Sara 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, and for a number of math, statistics, and science courses. Additionally, the SCAA offers embedded, collaborative support through its Writing Associates and Supplemental Instruction (SI) programs.
SCAA Mission
The mission of the Student Center for Academic Achievement (SCAA) is to provide CSUEB students with individual and collaborative learning opportunities within an inclusive environment fostering independent growth. The SCAA strives to cultivate adaptability, self-direction, and self-confidence through peer-to-peer support programs. SCAA services help students set achievable goals, develop academic skills, and improve subject comprehension.
SCAA Vision
The SCAA provides all CSUEB students with an inviting and intellectually-stimulating learning environment that fosters curiosity, independence, and critical thinking.
SCAA Values
- Collaboration
- Progress
- Commitment
SCAA Core Functions
- Subject-specific academic support
- Writing skills development
- Quality professional development and growth opportunities
- Collaborative cross-campus engagement efforts
Our Impact
The SCAA team is committed to providing impactful academic support services to the CSUEB community. Please contact the SCAA Director, Rachel Brunson, for more information about our assessment and evaluation processes or our impact reports.Our Staff
Rachel Brunson, Director (she/her)
Rachel joined the SCAA team in June 2022 with over a decade of experience in learning assistance / academic support services. Rachel completed her Bachelors degree in English from Notre Dame de Namur University, where she also served as a student writing tutor. She went on to graduate from the University of San Francisco (USF) in 2013 with a Master of Arts in Higher Education & Student Affairs. Rachel is currently working towards a doctoral degree in Organization & Leadership, with an emphasis in Learning & Instruction. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, gardening, hiking, and traveling with family and friends.
Sara Schupack, Coordinator for the Writing Tutor Programs (she/her)
June Mertens-Barber, Coordinator of the Online Writing Lab (OWL) and eTutoring (she/her)
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 coordinator for the OWL (Online Writing Lab) and the eTutoring program. She likes to visit her daughter and grandchildren during her vacations.
Brandon Everett, Administrative Support Coordinator (he/him)
Brandon works closely with the reception staff and coordinates the SCAA’s administrative operations, including appointment facilitation. 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, Supplemental Instruction Coordinator (he/him)
Matthew joined the SCAA in 2021. He previously oversaw comprehensive learning support and regional Academic Preparation/Early Assessment Program outreach programming for the California State University Maritime Academy from 2015 to 2021, and instructed academic writing and supported the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at the University of the Pacific from 2012 to 2015. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from California State University, Sacramento in 2008 and Master of Arts degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of the Pacific's Benerd School of Education in 2012. Additionally, he received his SI Supervisor Training certificate at the International Center for Supplemental Instruction in 2019.
Graduate Assistants
Raghav Goel - Math & Stats Coordinator and Data Analyst (he/him)
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.
Namrata Dhungana - Science Coordinator (she/her)
Namrata is an international student from Nepal and a current graduate student in the department of Biological Sciences. She conducts research on the identification of Shigella species with Dr. Carol Lauzon. Namrata recently completed her undergraduate degree from CSUEB in Biology with a concentration in Biomedical Lab Sciences and Microbiology. While she was a student she worked in the SCAA as a Biology Tutor from Fall 2021-Spring 2022. As the Science Coordinator, she is dedicated to assisting tutors in helping students achieve their academic goals. She is active in training the tutors and helping them develop professionally. Namrata was a Distinguished Pioneer Scholar at the Center for Student Research (CSR) during her time as an undergrad. This impacts her vision to help tutors find similar opportunities on campus that can be tied to their academic goals.