Ex-staff member takes over as director of learning center

by Gabrielle Beltran staff writer

Even though Dr. Theresa Suriano loves, _ ~ong other things, her new office in the Rooymans Center, she thinks it needs some more decorations.

She also believes that she needs posters with motivational phrases and some new curtains.

Suriano, the Assistant Director of the Center for Academic Excellence, is a new faculty addition to the center at Cabrini College. She joined Cabrini's faculty back in September of this year.

A graduate of Fordam University, Suriano attended graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania.

She believes that it was a challenge for her to go back to school, because she is a single parent. She likes having a new and fresh perspective after attending college for a second time.

Suriano is a former Cabrini staff member, but she went back to college in 1995 to get her doctorate in English Literature.

Before obtaining her doctorate, Suriano was a first-year-student advisor, a writing tutor and an instructor in the English department.

Besides being the Assistant Director of the Center for Academic Excellence, she also coordinates the writing lab, handles part-time students, teaches an English Composition class and is responsible for the Act 101 program.

The Act 101 program is a student-oriented, state-funded support program that offers help to certain college individuals who meet the qualifications.

She believes that part of her job is to successfully enhance communication between students and teachers. She helps students with note-taking, time management, reading skills and test anxiety.

Suriano describes herself as very peopleoriented and says that she loves her job because it is challenging with very many different faucets and paper work. She also loves the individuals with whom she works, and she believes that they are dedicated to the welfare of the students.

Suriano believes that students benefit greatly from the center. She said that seeing them make great progress makes her happy, because it shows that she is doing her job well.

In her leisure time, Suriano likes to read, watch films and take walks.

She describes herself as a strong individual who possesses time-management and planning skills.

If Suriano could broadcast a message to the students it would be the following: the Care Center has two well-trained counselors, if any student has a problem, and they need someone to talk to, someone is available.

She added that the Care Center also offers walk-in free tutoring in a wide variety of subjects and academic help to any student struggling in a class.