Nursing major and Academic Success Center tutor ‘thriving’ at Lander University

Lander University nursing major MacKenzie Calcutt, of Columbia, attributes her academic success to the smaller class sizes and personal attention she receives from faculty and staff at Lander University. “I felt that I would thrive in smaller classes, and with having professors who know your name rather than just think of you as a number,” she said.

And thriving she is, indeed! Because of her stellar performance in the classroom, Calcutt serves as a tutor in the Academic Success Center, aiding her fellow students in some of Lander’s more challenging subjects. In order to serve as a tutor for a subject, students must maintain a high grade point average, as well as achieve high marks in the course they plan to tutor. Calcutt is a tutor for anatomy and physiology, as well as math and chemistry.

“MacKenzie is an incredibly smart and caring tutor,” said Anissa Lawrence, tutoring and supplemental instruction coordinator for Lander’s Academic Success Center. “During this semester, MacKenzie was quick to sign up for various drop-in sessions to ensure that students dropping by the ASC were able to get the help they needed.”

Calcutt attributes her academic success to her nursing faculty, who she says always take time to connect their classroom experiences to real-world scenarios. “All of the professors at Lander are very helpful and describe things in a way that lets you know what you’re doing has meaning towards your career rather than just to complete assignments,” she said.

As for long-term goals, Calcutt says her main goal is to earn her B.S.N. and work as a nurse in a hospital. However, Calcutt is also exploring the opportunity to earn a master’s degree and become a nurse practitioner. And in addition to her tutoring on campus, Calcutt is also a member of Lander’s Student Nursing Association.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, Calcutt had to cancel her summer internship plans with Prisma Health. Yet through her role as a student tutor, Calcutt found other ways to assist people who were struggling during the pandemic by tutoring her fellow Lander students who needed extra academic help.

“This semester, MacKenzie was quick to sign up for various drop-in sessions to ensure that students dropping by the ASC were able to get the help they needed,” said Lawrence, who added that other students appreciate Calcutt’s caring and welcoming approach. “Her positive outlook and friendly disposition have made her a beacon of light that students gravitate towards.”