Alum Link Tutors…Where Are They Now?

Hear What Our Alum Tutors Have to Say!

Lauren Caulk, VJC’05

“Being a tutor taught me that one person really can make a difference in the lives of many!”

I am working as a Staffing Specialist at Social Security Headquarters in Woodlawn, Maryland. We serve over 12,000 employees on-site and over 65,000 employees nationwide. Quite a change from the small, family-like environment at VJC, isn’t it?  Believe it or not, my experience as a tutor has influenced my work, despite the obvious differences. Whenever I interact with applicants, I give them the undivided attention I always gave my tutees. Many times, applicants send deeply appreciative emails and notes. They’re often shocked to speak to a human being, let alone someone who actually cares about their issue  when calling the federal government! My career is so rewarding because I see the immediate impact I have on the economy, just as it was fulfilling to have an immediate impact on my tutees’ grades.

Rachel Bauer, VJC’06

“I find that I never really stopped tutoring even though I’m not in a teaching environment because I’m always catching myself showing someone something or explaining something in a way that I would have explained to my students.”

I am working as a Staffing Specialist at Social Security Headquarters in Woodlawn, Maryland. We serve over 12,000 employees on-site and over 65,000 employees nationwide. Quite a change from the small, family-like environment at VJC, isn’t it?  Believe it or not, my experience as a tutor has influenced my work, despite the obvious differences. Whenever I interact with applicants, I give them the undivided attention I always gave my tutees. Many times, applicants send deeply appreciative emails and notes. They’re often shocked to speak to a human being, let alone someone who actually cares about their issue  when calling the federal government! My career is so rewarding because I see the immediate impact I have on the economy, just as it was fulfilling to have an immediate impact on my tutees’ grades.

 After I graduated from VJC, I went right to grad school at University of Delaware to get my Masters in Applied Math. While there, all grad students are required to be teaching assistants, with minimal training. You are required to teach 20-30 students at a time, anything from lower level math to advanced calculus.  Honestly, without the experience I gained as a tutor and as an SI, I would have not been nearly as confident.  I enjoyed it so much that I taught two of my own winter courses while I was there.  I know I eventually want to get back into teaching, but I decided to take a short break and ventured out into the corporate world.  I’m now working for a small contracting firm at the Navy in Washington D.C. estimating the cost of ships.

 Teaching in grad school was a great experience mostly because I already had confidence and experience in a teaching environment.  In addition, my current employer found my tutoring experiences very valuable since it showcased my patience, diligence, and ability as an effective communicator. Working in The Link was an awesome experience; it made me realize how big of an impact you can have on someone just by being patient and taking the time to explain something.  Tutoring was a truly rewarding job, and the training and experience I received at VJC was excellent.

 “Being a tutor for the Academic Link was one of the smartest decisions of my college career.”

 I currently work as a statistician for the United States Census Bureau, working on an Economic Indicator that tracks construction spending in the US.  Our numbers factor directly into the GDP every month.  It’s exciting to work on the cutting edge of the economical world. I am also going back to school for my masters in bio statistics.   I didn’t realize at the time, but looking back, the lessons learned about different learning styles and different teaching techniques are still beneficial to me now.  Even in the professional world, I teach people daily.  By completing the tutor training, I am much better at communicating with my co-workers and at teaching them what they need to know in a way that is most beneficial to them.  Employers recognize that tutors are trained in communicating and working with others.  This gives any tutor a leg up when applying for a position.
 

 Life after graduation has been great.  I am now the Vice President for Information Operations with Diverse Concepts, Inc.  I oversee all of our information systems for Diverse Concepts, Inc. as well as manage one of our contracts for the National Security Agency.  I am also the principal partner for our Cyber Security Group, now in the process of addressing the information systems security needs of our clients, both public and private.  I get to have my hand in a lot of the information assurance and computer forensics that my firm does, so it’s kind of a perfect fit for me.

 Tutoring in The Academic Link was one of the best experiences that I had at VJC/SU.  I have made some friends that are second-to-none, and the experience working in a one-on-one tutoring situation has proven extremely valuable.  As both an employee and an employer, I have seen the benefits that come from someone who knows how to work well with others and transfer knowledge. In the end though, I have to say that my time spent with the Academic Link and Phi Beta Lambda really defined my overall college experience.  Don’t get me wrong, I learned a lot in the classroom but there were so many more invaluable life lessons that I learned through my involvement outside of the classroom.

Chuka Didigu SU’08

 ”All in all, I am thankful for my time as a tutor and look forward to mentoring the incoming medical students at my school when they arrive in the fall!”

I graduated last May, and I matriculated in August at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where I am working towards a combined medical and doctoral (PhD) degree in the Biological Sciences (Infectious disease focus).

While interviewing for medical school around the country, my interviewers were always delighted to hear that I had served not only as a tutor but also as a supplemental instructor. Many of them viewed teaching in any form – be it in a formal classroom setting or a hospital training program – as one of the most fun and important parts of their jobs. Using “teachbacks”, a technique I learned as an Academic Link tutor where I would ask a student to explain a concept I just taught, has also served me well as a way of ensuring that the patients I see at our student run clinics understand the information they receive during our discussions. The Link also helped me realize that so much learning can only be accomplished in a given time, so I try to take time for myself outside of school by being involved with groups like Penn’s Latin ballroom dance club, the Ultimate frisbee/capture the flag games the med students organize, the Ultrasounds (Penn’s medical student a capella group), and just generally exploring the all of the culture & experiences Philadelphia has to offer: food, museums, nature … – u name it, we got it!)  Cheers!

 ”Tutoring made me feel like I was doing something that really helped people.”

 After graduation, I will be staying at Stevenson for another year to finish my master’s in Business and Technology Management.  I hope to get an internship in one of the sectors of the Federal Government, most likely health care.  After I finish my master’s, I plan to enter into the Presidential Management Program in the government.  This program trains participants to be managers and rotates participants through the different sectors of the government, allowing them to choose which area they like best once they have completed the program.

Tutoring at SU was a very positive experience for me.  I met so many different people, many of whom I still consider to be friends.  Because I had such a positive experience being a tutor, I was more inclined to seek my own tutor when I needed extra help in a few of my classes.  I found my tutors as helpful to me as I hope I was to my tutees.

Being a tutor also taught me how to be patient and flexible.  Everyone has different abilities, works at different levels, and learns at different rates.  The way I tutored one person was not always effective with someone else.  It was important to take the time to figure out each person’s learning style, which resulted in more productive sessions.  I think that patience and flexibility are qualities that are needed in any job, especially public health care, because I will be expected to interact with so many different people every day.  I am very grateful to Stevenson for giving me a head start for my future.

I am attending the University of Maryland Dental School starting this fall! Of course, the experience looks good on a resume, but it went beyond that. Maryland requires a high score on the Dental Admission Test (DAT) to even be considered for acceptance. Tutoring and being an SI Leader helped me prepare for the concepts that were tested on the DAT, including Biology, Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. If a student is qualified to be a tutor or an SI, I would highly recommend the position for these reasons!