UT Tyler Partners with Knack to Support Student Success
July 21, 2025 | Hannah Buchanan
New initiative will offer peer tutoring in select courses beginning fall 2025
The University of Texas at Tyler has established a new partnership with Knack, a leading peer academic support strategy, to launch free tutoring services beginning this fall. The initiative emphasizes UT Tyler’s commitment to supporting student success by expanding access to high-quality academic support across key undergraduate and graduate courses.
The partnership will focus on UT Tyler first-year undergraduates and graduate students. Select first-year courses have been targeted as part of the university’s broader strategy to enhance retention and academic performance during the crucial transition to college. Graduate students will also benefit from tailored support in targeted courses as part of a cohort-based initiative designed to strengthen advanced learning outcomes.
Through Knack, students can schedule tutoring sessions with trained peer tutors who have previously excelled in the same courses. Sessions can occur either online or in-person, offering the flexibility students need. All peer tutors will be trained to meet the International Tutor Training Program Certification standards, ensuring high-quality and effective tutoring experiences.
“At UT Tyler, we are deeply committed to equipping our students with the tools they need to succeed from day one," said Dr. Colleen Swain, UT Tyler associate provost for academic success and dean of undergraduate studies. "This partnership with Knack directly supports our goals to improve retention and foster academic confidence among our incoming first-year students."
This innovative approach ensures that UT Tyler’s resources are invested efficiently—only paying for the tutoring sessions that occur—while also reinvesting in students through paid peer tutoring opportunities. In addition to supporting their peers, UT Tyler peer tutors gain valuable campus employment and transferable skills that prepare them for the workforce.
“We are delighted to partner with Knack to provide this personalized support for our graduate students,” said Dr. Amir Mirmiran, dean of the UT Tyler Graduate School. “Our shared vision for academic excellence, flexibility and student empowerment makes this partnership a strategic and student-center investment in higher education.”
Knack supports student success at campuses nationwide. By connecting students with peers who have successfully navigated the same courses, Knack not only improves academic outcomes but also fosters a sense of community. To learn more, visit: joinknack.com.
With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.