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Student Success

The Pratt Student Success Center provides comprehensive academic support services that are available to all Pratt students. Our goal is to cultivate a culture that builds academic excellence, thriving, and flourishing, with a focus on retention, persistence, and graduation.


Who We Are and Where You Can Find Us

Location: 

Brooklyn Campus
Student Success Center
200 Willoughby Avenue | Information Science Center 104 | Brooklyn, NY 11205
phone: 718.687.5156 | fax: 718.687.5317 |  success@pratt.edu

Staff:

Heather Shpiro, PhD | Director of Student Success
phone: 718.687.5205 | fax: 718.687.5317 | hshpiro@pratt.edu
Pronouns: she, her, hers

Valeria Resendiz | Administrative Assistant for Student Success
phone: 718.687.5156 | fax: 718.687.5317 |  vresendi@pratt.edu
Pronouns: she, her, hers

Dani Bormes | Assistant Director of Student Success
phone: 718.687.5126 | fax: 718.687.5317 |  dbormes@pratt.edu
Pronouns: they, them, theirs

Hours:

9am – 5pm Monday – Friday
9am – 4pm Monday – Friday (Summer hours) 

In addition to in-person and virtual appointments during our regular hours, we often can provide virtual tutoring sessions in the evenings and on weekends.  

What We Offer

The Student Success Center has academic coaching and tutoring services available to all Pratt students. Students can choose from in-person or virtual appointments.

To find out more or to schedule an appointment for all of our services, please contact us by phone: 718.687.5156 or email us at success@pratt.edu.  Current students can also raise your hand in Starfish.  Faculty and staff can raise an Academic Support Referral for students in Starfish.

Tutoring

The Student Success Center has peer advisors who can give you guidance in your academic, studio, and technical work. 

  • Studio Tutoring 
    examples: foundations assignments, studio drawings and rendering, knitting, critique practice and more
  • Software Tutoring 
    examples: adobe suite, rhino, revit, autocad, unity and more
  • Subject Tutoring 
    examples: sociology, physics, finance classes and more

Academic Coaching

Academic coaching is a holistic approach to academic support to ensure students develop the skills they need to succeed in college—and beyond! You will work one-on-one with a peer advisor to create a plan to help you work efficiently and effectively:

  • Time management
  • Study skills
  • Reading skills
  • Brainstorming
  • Planning out projects

The Writing and Tutorial Center offers additional Tutoring at Pratt

For information about writing support available at the Writing and Tutorial Center, please visit the website or email wtc@pratt.edu.

Starfish

In collaboration with other support offices (including Undergraduate Academic Advising, the Student Advocate and Care Coordinator, and the Learning/Access Center), the Student Success Center supports the use of Starfish across campus.

Starfish is a student success and early alert tool designed to improve communication and workflows around student concerns, engagement and academic support. Students, faculty and staff can all engage with Starfish to connect with the many incredible resources available at Pratt. Current students, faculty and staff can find the description of services and contact information for student support offices on the Starfish Services page.

Current students, faculty and staff can find out more information on how to use Starfish by visiting One Pratt Academics and selecting the Starfish page.

**Please note, faculty can only access Starfish when actively teaching a course, unless also in a staff role with Starfish access.**

Please email starfish@pratt.edu with any questions.

First Generation

The Student Success Center supports and celebrates first generation college students!  Pratt defines first generation students as a student who does not have a parent/guardian with a bachelor’s degree or higher.  Our office works in collaboration with our wonderful campus partners (including Student Involvement) to provide programming and support to help ensure a smooth and successful experience for first generation students.

First-Generation events can be found at www.pratt.edu/engage

Pilots

The Student Success Center invites a group of first-year students to participate in the Pilots Program.  If you have received an invitation, please email us with any questions: success@pratt.edu

The program is a voluntary student success initiative that provides first-year students with an opportunity to find community, connect to essential resources and develop strategies to help them navigate college life.  The goal of the program is to help students make interpersonal connections with other students and Pratt staff to foster a sense of inclusion.  Students are connected to a co-pilot, an upper-class student that can act as a mentor, tutor and academic coach. The program’s group meetings provide the opportunity for students to develop valuable skills such as a sense of belonging, time management, academic strategies and making use of resources.