"My name is Christine, and I am an Army veteran and nontraditional student. I am in my second year and on the current track for an associate of science with an emphasis on biochemistry. My current GPA is 3.86. I have taken fundamental chemistry and earned 98%, general chemistry which I received a 95% in the first half and 98% in the second half, pre-calculus which I earned a 98%, and plane trigonometry which I earned a 95%. I aim to attend the University of Arizona after completing the necessary prerequisites and eventually attending UC Davis for graduate school. I hope to one day make advances in science with venom.

Where I currently attend, I am a peer mentor for the first semester of general chemistry where my partner professor is a PhD Biochemist. I am also the chapter president for our chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, which is an international honor society. Previous to being chapter president, I was Vice President of fundraising. The chapter funds allowed students to attend a national conference where we were able to attend learning and leadership workshops.

My duties as a peer mentor include tutoring students who may not understand the material. I had 48 students under me in my first peer mentoring position. My approach was fluid. Not all students learn the same and some need to see things in many different ways until they can understand it. I strove to understand the material fully so I would be to explain in different ways and relate it to real life. For example, sometimes solving a solution stoichiometry problem is easier to understand when done backward or when explaining limiting reactant, it can be compared to a variety of things from baking to working on a vehicle. I like to get to know the student and understand how they learn best so I can adjust how I explain things. I was also in labs to assist students that may have fallen behind in the lab, and those who may not have understood the materials, and check the work of those that finished for accuracy." less...