Wyzant Announces Partnership with One Million Degrees to Provide Tutoring to Community College Students

Wyzant has covered the cost of more than 1,000 hours of tutoring for OMD scholars, delivering one-on-one academic support during the pandemic

News provided by

IXL Learning

Aug 17, 2021, 08:05 ET

CHICAGO, Aug. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- During the pandemic, many of Chicago's community college students have turned their homes into classrooms and shown resilience in the face of unique obstacles to learning. Since in-person communication with professors has been limited, students have lacked access to subject matter experts who can guide them through their coursework. To support these students, Wyzant has partnered with One Million Degrees (OMD), to cover the costs of its scholars' tutoring sessions through 2021.

One Million Degrees (OMD) is a catalyst for Chicagoland students to achieve economic mobility and a college degree. To help learners succeed throughout the pandemic, OMD partnered with Wyzant to provide free tutoring sessions to its scholars.

The initiative grants OMD scholars free tutoring sessions from Wyzant's digital network of 65,000 experts. Each tutor provides personalized, one-on-one instruction to help students succeed in challenging courses including calculus, sociology, writing and more. Flexible scheduling options ensure that learners can get help from the right person whenever it fits into their schedule. Since the collaboration began in August 2020, OMD scholars have spent more than 1,000 hours in Wyzant tutoring sessions.

One Million Degrees was founded in 2006 as a catalyst for Chicagoland students to achieve economic mobility and a college degree. More than 95 percent of its members come from low-income households. Determined to help students achieve their dreams, OMD established a holistic support system, including financial and academic aid. When OMD realized it was challenging for scholars and alumni to connect with professors during the pandemic, it formed a partnership with Wyzant to address students' academic needs.

"Academic tutoring is a core component of OMD's holistic support model. We are grateful to Wyzant for generously offering OMD scholars access to their tutoring platform during the global pandemic," said Danielle McConnell, OMD's Director of Program. "As a result, many of our students were able to make important progress and stay on-track to graduation."

"One Million Degrees scholars are familiar with overcoming adversity, but struggling to find academic support is a hardship learners should never endure," said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning, the parent company of Wyzant. "We are honored to be able to make an impactful investment in Chicago's communities by providing tutoring to OMD scholars when they need it most."

Find your expert tutor with Wyzant
Wyzant makes it easy to access and communicate with qualified tutors from anywhere in the world through its free online learning tool. In addition, Wyzant for Higher Ed brings high-quality, affordable tutoring to more than one million college students and working adults seeking a credential or degree. Students simply search for or request a tutor, and Wyzant offers subject matter experts who best fit their needs. Wyzant then creates a space for students to collaborate with tutors face-to-face through video chat and an interactive whiteboard for solving problems.

About One Million Degrees
One Million Degrees is the only organization in Illinois dedicated to providing comprehensive support to community college students and accelerating their progress on career pathways to economic mobility. OMD's model, which combines academic, personal, professional and financial support, is changing the education landscape. According to early results from a randomized controlled trial conducted by the University of Chicago, OMD's community college scholars are 47% more likely than their counterparts to continue from one semester to the next as a full-time student. To learn more about the study and our incredible scholars, click here.

About Wyzant
Wyzant takes the guesswork out of finding a qualified tutor you can trust. Since 2005, millions of students all over the globe have looked to Wyzant for help in subjects ranging from math and science to computer programming and foreign languages. It's easy to browse profiles and reviews, message tutors, book lessons and conduct tutoring online using Wyzant's powerful online learning platform. At Wyzant, there are no commitments or expensive pre-paid packages. Every lesson is pay-as-you-go, and if you don't love your first hour with a new tutor, it's free, guaranteed. Wyzant joined the IXL Learning family of brands in 2021.

Press Contacts
Eric Bates
IXL Learning
[email protected]

SOURCE IXL Learning