CS21, CS31 and CS35 are supported by a dynamic team of student mentors (aka ninjas!) who share their enthusiasm and expertise with students in class/lab and during evening study sessions. All sessions are held in SCI 256 except for the Monday CS31 session which is held in SCI 240.
Students are invited to participate in the study sessions to prepare for quizzes, to discuss programming concepts, and to get upbeat assistance while working on weekly laboratory assignments. Our CS mentoring team is dedicated to helping students (especially those who have no prior knowledge of computer science) develop excellent problem-solving and programming skills in a friendly, confidence-building environment. In order to fuel this project, snacks are provided at ninja sessions.
The CS faculty wrote a paper in 2014 about the CS ninja program. It is available here: paper.pdf and talk slides.pdf from presentation at the SIGCSE'14 Conference.
NinjaS and Ninja Sessions This semester Fall 2024
CS21 Ninja Sessions:
Thursdays 7:00-10:00 pm Hannah, Nate, Mulu, Jenna, Ethan, Elizabeth
Fridays 7:00-9:00 pm Iz, Erin, Ava
Also helping out in CS21 labs: Ernesto
CS31:
Mondays 8:00-10:00 pm Alina, V, Ben
Wednesdays 7:00-9:00 pm Lisa, Marlea, Nick
Also helping out in CS31 lectures: Lila
CS35:
Mondays 7:00-9:00 pm Bohou, Tommy, Annie
Tuesdays 7:00-10:00 pm Felicia, Gia, Matvey, Zara, Kristen
Becoming a CS Ninja
Want to help CS students?? Apply to be a Ninja or Tutor!
What are the main differences between the ninja and tutor position?
Ninjas are hired, trained, and supervised by the CS department. Tutors are hired and matched by the CS department but work for and are trained by the Dean’s Office.
Tutors can only work with a student up to 10 hours per semester, while ninjas typically work about 4-6 hours each week (could be slightly more or less depending upon the position).
Ninjas are expected to be enrolled in a CS course for each semester in which they ninja and are typically not seniors. These are not requirements for tutors.
Ninja eligibility information:
Typically requires successful completion of, with a grade of B+ or better, the CS course you wish to ninja for by the end of the previous semester (CS21, CS31, CS35).
Class status of Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior.
Enrolled in at least one CS course for the semester in which you want to ninja.
Good academic standing.
We are looking for students who have not only successfully completed the course, but who are friendly, empathetic and can easily break down complex concepts to students who are often new to computer science.
Tutor eligibility information:
Successful completion of the CS course you wish to tutor (CS21, CS31, CS35) by the end of the previous semester.
Good academic standing.
We are looking for students who have not only successfully completed the course, but who are friendly, empathetic and can easily break down complex concepts to students who are often new to computer science.
What are the next steps?
You must have a recommendation from a CS professor (ideally the professor who taught the course). You can either reach out to the professor and ask them to email Lauri or she can contact the professor on your behalf. She is looking for a sentence or two explaining why they think you would make a good ninja or tutor.
Email Lauri (lcourte1@swarthmore.edu) by early November for the spring semester and early April for the fall semester to let her know you are interested and meet all of the eligibility requirements. Once she receives a recommendation from your professor, she will email you with additional information.
Our Academic Support Coordinator
Lauri Courtenay, our Academic Support Coordinator and ninja wrangler, also serves as a mentor. She welcomes the opportunity to discuss CS and life with students and future students! Please contact her at lauri at cs.swarthmore.edu or 957-6062.
When the ninjas are not in the lab you will find them across campus singing in a capella groups, swimming or playing soccer, tennis and squash, working on biology and engineering projects, listening to music or playing violin or piano, learning new languages, backpacking, sailing, improvising, robotics, hiking, Aikido, cooking and writing poetry. Our motto: Everything's better with ninjas!
