I am working towards a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Ohio State University with the primary goal of becoming an engineering professor after graduation. During my undergraduate years at Drexel University I worked towards this goal as a part time peer coach for freshman engineering students, facilitating understanding of Calculus concepts in a workshop environment. The satisfaction of seeing the “aha” moments in the students’ faces at the end of tough problems solidified my desire to become a teacher and educator.
When I reflect on the exceptional teachers that I have had during my college years, they all have three traits in common: They have an obvious passion for what they are teaching; they describe complex concepts in simple ways that are easy to visualize; and they build clear connections between theoretical problems and real world situations.
In addition to these traits, the best educators I know are personable, respectable, persistent, and good listeners. I strive to embody these traits and qualities every day in order to become a great teacher.
