Tutoring Services
STEM and Tutoring Center at Palo Alto College provides free, high-quality academic support to help students succeed in their courses. Through one-on-one and small-group tutoring, workshops, and study support, students can strengthen their understanding of course material, improve their writing and problem-solving skills, and prepare for exams. Our trained Tutors and Academic Peer Coaches create a welcoming environment that encourages confidence, skill development, and academic persistence across disciplines.
In-person Tutoring
Monday – Thursday: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Location: Gutierrez Learning Lab 106
Phone: 210-486-3945
Email: pac-tutoring@alamo.edu
30-minute Virtual Tutoring through Zoom
By Appointment Only
Support Areas
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Our Tutors and Academic Peer Coaches provide guidance on concepts, calculations, and problem-solving techniques, fostering a deeper understanding of mathematical principles. They can support students in College Algebra, Business Algebra, Business Calculus, Business Mathematics, Business Statistics, Elementary Algebra, Elementary Statistics, Precalculus, and Calculus I, II, & III.
Peer Coaches and Tutors
James Sullivan
College Algebra, Business Mathematics, Business Calculus, Precalculus, Calculus I, II, and III, Elementary Statistics, and Business Statistics
Savannah Padron
!Yo hablo espanol!Elementary Algebra, College Algebra, Business Math, Precalculus, Calculus 1
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Our Tutors and Academic Peer Coaches help students in their academic pursuit of science. Our Tutors and Academic Peer Coaches can help support students in Anatomy and Physiology I & II, Biology I, and Chemistry I & II.
Peer Coaches and Tutors
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Our Tutors and Academic Peer Coaches help students improve their writing skills by working on various writing techniques, providing feedback on their papers, and tailoring their tutoring strategies to each student's unique learning style. Our Tutors and Academic Peer Coaches can help support students in English, INRW, and Writing Assistance.
Peer Coaches and Tutors
Heather Twardowski
English, INRW, and Writing Assistance (Creative Writing, MLA Format, and Resumes/Cover Letters)
Kurt Wilson
English, INRW, and Writing Assistance (Chemistry Lab Reports, Horticulture, and History)
Monique Cortez
English, INRW, and Writing Assistance (APA style, Argumentative Essays, Creative Writing, and Speech)
Yvonne Samuels
!Yo hablo espanol!English, INRW, and Writing Assistance (Criminal Justice, Literature, Mexican American Studies, Poetry, Psychology, and Speech)
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Our Tutors and Academic Peer Coaches help students with Computer Programming and various programming languages. They can support students in C++, Java, and Python.
Peer Coaches and Tutors
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STEM support integrates various resources and instructional support to help students interested in STEM make informed decisions about their academic journey.
Visit the STEM page for more information about events, workshops, scholarships, and more.
Borrow a Calculator
Rules for being eligible for a calculator:
- Must be a current student of the Alamo Colleges enrolled in a math course at Palo Alto College. Students taking math courses at other campuses, such as NVC or SAC, are not eligible to check out a graphing calculator.
- Students may not have a graphing calculator from a previous semester or still owe funds due to needing to return a calculator at the end of a prior semester.
- A student ID is required at the time of calculator checkout.
- Visit the STEM and Tutoring Center in Gutierrez 106 to complete the form and receive a calculator.
Please note that calculator checkout is based on inventory and item availability.
College Reading & Learning Association (CRLA) Certified
All PAC tutors are certified through the college’s CRLA Training Program.
College Reading & Learning Association (CRLA) tutor training provides professionals with the opportunity to create, improve, and expand tutor and mentor training for a campus’ unique programs. CRLA-certified programs demonstrate high standards:
- Certification provides recognition and positive reinforcement for tutors’ and mentors’ successful work;
- Certification sets professional standards of skill and training for tutors and mentors;
- Certification augments program credibility for administrators and institutions.
Brainfuse Online Tutoring
In addition to free tutoring provided by the learning centers, students can access Brainfuse services on nights and weekends. Each student receives 7 hours of free online tutoring during the academic year. No appointment is necessary. Questions? Please contact Erron Gonzalez, academic program director for Tutoring Services, at pac-tutoring@alamo.edu.
How to Utilize Brainfuse Online Tutoring
Follow these steps to get online tutoring:
- Log into ACES
- Select “My Courses”
- Click on the house icon next to the course you want to access
- Click on the “Brainfuse Online Tutoring” link on the left side of the screen
- Click “Launch Brainfuse”
Once Brainfuse has launched, select from two options.
- Live Help: Connect with a Brainfuse tutor instantly (depending upon the subject) for a 30-minute tutoring session.
- Writing Lab: To submit a paper for review by a Brainfuse tutor, select any of the options listed. You will receive feedback within 24 hours, seven days per week.
Live Help and Writing Lab sessions with Brainfuse tutors are limited to seven hours per semester. Live sessions with a Brainfuse tutor are deducted from a student’s seven-hour limit based on the actual transaction time. For example, if you spend 20 minutes with a tutor, 20 minutes are deducted from your seven hours. For each Writing Lab submission, 35 minutes are deducted from your seven hours.
Brainfuse Online Tutoring Hours and Subjects
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Dental-Math-Reading-Writing Accounting-Anatomy and Physiology-Biology-Chemistry-Economics-Finance-Organic Chemistry-Physics-Statistics Nursing Speech Circuits Intro to Engineering Mechanics (Dynamics)-Mechanics (Statics)-Thermodynamics |
Chemistry-Physics-Statistics Earth Science Signals and Systems Adobe Suite C++ CCNA Security & CCNA Certification HTML5/CSS-Java- MySQL-PL/SQL-Python |
Spanish History/Government Javascript Linux+ Microsoft Office Suite PERL/CGI Security+/Security+ Certification |
Contact Information
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Erron Gonzalez, MS, MBA Academic Program Director |
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Laura Quintanilla Academic Program Coordinator - Science and Writing |
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Daniele Delgado Academic Program Coordinator – Math and STEM |