INDIANAPOLIS — Students learning virtually during the pandemic are facing challenges like feeling disconnected to teachers and classmates to needing help with assignments.
“We’ve seen an increase in demand about quadruple across a multitude of subjects,” Myles Hunter, Co-Founder and CEO of Tutor Me said.
Tutor Me is an online platform that connects students all across the country with a tutor 24 hours a day in more than 300 different subjects.
“I was just looking for a little bit of side income that I could do with my master’s degree. There was a call out for virtual librarians,” Sarah DeSantis said.
DeSantis started tutoring students a month before the pandemic started. As many educators where she was working in South Carolina got furloughed, she was bracing for the same to happen to her.
“I was lucky but I had that reality that I might be furloughed,” she said. “I did have that mindset going in like ok I can use my extra time in the morning and evenings and lunchtime to really ramp up by tutoring and bring in some extra income in case I got furloughed.”
DeSantis now lives in Indianapolis and works for Eli Lilly as a corporate librarian. In her spare time, she continues to tutor students. She feels her role is important and she’s developed strong relationships with the people she helps.
“I am one of the only people they actually talk to throughout the day. Especially if you’re living alone or you’re a college student,” she said. “I want to help them in the classroom but I also want them to feel like they have someone to talk to and connect with.”
Rubie Olivas is one of Desantis’ students. The mother of five has had a lot to balance as she takes care of her family and works to obtain her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.
“It’s amazing. She’s actually one of my top favorites," Olivas said. "I’ve been with her since the beginning of school. All I have to do is request her and there she is."
Students can pay for services individually. Tutor Mealso partners with schools across the country to provide services for students.
