In February, Northeastern announced its partnership with Knack, a free online peer tutoring platform that allows colleges and universities to supplement existing academic services with a digital interface.

By engaging students from across the Northeastern global network, the partnership aims to enhance the current mission of the Peer Tutoring Program — to empower students by engaging them with the curriculum and improving their academic performance. 

Elizabeth Bonin, the senior director of Northeastern’s student support initiative, told The News that Northeastern engaged in negotiations with Knack in July 2022. The university’s goal was to have one centralized platform where all campuses — Oakland, California, London and Boston — had access to the same tutoring service, Bonin said. 

“I also wanted to have a program where Northeastern students could have positions to work for the university,” Bonin said. “Knack offers both.”

Bonin said one appeal of Knack was its flexibility, which allows students to have tutoring sessions online and adjust the appointment easily when schedules conflict. 

“I really loved how agile it is,” she said. “I love how students are able to use every type of mode of communication to learn.”

Rebecca Starr, a second-year biology major who started tutoring in September 2022, said Knack also makes it easier for student tutors to communicate with student tutees.

 “This program has had a great impact on my ability to communicate with others and has helped me to better develop my own study habits by coming up with new techniques with my tutees,” Starr said.

Bonin further emphasized that with the new tutoring service, students can decide what they want to learn or teach and in what mode they want to do it, simultaneously delivering high-quality tutoring and providing students with jobs. 

“We will be able to hire students who have taken the classes that the students need help in,” Bonin said. “The second part is, we’re giving good jobs to Northeastern students … with Knack, if you want to work three or 30 hours a week, they have flexibility in their hours.”

Bonin’s role will be to facilitate the program and connect with stakeholders to make necessary adjustments. 

“I really want to spend time coming up with a communication plan for all parts of the university, so they are aware of Knack and what it has to offer,” Bonin said.

Lillian Woodard, a second-year chemical engineering major and another student tutor, agreed that Knack will offer newfound benefits to the peer tutoring program.

“It has made me more confident in my understanding of the courses, sharpened my patience and made me more comfortable with silence,” Woodard said. 

This spring, the university is running a free pilot program using the Knack peer tutoring platform. The pilot serves students enrolled in Global Scholars (Mills and London) and first- and second-year undergraduate courses. The official launch across all campuses will come in September 2023 accompanied by a formal introduction to university deans, faculty and students.