The University of New Hampshire (UNH) has long been committed to fostering student success through innovative academic support initiatives. A conversation with Dawna Perez, Executive Director of Student Success, and Kate Ziemer, Senior Vice Provost of Academic Affairs, highlighted the impact of Knack’s peer tutoring platform on scaling tutoring services and improving student access across the university.
Addressing Decentralized Tutoring Practices
Before adopting Knack, tutoring at UNH was offered in small, decentralized pockets across campus. While these efforts served their immediate communities, students raised concerns about limited access and inconsistency. Recognizing the need for a more cohesive and scalable solution, UNH leadership turned to Knack, introduced to them by their own students. Their students spoke up and made it clear that access in the current model was an issue, noted Perez. Ziemer echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of addressing these barriers to better serve the student body.
A Strategic Pilot to Build Momentum
UNH’s Fall 2021 pilot with Knack focused on key gateway courses and TRIO students. Ziemer shared that Knack was a great partner in helping them design the pilot. Faculty members, initially skeptical, became strong advocates after seeing the results in their areas. The program was designed to complement, not disrupt, UNH’s existing academic support infrastructure. Knack’s innovative model of engaging peers as tutors struck a chord with both students and faculty.
Based on her experiences, Ziemer asserted that peers prefer to learn from peers. Knack allows UNH students to serve UNH students, which was and continues to be important to faculty who want to preserve the peer-to-peer dynamic over a professional tutoring model.
The Case for Return on Investment
UNH’s investment in Knack delivered a dual benefit: it enabled the scaling of tutoring services while directly benefiting student tutors. One of the compelling aspects of Knack is that a significant portion of our investment goes toward paying our own students, explained Ziemer explained. She shared that scaling tutoring at this level would have required substantial administrative resources to manage payroll, hours, and compliance. Knack’s system alleviates that burden, allowing staff and administrators to focus on other priorities.
Program Design and Campus Engagement
Knack’s support extended beyond the platform’s implementation to helping UNH design, promote, and deliver its tutoring program. This included outreach to faculty and students, setting rigorous academic standards for tutors, and leveraging Knack’s tools to identify and recruit qualified candidates. It took extra effort to find enough tutors to cover all courses, but Perez shared that Knack was instrumental in identifying and reaching out to potential tutors. Together, we’ve been able to meet the demand and ensure quality support for students.
Since the partnership’s inception in Fall 2021, Knack has helped UNH achieve remarkable growth:
- 17,088 student contact hours logged to date
- 138 active tutors, up from 36 in 2021
- 1969 student users, compared to 178 in 2021
- 494 courses supported, nearly doubling from 230 in 2021
Scaling with Confidence
UNH leadership expressed excitement about the program’s scalability and the impact on student confidence. Ziemer shared that Knack has enabled us to expand the availability of tutoring while ensuring that tutors are trained and prepared. Students trust the service because they know their tutors are knowledgeable and approachable. “When we see the scaling Knack has helped us achieve, I’m just really glad to see it,” said Ziemer.
A Comfortable and Accessible Solution
Knack’s flexible approach has created a safe and welcoming environment for students to seek academic support. By offering scheduling flexibility and easy access to services, Knack has made it easier for students to engage. This approach has been particularly beneficial as UNH faces budget challenges and declining enrollment, as reported in The New Hampshire.
Looking ahead, UNH’s partnership with Knack demonstrates the power of innovative solutions to address longstanding challenges in higher education. As Perez and Ziemer reflect on the program’s success, one thing is clear: empowering students to support each other not only improves academic outcomes but also strengthens the fabric of the campus community.
Interested in scaling peer tutoring and enhancing student support? Schedule a meeting with Knack to explore how this approach could work for your campus.
