Varsity Tutors Company Mission Statement
Our mission is to improve the academic achievement of all students by providing elite, individualized tutoring services that foster intellectual and personal development in a positive learning atmosphere.
The Team
FOUNDER & CEO
CHARLES COHN
As a high school honors student, Chuck Cohn struggled to find a smart, independent tutor who could help him with some of his Advanced Placement classes. The overpriced big-name national tutoring companies didn’t offer personalized service in specific subjects, and searching on sites like Craigslist yielded spotty results. In 2007, while he was a student at Washington University in St. Louis, Cohn recognized that two of his best friends would make perfect tutors: they were brilliant, friendly, and could explain difficult concepts better than any tutor he had ever had. And they loved the idea of helping students succeed as a way to earn a little extra money. Cohn founded Varsity Tutors and hired his two friends as tutors. The feedback he received from parents was outstanding and so he began hiring other extremely talented individuals who had the communication and technical skills necessary to be amazing tutors. Since then, Varsity Tutors had expanded into four other cities and has helped over 1,000 families.
CHICAGO, (847) 840-2442
CAROLINE SWIGER
Caroline is an experienced teacher, tutor and Tutoring Director. Caroline is originally from Palos Heights, Illinois, and grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Master of Education in Elementary Education, and is certified to teach Kindergarten through 8th grade in the State of Illinois. Caroline spent two years as an elementary and middle school teacher in the Chicago Public School system and has personally tutored more than thirty students ranging in age from 5 to 16 years in all academic subject areas and test preparation. Caroline has a passion for helping all students achieve their full academic and personal potentials. She is committed to the success of all of Varsity Tutors’ students and enjoys working closely with parents and tutors to achieve that goal.
HOUSTON, (832) 748-1733
WILL HURST
Will has been working with Varsity Tutors since 2008. Will graduated in 1998 with Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from the College of Charleston, and then went on to receive a Masters of Education from Rockhurst University. After three years of teaching, Will is happy to provide the added help that tutoring can offer. He has worked with both the Chicago and Houston Varsity Tutors offices, and is currently Director for the Houston office. In his free time, Will enjoys traveling, reading, and the outdoors.
HOUSTON, (832) 748-1733
ANN MARIE MCDONALD
Ann Marie has been in the education field for more than five years and enjoys helping students achieve their full potential. She has a Bachelor's degree in Social Administration, a Master's in Counseling, and an MBA. Prior to joining Varsity Tutors, she worked as an Assistant Admissions Director at Belhaven University where she advised and counseled students regarding enrollment orientation and course selections. She is also an adjunct faculty member teaching business classes at Belhaven University and Lone Star College. Ann Marie is very active in her local community and enjoys volunteering.
PHOENIX, (480) 544-5222
CHARLEE YOUNG
Charlee has a love for children and a passion for education. Together, these two traits drive her to help children obtain the skills they need to be successful students. She has a Bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Mississippi. Before being appointed the Phoenix Regional Director of Varsity Tutors, she directed a tutoring center in Dallas, Texas and was able to guide more than 500 families a year toward their academic goals. She works closely with students, parents, teachers, and the best tutors to build the academic skills and confidence children need to reach their potential. Charlee enjoys being active in her community and is involved with several local organizations. She spends her free time with friends and family or traveling.
ST. LOUIS, (314) 422-2007
MARTHA HICKS
Martha is the St. Louis Director of Varsity Tutors. Prior to joining Varsity tutors, she was the Director of Educational Services at National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a merit-based, nationwide scholarship competition based in Evanston, Illinois. Through her work with the National Merit Scholarship Program, she gained valuable insight into the educational landscape of the St. Louis area, as well as a broad understanding of curriculum designs and grading practices for a variety of types of schools. She is pleased to work with Varsity Tutors and looks forward to helping students reach their educational goals.
TUSCON, (520) 247-9206
KIMBLE COHN
Raised in Missouri, Kimble received a B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis. After serving in the U.S. Army, he and his wife joined the Taliesin Fellowship of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation in Spring Green, Wisconsin and Scottsdale, Arizona. Returning to St. Louis, he established the architectural design and planning firm of Kimble A. Cohn & Associates and acted as Principal-in-Charge from 1974 to 2005. He enjoys the local music scene of Tucson and hiking the Arizona wilderness.
ESSAY EDITOR & WRITING TUTOR, (314) 422-2007
EVAN BENN
Evan is an award-winning journalist who is currently a writer, columnist and editor at The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism in 2004. He has more than nine years of experience as a writer and editor, working with The Daily Northwestern, NUcomment.com, and The Miami Herald. He was twice named Florida's "Young Journalist of the Year" by the Society of Professional Journalists. A self-proclaimed grammar and style buff, Evan works with students of all writing levels to help them conceptualize, write, and fine-tune their college application essays.
How We Operate
Varsity Tutors is committed to working closely with students and their families to provide elite, one-on-one tutoring instruction that helps students achieve their academic goals. Our experienced directors begin by assessing every student’s needs, selecting a tutor that is the best fit for each individual student, and monitoring students’ progress over time. Our elite group of tutors brings a wealth of experience in their individual fields of academic expertise to their students. They individualize students’ lessons and present materials and concepts in engaging, easy-to-understand ways that keep students motivated and on the road to success.







