In the summer of 2014, I took an MCAT prep course, studied various materials, and thrilled myself with a strong composite score. Although I appreciated the prep course’s rigid scheduling, most learning occurred on my own with a textbook in my lap. Afterwards, I found myself encouraging my pre-med friends to invest the time and effort to thoroughly explore study materials, and to confidently reach for the 99th percentile. To convey my desire for mutual success more broadly, and fulfill a position that in retrospect would have helped me further, I wish to apply my skills as a tutor.
My work experience has been diverse in many ways, yet has also demanded professionalism and excellent teaching skills. Most recently, I worked in the Student Affairs office of my alma mater, Grinnell College, as the front desk representative for student, parent, and faculty concerns – all under confidentiality and time pressures. At the same time, I worked as a student leader of the Grinnell Outdoor Recreation Program to teach participants the techniques of various outdoor activities (e.g., canoeing, bicycling) and led day or week long trips with limited to no supervision. I was tasked with not only managing group safety, but maintaining healthy social dynamics and enthusiasm. This position understandably required exceptional responsibility and preparation, and I met these requirements without incident.
Previously I have held two positions in education. In the Grinnell in Prison Program I first tutored two teenagers who had suffered mental and emotional trauma, and later taught two semester-long classes with self-composed curricula to inmates at a local correctional facility. With ambitious subjects, namely Cell Structure and Ancient Greek Humanities, I successfully captured class attention during lecture and discussions, included demonstrations, and asked them to submit several assignments during the term – all in the hopes that they found something inspirational enough to break the cycle of incarceration and poverty.
As a college graduate in Biology, collaboration, coordination, and presentation were necessary elements of my research education. For example, I presented the results of climate change research that I conducted in Arizona to audiences at the University of Arizona, Grinnell College, and the 2012 American Geophysical Conference in San Francisco. These research skills, in addition to those described above, make me an excellent tutor.
