Carolina Watts, Director of the Office of Disabilities and Accessibility Services at 麻豆传媒集团, recently shared an innovative academic support program. At the Student Success Conference hosted by the , Watts presented the Student Assistants for Success (SAS) program to education professionals from across the country.
The SAS program brings a new kind of academic support directly into studio-based courses鈥攃lasses where students work on projects in media arts, architecture, and design. These types of courses often have open-ended projects, less structure, and feedback and critique from professors and peers. For some students, especially those who are neurodivergent or who have trouble with time management or organization, this can be very challenging. The SAS program is designed to support these students in real time, during class time and in the studio environment where they are completing their work.
In developing the program, the goal was to move beyond what was already available and think creatively about what academic support truly designed for the studio environment could look like.聽 The program was also designed with a specific challenge in mind 鈥� how to improve academic outcomes for the rising number of neurodivergent learners seeking a college degree.
The Student Assistants for Success program was developed by Watts in her role as Director of the Office of Disabilities and Accessibility Services. 聽A complete reimagining of supports that had previously been available was needed to go beyond traditional academic intervention and make support available right where students need it most鈥攖he studio environment 鈥� and when they needed the most 鈥� in the moment while learning is happening.
SAS works by training upper-level undergraduate students to become Student Assistants (SAs). These assistants are placed directly into foundational studio classes. During class, they help explain tasks, model steps, and support independent and group work. Outside of class, they host sessions for students in the same studio spaces to provide extra help while students work on projects. This makes support easier to access and more effective for art and design programs, and particularly for neurodivergent learners in those programs.
鈥淪tudio students spend a lot of time in their workspaces,鈥� Watts said. 鈥淪o we bring the help to them, in the environment they already use.鈥�
This setup also reduces the stress of seeking help outside of class time, which can be difficult for students with executive functioning challenges. Instead of needing to sign up for tutoring appointments or go to unfamiliar locations, students can simply engage with support where they already are.
While many colleges offer academic support services, traditional models often fall short for students in studio-based disciplines. Most academic support, whether through a tutoring center or embedded support, is geared toward lecture-style classes with structured content, exams, and fixed deadlines. Studio education, however, is different. It is shaped by open-ended projects, evolving critique, and individualized feedback.
These dynamics create unique challenges. Students are expected to plan long-term projects, manage their own time, adapt to abstract feedback, and understand unspoken expectations about the creative process. For students who are new to studio culture or who are neurodivergent, these expectations can be overwhelming.
Traditional tutoring plays a critical role in higher education, but it doesn鈥檛 always meet these needs. Most tutors work outside the classroom, focusing on reviewing course content. This model misses the opportunity to support students in real time, within the studio itself. The SAS program was designed to fill this critical gap.
Watts emphasized, 鈥淭he SAS program is tailored specifically to the dynamics of studio culture and the diverse ways that students learn skills and process information.鈥�
SAS is based on proven academic support models like Supplemental Instruction (SI), Embedded Tutoring, and Executive Functioning Coaching. These models have been successful in other college settings, especially in helping students master tough subjects or build study skills. The SAS program takes the best of these ideas and adapts them for creative education.
Student Assistants receive training in how to support students during studio time and outside of class. They learn how to:
Incorporating executive functioning support makes SAS even more effective. Students learn how to break projects into parts, set goals, manage their time, and complete assignments more efficiently.
This approach also helps students develop skills that are not always taught explicitly but are essential for success in creative disciplines.
Students and faculty at Woodbury have responded positively to the program in its initial implementation phase. Faculty report that the SAS program helps their students develop greater confidence, engage more with their learning environment, and be more successful in achieving the learning outcomes of the course.
Watts said, 鈥淭his embedded support creates a proactive environment that normalizes help-seeking and fosters a culture of academic belonging for all students, not just those formally registered for accommodations with ODAS or who have sought out support.鈥澛� While the program incorporates strategies and best practices for working with neurodivergent students, it is beneficial for all students enrolled in these courses.聽 SAS is designed to better equip students to become independent and engaged learners, and to develop the foundational skills needed to continue their success after completion of the foundational years in their studio-based programs.
At the 2025 AICAD conference, held at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Watts presented the SAS program to other colleges and universities that focus on art and design. The session focused on how SAS works and how it can be adapted at other institutions.
鈥淪peaking to other student success professionals from AICAD schools, my goal was to not only provide information about the SAS program and its success, but to also inspire the audience to think creatively about how existing academic support models can be adapted to be effective in studio-based education,鈥� she said.
鈥淎 common theme throughout the conference was discussion of how we can find ways to provide tutoring or other support for studio-based skills, such as sewing and technical skills for Fashion Design or support for project completion in studio courses in Animation,鈥� Watts said. 鈥淲e are already doing that through the SAS model, and I was excited to share that with colleagues from other institutions.鈥�
Many attendees were especially interested in how SAS supports neurodivergent learners. Schools everywhere are working to better support students with different learning needs, including students with autism, ADHD, and other learning differences.
Back at Woodbury, the program continues to grow. Woodbury plans to expand SAS to even more studio courses in the 2025鈥�2026 school year.
鈥淲e believe this is the only program of its kind at an art and design university,鈥� Watts said. 鈥淚t represents a forward-thinking approach to equity, access, and academic success in creative education.鈥�
With colleges everywhere looking for ways to make education more inclusive, programs like SAS are showing what鈥檚 possible. Instead of adding support as an afterthought, SAS makes it part of the learning process. It meets students where they are and helps them succeed.
Watts added, 鈥淭his is about challenging how we think about academic support and reimagining how support can look in studio-based programs鈥攎aking it part of the class, part of the culture, and something all students can benefit from.鈥�