The College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) is excited to celebrate its 30th year offering Academic Excellence Workshops (AEWs) to help undergraduate students succeed in their coursework.

AEWs are peer-facilitated, one-credit courses designed to supplement many required first and second-year courses, such as Intro to Computing, Statics, Dynamics, and Calculus I, II, and III. “This is an effective, common-sense initiative, and it’s really useful for a math-intensive STEM program like ours,” says ECS Director of Inclusive Excellence Abby Fite.

Each AEW is facilitated by an ECS student who has mastered the course and is ready to help others learn the same concepts. Sections are capped at eight participants, so students can get individual support in a small-group setting. With multiple different sections, students can register for the AEW that fits their needs and schedules.

“When you sign up for an AEW, you’re adding a credit hour, but there’s no homework or projects outside of the workshop. You’re graded on attendance and engagement. AEWs are designed to lighten your workload, not add to it,” says Fite.

In addition to helping ECS students stay on track, the program is also a valuable leadership opportunity for the workshop facilitators. “Being an AEW facilitator is a rewarding experience where I not only help my peers succeed in STEM classes but also strengthen my own understanding of the core concepts,” says chemical engineering major Gordi Tafa. “It’s a great way to develop leadership skills and build meaningful connections within the engineering community here at Syracuse.”

AEW Facilitators complete a one-credit course, ECS 375, where they learn fundamental education frameworks, productive instructional methods, and strategies for building a supportive classroom environment. Facilitators also take part in ECS’s Student Leadership Conference, held every fall.

AEWs provide a cooperative, hands-on learning environment where students can find a community of peers and develop new friendships, while receiving academic reinforcement that helps them stay on course in their majors. This combination of academic and social support makes AEWs unique – and Fite notes that students who participate in AEWs have higher course grades, on average, than those who do not utilize the program.

“What makes AEW so special is it’s such an inviting atmosphere where the only goal is helping you,” notes mechanical engineering major Ian Bair. “Even as a facilitator myself, I still enroll in AEWs for my classes because they are so helpful.”

Fite credits Kate Pynn, who oversaw AEW for more than 20 years before her retirement this year, as a champion for the program. Pynn, in turn, highlights the college-wide dedication to AEW: “The success and longevity of the AEW program can be attributed to the supportive faculty and undergraduate facilitators that prepare and lead these weekly sessions with a genuine desire for their peers to succeed,” she explains. “Focused on mastery versus memory, the peer-led, collaborative AEW program, now in its thirtieth year, continues to be a cornerstone of our retention efforts.”

AEWs are offered in both spring and fall semesters. Students interested in signing up for a Spring 2026 AEW can register through MySlice. And AEWs are just one of many programs available to help students thrive academically. Students can also take advantage of weekly math and computer programming study tables at the ECS Campos Student Center. Additionally, group and individual tutoring is accessible through the Center for Learning and Student Success. To learn more about AEWs and related resources, visit the Student Support Programs page.

Ultimately, the AEW program aligns with ECS’s commitment to foster a welcoming environment with world-class educational opportunities, Fite explains. “ECS goes above and beyond to narrow the preparation and resource gaps that students might come into college with, ensuring that each student has what they need to meet their full potential.”

To support Academic Excellence Workshops, direct your gift to the ECS Fund for Strategic Initiatives.