HELP IS HERE! Lexy Ackerman ('18 MDE Visual Design) Launches Tutoring Service in Midst of Pandemic

Lexy Ackerman, 2018 MDE Visual Design Engineering, is a mechanical engineer for BorgWarner, Inc. She is working with a team on inverters for all-electric and hybrid vehicles. It’s Lexy’s new venture, alongside her career as a practicing engineer, that led us to this conversation.

Lexy Ackerman Headshot

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lexy’s heart went out to students learning online. As a prior tutor through high school and at Purdue, she knew enough to be sure that students would be struggling even more. “There’s this great need now for extra help with learning. People need to learn in the ways that they are able to learn,” said Lexy.  As an engineer and driven leader and mentor, she knew she could be part of the solution by putting to action an idea that had been brewing for quite some time. She would start an online tutoring service, now known as Collegiate Tutors LLC.

In the interview with host Teresa Walker, you’ll learn just how far back in time Lexy has been thinking about the need to help students. The first step of her next giant leap dates back to her freshman year of high school tutoring eighth grade underclassmen in math. She continued tutoring all the way through college, building a clientele through word-of-mouth. Students liked how she related to them and could explain the material to their learning style. As a client herself with tutoring help in engineering courses at Purdue, she ultimately created a knowledge base over the years for learning styles of students and how tutors can best help them. 

Collegiate Tutors LLC is a culmination of her experiences and finding a team of like-minded tutors. The new online service matches students to tutors for one-on-one virtual tutoring sessions in math. In addition to the company’s tutoring services, Lexy writes for a blog on the site that provides practical advice and tips for students. She recalls her days at Purdue as a First-Year Engineering student and beyond to share her experiences and how tutoring can help students get through their rough patches.  

Collegiate Tutors LLC also has a clear vision and cause. Many of the tutors that Lexy hires and mentors are first generation college students.  She employs them as tutors and trains them, as well as partners with schools to provide math tutoring services for future first gen college students.  Donations can be made to pay for the tutors to work with at-risk students who do not have the resources and means available. These students are identified by partnering schools to provide free tutoring to the students. 

Learn more Collegiate Tutors LLC using the links below!

Collegiate Tutors LLC Mission, Vision, and Cause

More from Lexy’s lessons learned (blog!):
Collegiate Tutors’ Declassified Purdue Survival Guide
An alumni’s advice on how to pass Purdue Math courses like a pro. This is the first in a series of articles to help you succeed.