Our Work

The Advancing Community Engagement and Service Institute partners with Houston-area schools and organizations to enhance student learning through evidence-based programming and support. Our core initiative, known as Cougar Tutors, provides University of Houston students with experiential learning opportunities while also supporting the community.

Cougar Tutors 

The Cougar Tutors initiative was launched in 2017 as part of UH’S Third Ward Initiative. Cougar Tutors are UH students hired and trained to serve as academic coaches and mentors to students in under-resourced schools in Houston. Cougar Tutors work between 12 to 15 hours weekly during the academic year, providing individualized support in classrooms while forming invaluable relationships with their students. Cougar Tutors are assigned to one of multiple grant-funded programs.

Third Ward Literacy

The Third Ward Literacy program supports under-resourced elementary schools in the Third Ward neighborhood. Cougar Tutors serve as literacy coaches and mentors to students, providing individualized or small group instruction to build vocabulary, fluency, reading comprehension and other reading skills. The goal of this program is to ensure that students are reading at or above grade level by the end of the third grade.

Cougar Literacy Corps

The Cougar Literacy Corps supports emergent bilingual students. Cougar Tutors in this program are bilingual UH students trained in evidence-based practices in English as a Second Language (ESL)/or Spanish-language instructional strategies. The goal is to provide equal academic support in English and a student’s native language.

Middle School Postsecondary Readiness Project

The Middle School Postsecondary Readiness Project supports school-identified middle school students who need additional support in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Cougar Tutors in this program are selected based on their major and experience and receive a specialized curriculum to guide their lessons. The goal is to support high school graduation by providing middle school students with additional academic support and career exploration experiences.

Our Past Work

Advanced Placement Cougar Tutors

During the 2022-2023 school year, Cougar Tutors served to advance college readiness in the Houston Independent School District by tutoring high school students in Advanced Placement courses. Cougar Tutors part of this program were UH students who excelled in AP courses in high school and demonstrated the ability to tutor college-level courses.

IGNITE/Project Explore

During the 2022-2023 school year, Cougar Tutors served to advance college and career readiness in Houston ISD middle schools and high schools by providing individualized support to school-identified students in the IGNITE and Project Explore programs.