BOSTON — Having trouble in a class or two? Need accommodations for your learning disability? Where do you go? Stop by the second floor of Donahue. The Ballotti Learning Center is there, and where you can find help.

The Ballotti Learning Center (BLC) is an on-campus resource focused on helping all Suffolk students reach their highest academic potential. The BLC offers programs and services designed for students who want to improve their GPA, learn new study techniques, better understand particular subject material, and utilize their time more effectively.

While their services are a great help for students, many students do not know exactly what the BLC offers. “I only know you can go when you need extra help with your classes,” says Suffolk freshman Alyssa Kelly.

The BLC offers a number of programs designed to help students who need academic assistance, but tutoring is its most popular service. Most students walk into the Ballotti Learning Center looking for one-on-one peer tutoring. They find the individual attention to be most helpful, especially coming from other students, whom they can easily relate to.

Jessica Kehlenbach, a Suffolk student who has utilized the peer tutoring services at Suffolk in the past, says she likes that the individual tutoring is done by other students. “It’s easier to be on the same page as a student, rather than a professor,” says Kehlenbach.

Ballotti’s second most popular service is its accommodations for learning disabilities. Learning Disability specialists are available to work with students who have learning disabilities or ADD/ADHD. Some of the most popular programs offered include: extended time testing, quiet settings for exams, priority registration, scribes/readers, books on tape, use of calculators, and other assistive technology. They also assist those students by providing them counseling on topics such as time management and study skills.

The BLC’s Academic Improvement Program (AIM) is for students on Academic Probation. It provides connections with support services and resources to improve their academic status. Trained AIM instructors meet weekly with students in small groups and provide support for overcoming challenges.

The University Achievement Program (UAP) connects students who are conditionally admitted with support services and resources to successfully navigate their first year of college. UAP students attend appropriate sections of SU 101: Strategies for Academic and Personal Success and receive one-on-one support from an educational consultant. Successful completion of the program enables students to continue their education at Suffolk, and even qualifies them for certain scholarships.

In addition to the aforementioned services, the BLC offers study groups, CLEP exams, and facilitates the Early Alert program, which identifies students who may be in academic risk at the mid semester point.

But what is it about the Ballotti Learning Center that makes it so different from any other college resource? “It’s the aura that everyone gives,” says Jessica Soares, a BLC tutor. “Everyone is very friendly and approachable. For once, I don’t hate coming to work.”

Soares also noted that some of the BLC’s success may come from its diverse staff. “There are students who work here from a variety of ethnic backgrounds,” she said. “It makes students feel more comfortable here.”

The mix of BLC staff and programs are making it an extremely successful program. Results from a survey of students who used the BLC services last semester show that 73% of the students who participated in tutoring felt that they learned to study on their own through their tutoring experience. Seventy-three percent of students who met with an educational consultant identified that their meetings resulted in their having a clearer idea of how to take advantage of the resources across campus. These results suggest that students did find the BLC to be effective in helping them develop independence and interdependence.

Though the programs are successful, many students do not take advantage of it. “The BLC is a hidden gem,” says Becky Anderson, BLC Staff Assistant. “Most students don’t think that they could necessarily utilize tutoring or study groups, or the BLC in general, but really they benefit everyone.”

The programs may be many, but the overall idea of the BLC is basic. “It’s a great way for students to do better in class using their peers,” says Soares. “BLC foreva!”