About the CAE at RUSH

At RUSH University's Center for Academic Excellence, we are dedicated to enhancing the academic and professional pursuits of our students and faculty. Our center provides specialized support in writing, statistical data analysis, and mathematics, alongside individualized academic coaching focusing on metacognition, study skills, test-taking strategies, and time management. We offer both one-on-one workshop meetings and virtual asynchronous support, tailored to meet the diverse needs of our academic community. To access these resources, students and faculty can book appointments with an Academic Specialist using the button below.

Book an Appointment with CAE

Writing Support

At the Center for Academic Excellence, we offer comprehensive writing support at any stage of the writing process. Whether you're brainstorming ideas, organizing your thoughts, or need help with revision and final editing, our team is here to assist you.

  • APA Formatting: Learn how to structure your papers according to APA guidelines and get answers to your specific questions about APA conventions.
  • ESL Support: Our English as a Second Language (ESL) Specialist is equipped to assist English language learners in enhancing their sentence structure, word form, word choice, grammar, punctuation, and pronunciation.
  • One-on-One Workshops: Schedule personal meetings with our Academic Specialists via Microsoft Bookings and Teams. These sessions are designed to develop your writing skills and boost both your academic success and confidence.
  • Diverse Writing Needs: We provide guidance on a variety of writing projects, including course papers, theses, dissertations, personal statements, and CVs/resumes.

Our tailored support aims to empower you to communicate your ideas effectively and with clarity, ensuring your academic growth and success.

Mathematics and Statistics Support

The CAE offers specialized support in mathematics and statistics to help you excel in your coursework and research projects.

  • Coursework Assistance: Receive help with statistical coursework and gain a clearer understanding of complex mathematical concepts.
  • Software Proficiency: Develop your skills in using statistical software such as SPSS, Excel, and REDCap, essential tools for data analysis and research.
  • Research Project Support: Whether it's formulating hypotheses, data analysis, or interpreting results, our team is ready to assist with various aspects of your research projects.

We are committed to providing the guidance you need to navigate the challenges of quantitative studies and enhance your analytical capabilities.

Research Support

At the CAE, we provide dedicated support for both quantitative and qualitative research across a wide range of academic endeavors, including projects, capstones, theses, and dissertations.

  • Comprehensive Guidance: Our academic coaches are equipped to guide you from the conceptualization of your study to the final submission, ensuring no detail is overlooked.
  • Expert Assistance: Whether you are designing a study, collecting data, analyzing results, or preparing your findings for presentation, we offer expert advice to help you navigate the complexities of your research with confidence.

We aim to empower you with the tools and knowledge needed to conduct rigorous research and achieve academic excellence.

Academic Coaching

At the CAE, our academic coaches are committed to fostering your academic success and boosting your confidence through personalized one-on-one sessions.

  • Flexible Scheduling: Schedule appointments that fit seamlessly into your routine, allowing you to receive support when it's most convenient for you.
  • Targeted Skill Development: Enhance your academic performance with tailored assistance in mastering time management, refining study skills, and overcoming test anxiety.
  • Professional and Academic Growth: Our coaches are here to support not only your immediate academic needs but also your long-term professional goals, helping you to develop competencies that extend beyond the classroom.

We are dedicated to providing you with the strategies and support you need to excel in your studies and advance in your career.

Faculty Support

At the CAE, we collaborate closely with faculty to develop student-centered workshops that enhance learning outcomes and complement classroom instruction.

  • Workshop Collaboration: Faculty members can partner with our CAE staff to design workshops tailored to their students' needs. These sessions focus on enhancing academic skills, writing proficiency, and metacognitive strategies essential for student success.
  • Customized Support: Each workshop is carefully crafted to align with your course objectives and to provide timely support, ensuring that students receive relevant and impactful guidance throughout their academic journey.
  • Empowering Faculty and Students: Our primary goal is to equip students with effective tools and strategies that foster an engaging and inclusive learning environment, enhancing both teaching experiences and student outcomes.

By focusing on collaborative workshops and targeted support, CAE is committed to enriching the academic experience for both faculty and students at Rush University.

CAE’s Workshops to Enhance Student Learning

The Center for Academic Excellence and the RUSH Library is pleased to share our extended list of classroom workshops. Over the past year the CAE has been revamping our offerings by collaborating with faculty to bring tailored workshops on big topics to their classrooms. The following menu is a selection of possible topics we can work on with your students. Faculty members can reach out to Kate Powers, the manager of the CAE, and she will design a workshop specifically for your students’ needs. The topics below can be mixed and matched to create customized workshops for the exact support your students need.

  • Advanced Levels of Learning: Help students as they adjust to the more advanced level of learning required by the programs at RUSH. The aim is to give students tools to be independent and active learners.
  • A Collaborative Discussion on Professionalism: Faculty and students join together to discuss the values that have led them to their health career, how they display those values on a daily basis, and the importance of professional interaction when it comes to working with faculty, classmates, coworkers and patients. Also, we encourage the discussion of possible difficult scenarios in a future classroom or work setting. This workshop is a moment for faculty and students to pause together and discuss expectations as well as excitement for the students’ future careers.
  • Educational Technology Tool: RUSH has many free educational technology tools, such as Outlook, RefWorks, Canvas, Visio, Whiteboard etc. available to students. For many students (especially those returning to school after a period in the workforce) these tools are new, and they are unsure how to use them. This topic will help students learn how to best utilize the tools at hand.
  • Preparing for a Standardized Exam: Students will learn techniques to manage their time and study plan during a period of independent study as they approach an upcoming standardized exam.
  • Why We Write: Emphasize writing as a tool for thinking, exploring how the writing process itself facilitates critical thinking and clarity of expression. Understand why writing is fundamental in both academic and professional contexts.
  • Citing Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism: Equip your students with essential skills to ethically source and cite their research, fostering academic integrity.
  • Writing a Literature Review: Guide your students through crafting detailed and coherent literature reviews, essential for academic success.
  • Day-to-Day Writing: Discover strategies to incorporate regular writing exercises that enhance students’ skills and confidence in expressing their ideas.
  • Writing With AI: Teach your students to critically engage with artificial intelligence in writing. This workshop focuses on using AI as a collaborative tool to enhance creativity and depth in their work, rather than relying on it for generic outputs. Students will learn strategies to maintain their unique voice and critical thinking skills while utilizing AI technology.

Engage with the CAE to Bring Targeted Learning to Your Classroom

Choose the workshops above that resonate with your teaching goals and let us help you bring these enriching experiences to your students. Our workshops are designed to be customized and seamlessly integrated into your curriculum, providing practical, hands-on learning that supports student achievement. If you would like to discuss possible workshop options for your cohort of students, please reach out to Kate Powers.

ProQuest ETD (Electronic Thesis and Dissertation) Submissions with RUSH CAE

Important Deadlines for Thesis & Dissertation Submissions

Spring 2024

  • Format Check Submission: 2/12
  • Final Copy Submission: 4/10

Summer 2024

  • Format Check Submission: 7/1
  • Final Copy Submission: 8/16

Fall 2024

  • Format Check Submission: 10/1
  • Final Copy Submission: 11/31

Spring 2025

  • Format Check Submission: 3/1
  • Final Copy Submission: 4/15

For information regarding the format check and submission process, please visit our LibGuide. For any additional questions,  please email us at cae@rush.edu. 

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