What is your hometown?

Beaverton, Oregon

What hobbies, sports, or interests light you up?

Being in nature is very important to me. Something about the plants and fresh air is so relaxing, which may be why I am going into environmental sciences! Outside of that, I work in a plant tissue culture lab that I am passionate about. I also love to run and swim for fun, not on a team or anything. 

What is your specialty as a tutor? What topic, problem, subject, or process do you most enjoy helping students to learn?

My favorite course that I tutor for is probably microbiology, but I also love to help students prepare for exams in intro biology courses. Regardless of subject, I feel as though I am well versed in study strategies and strategies to stay engaged in class. 

Which of the CLASS 5 Keys – Respect, Inclusion, Growth, Support, and Pizzazz - resonates with you the most and how do you put it into practice in your work as a tutor?

Growth resonates with me the most. It is impossible to be a college student without constantly growing and learning. Change and mistakes can be scary and uncomfortable, but out of this discomfort comes improvement, development of knowledge, and movement towards your goals. Within the world of tutoring, my love for growth and a growth mindset is reflected in the way I work with students. You can not expand your mind without challenging it, and so I hope students feel comfortable to make mistakes with me as their tutor. 

What is your best advice for students on how to get the most out of their academic experience in college?

1. Advocate for yourself. If you are struggling, whether it is on a topic in class or in your personal life, don't be afraid to ask your professors for help. They were students and are human, too, and they know what it is like to be confused and overwhelmed.
2. Get engaged in your classes. You will learn more and get more comfortable with speaking to a group of people by practicing asking and answering questions in class. Public speaking feels uncomfortable for most of us, but the worst case scenario is you get an answer wrong. You won't remember being embarrassed about an incorrect response next year, but you might remember some key concepts because you were engaged. 

Give us a movie quotation, song lyric, or line from a book that will motivate us in our learning.

"Just keep swimming!" -Dory:)