Tutor Spotlight: William Christy

By Caleb White, DASA Marketing Intern

The Academic Support Program for Student Athletes (ASPSA) is currently recruiting tutors for the 2021-2022 academic year. To give prospective applicants a better idea of what the job entails, we spoke with current tutor William Christy, who graduated in May 2019 with an M.A. in English:

In your own words, give a brief overview about what ASPSA is and the services they provide.

ASPSA teaches student-athletes how to balance their lives. Because college can be incredibly demanding, not only from an academic standpoint, but also from an athletic standpoint, we encourage and assist student-athletes to find ways to maximize their potential both academically and athletically. Our services go beyond tutoring subject-specific courses; we also have a dedicated team that teaches student-athletes how to effectively take notes, study outside of class, read scholarly texts, and budget their time so that they can enjoy academic success and, subsequently, athletic success.      

Tell us about what you do for ASPSA, specifically?

As a tutor at ASPSA, I help student-athletes stay engaged with the content in their various courses. To keep them engaged throughout the semester, I often have us talk about their own sports or even their own personal interests (e.g., television shows and movies) so that they can relate to the material they are learning in their classes. Beyond tutoring subject-specific material, when needed, I educate them on the various notetaking, studying, reading, and writing methods so that they can become academically successful.     

What’s your favorite part about being a tutor for ASPSA?

For me specifically, my absolute favorite aspect of tutoring at ASPSA is watching the student-athletes grow in their academic skills throughout the semester. I have had students in the past where when we have our first tutoring session, they tell me they struggle with taking notes, studying effectively, comprehending course readings, or writing. And so, because we meet anywhere from one to three times a week throughout the semester, we spend our sessions focusing on building those skills. The more time we spend working on their skills together, the more confident and independent they become. Whenever I see a student-athlete go from not understanding what they are reading in an English course to giving me a detailed, original analysis of a literary text, that is the moment when I love tutoring at ASPSA — really, tutoring itself — the most. It proves to me that they are willing and ready to put in the same hard work and dedication in their studies that they do in their sports and that they are wanting to balance their lives.       

What’s it like getting to work with NC State’s student-athletes? Have you worked with any who have gone on to be professional athletes? 

Working with NC State’s student-athletes is one of the best experiences in my life. As a competitive wheelchair basketball player since 2007, I feel like I have a unique connection with them because they know that I have experienced some semblance of the stress they are under and, consequently, they are willing to listen to the advice I give them on how to manage their time while they are in college pursuing their respective degrees. Beyond their ability to listen, NC State’s student-athletes have consistently demonstrated to me that they are willing and able to improve their academic skills in their studies. While I do not know of any athletes who I have tutored who have gone to play professionally, I do know that is a goal for many of the ones I have tutored.   

What would be your sales pitch for those who are thinking about becoming ASPSA tutors? What else should they know about the program?

If you want to work in a place where you can demonstrate your knowledge and also continue to learn, if you want to work in a place where your voice is heard and where you can hear the voices of others, if you want to be a part of a welcoming, team-like atmosphere, ASPSA is the place for you.

Apply to become a tutor now at https://aspsa.dasa.ncsu.edu/employment-opportunities/.