Sara, our Writing Coordinator, is responsible for overseeing matters relating to the Writing Tutor and Writing Associates programs. She has always cared about writing, having kept a journal since second grade and teaching English for many years before studying education and coming back to California and writing tutoring. Her interests include film as literature, creative nonfiction, and crime stories.
About Us
Since 2001, the California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) Student Center for Academic Achievement (SCAA) has provided content tutoring for writing across the curriculum, all math and statistics courses, and selected science courses. Additionally, the SCAA offers academic support through new and innovative programs such as the Writing Associates and Supplemental Instruction (SI).
The mission and objective of the SCAA is three-fold:
- to help CSUEB students develop and improve their skills and abilities in order to meet the demands of college level coursework;
- to assist CSUEB students in achieving and maintaining academic excellence;
- and to support CSUEB students in accomplishing their academic and career goals and graduate as self-directed life-long learners.
The SCAA accomplishes its mission and objectives by providing students with high quality tutoring and academic support, providing faculty with a resource for students who need additional help, and providing the university with an intellectual hub offering innovative programming that reflects our values.
Our Impact
The SCAA is dedicated to providing impactful academic support services to the CSUEB community. In an effort to keep our organization accountable to our students, we produce a thorough annual report each year outlining our accomplishments and areas of growth. Below is an infographic highlighting some of our work from the 2017 – 2018 academic year.Our Staff
June Mertens-Barber - OWL Coordinator
While obtaining her English Literature Bachelor’s degree and then pursuing a Master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Students of Other Languages), June tutored writing at the SCAA. Now, as a member of SCAA staff, she is the Online Coordinator for the OWL (Online Writing Lab) and the WST (Writing Skills Test) Coordinator. She likes to visit her daughter and grandchildren during her vacations.
Sara Schupack - Interim Director and contact for the Writing Tutor Programs
Noresha Brown - Administrative Coordinator
Noresha works closely with the reception staff and coordinates the SCAA’s administrative operations, including appointment facilitation. She is a recent graduate of CSUEB, having majored in Biological Sciences and a former student receptionist. Outside of the SCAA, she enjoys watching movies, discovering new music, and spending time with family and friends.
Brandon Everett - Administrative Support Coordinator
Brandon serves as an Administrative Support Coordinator for the SCAA, which focuses mostly on the writing tutor program, but also extends to other areas of the center. He has a Master’s degree in English and a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature with an emphasis in creative writing, with over four years of writing tutor experience and over ten years of administrative experience in and out of the university system. Brandon is a published author of two books, a novel and a short story collection, with a handful of other potential projects he hopes to see published in the near future. His interests include the cinema and film theory, all things Stephen King, M. Night Shyamalan’s entire filmography, reading anything paranormal, supernatural, or of the noir-crime-thriller vein, and waiting with bated breath to see the Oakland A’s win a World Series.
Matthew Tener - SI Coordinator
Matthew joined the SCAA in August 2021 and coordinates Supplemental Instruction. His professional background in higher education includes leading academic outreach, learning support, and related student success programs, and he previously earned a BA degree in English and MA degree in Curriculum & Instruction. He enjoys learning new skills, graphic design, creating music, critical analysis and skepticism, and trivia.Graduate Assistants
Sabina Lucke Lawrence - Science Coordinator
Sabina coordinates the SCAA science tutoring team, and is a Master's student in the department of biological sciences. Her research focuses on the ecology and behavior of Anna's hummingbirds and their pollination of California native plants. Sabina holds a Bachelor's degree in music, and later attended community college as a working adult to complete the required science courses for graduate work in biology. She is committed to supporting and celebrating student success, especially for non-traditional and historically underrepresented students. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, birdwatching, and gardening.
Raghav Goel - Math & Stats Coordinator and Data Analyst
Raghav Goel completed his bachelor's degree in Computer Science & Engineering from India. Post graduation, he worked as a Business Analyst for a year and a half in the digital marketing industry. He is passionate about data and utilizing data to make business decisions, which made him pursue a Master’s in Business Analytics at CSUEB. Apart from his education and career, he enjoys sports, cooking and hiking.