Academic Support Services

What We Do

We have one simple goal: We want to help you succeed academically during your time here at Radford University Carilion. If you keep scrolling through our page, you can see the services that are available for getting help on campus or getting help online, as well as a little bit about who we are, and some links to our favorite resources.


Getting Help on the RUC Campus

All of our on-campus services can be scheduled online at your convenience through Starfish, located inside the OneCampus portal.

  • PAC (Peer Academic Coaching): The PAC program connects you with an academic coach who can help you improve vital skills such as test-taking, studying, time management, and more.
  • Writing Assistance: You can work with one of our writing coaches to review your paper and get the feedback you need to make your next draft shine. They also help with other writing-related projects, including presentations, resumes, and cover letters.
  • Subject Tutoring: We have many excellent peer and professional tutors who are here to help you succeed in a wide array of courses across the curriculum. Our tutors have experience with the courses you’ve taken and are trained to help you learn how to tackle them.
  • Testing: Our Educational Testing Center offers a quiet, controlled space for test-taking. Many professors use the Testing Center, letting students choose their own testing date and time—putting the control in your hands. After hours, the center becomes a free-to-use computer lab for all students, accessible with your prox card. Faculty members who wish to have a test proctored by the ETC should submit their request through the Request for Proctoring Form.
  • Academic Advising: We provide academic advising for RUC students in the School of Nursing, Waldron College of Health and Human Services, and the Artis College of Science and Technology.  Academic Advising services are located in Room 506.
  • Computer Lab: Our lab in Room 507 is open throughout the day, offering access to computers and printing.
  • For anything else, feel free to stop by and see us Monday through Friday. We’re all on the 5th floor of the RUC campus, in Rooms 506, 507, 508 and 509.


Getting Help Online

Whether you’ve got a long commute or attend RUC entirely online, we have services that are tailored to support you even when you’re not on campus.

  • Peer Academic Coaching (PAC): Help with study skills, testing taking skills, and time/stress management is available online via Zoom and by phone appointments. When scheduling through Starfish, be sure to pick the option that works best for you.
  • Writing Assistance Online: We love working with student writing online! You can submit a draft of your paper and get back the feedback you need to bring your writing to the next level. You can call or e-mail Sarah Cox or the Writing Center Coordinator if you have a quick question (see below), or schedule a session to review your paper on Starfish by choosing “By e-mail” from the drop-down menu under Where
  • Subject Tutoring Online: Our subject tutors are available to work with you through Zoom! When scheduling, look for Zoom under the Where drop-down menu or contact Sarah Cox for help with getting connected to a tutor.
  • Our Favorite Resources: We’ve curated some great resources just a little further down the page—including APA paper templates, handouts, and links to some of our favorite sites, with more resources coming soon!
  • NetTutor: All students also have access to NetTutor, a 24/7 online tutoring system that can give you the support you need when something unexpected comes up. To access NetTutor, log-in to D2L, click "Radford University Support" at the top, and select "NetTutor."

Who We Are

Please visit the Highlander Success Center Team page to learn more about us!

Resources

Purdue OWL: For help with APA Style and writing in general, there’s no better place online than the Purdue Online Writing Lab. Because we’re all in the middle of switching over from APA 6th Edition to APA 7th, the OWL has a helpful reminder at the top of APA pages in red to let you know which edition you’re looking at.

CrashCourse: With videos covering a wide array of topics across the curriculum, CrashCourse is a free resource to help brush up on basic subjects from anatomy to world history.

How to Study: With thousands of great resources for studying in general and for specific subjects, HowToStudy.org is a one-stop shop for useful tips and strategies.

Paper Templates: We’ve got a ready-to-use template for your APA papers, available in 6th Edition and 7th Edition formats.

7th Edition Sample Papers: The APA has made these samples papers available, both with and without annotations.

6th Edition Sample Paper: This annotated paper walks you through 6th Edition formatting to explain how and why certain elements are used.

NCLEX Strategies: The official NCLEX website has a broad array of resources for nursing students, including strategies for critical thinking and free sample questions.

Online Resources

Welcome to RUC's Academic Support Services' D2L page, which is called the The Highlander Success Center.

Tutoring

Check out our tutoring services available and find a tutor on our RUC Tutoring site.