- Critically examine their coursework and personal choices to make informed decisions about how to effectively meet academic requirements and expectations
- Develop specific, measurable, and realistic goals and have the ability to apply a plan to meet each desired outcome
- Devise strategies for how to overcome academic difficulties through individual problem-solving, self-advocacy, and use of appropriate resources
Our Approach
- Our three-pronged approach helps you learn and strengthen your decision-making, problem-solving and coping skills that contribute to academic success.
- You’ll build relationships with coaches who can help to identify and address your strengths, issues and challenges specific to your needs.
Student-Athlete Study Hour (SASH)
Grow in in Confidence as a DI Student-Athlete
The Office of Academic Support and Advising partners with Merrimack Athletics to host Student-Athlete Study Hour (SASH). The goal of SASH is to create an opportunity for our student-athletes to meet with professional academic success coaches and/or graduate fellows to access personalized, one-to-one attention to support academic goals.
Academic dedication and discipline are vital to the success of student-athletes and their teams. We know student-athletes manage multiple commitments inside and outside the classroom, such as workouts, practices, games, community service and other team events. These commitments, along with a full course load, can be quite stressful. SASH is a time and space devoted to student-athlete success.
SASH is a space where you can:
- Spend your time working independently
- Connect with an academic success coach
- Develop strategies for approaching assignments and learning
- Establish organization and time management tools
- Access the Writing Center, the Tutoring and Math Center, McQuade Library and the research librarians, in a structured and supportive environment.
