This week, I had the opportunity of getting to know Julia Otteson, a junior at DePauw. Julia is a computer science major and mathematics minor and was recently recommended to be a part of the campus’s newest tutoring group, STEM Guides. She was kind enough to share a little bit about that program with me, as well as her goals for later on.
Her Campus: Hi Julia! I am so excited to meet with you and hear all about your involvement with STEM Guides! How long has the program been around?
Julia Otteson: The program just started last Sunday!
HC: Wow! So how did DePauw decide to start this program?
JO: The school was awarded a five-year grant to aid students in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) departments with extra help, to hopefully reach more people.
HC: How does this program differ from other tutoring services offered on campus?
JO: Well, the Q-Center revolves more around math but is somewhat limited in how they can help students. STEM Guides is more accessible for students because it allows students to build a connection with a professor and the Guides. It is more accessible and guarantees that students in classes like computer science have direct access to other STEM Guides who have taken that class before.
HC: When do STEM tutoring sessions take place?
JO: Our sessions are from 8pm to 10pm on Sundays, Tuesday, and Thursdays. Students can also apply DePauw’s new Corq app when they attend a session.
HC: That’s great! Do you have anything else you want to add about the program?
JO: I highly recommend that students attend these sessions because they are going to be extremely beneficial. If anything, it gives students another friend to reach out to whenever they need help. Forming a mentor relationship with the students we are helping is very important and can lead to networking opportunities later on as the students progress in their majors.
HC: I think students at DePauw will most definitely take advantage of this opportunity, it sounds great! Do you think this program will help you navigate post-DePauw job opportunities?
JO: Actually, internships that I have already done have helped me be able to apply my skills to STEM Guides and hopefully will help me post-graduate too!
HC: That’s amazing that you’re already figuring that out! What was your last internship?
JO: I worked this summer for iD Tech at Butler University. I taught Java, C++ and other coding languages to 13-16 year olds. This internship made me realize that I would like to do consulting after DePauw, which translates well into STEM Guides. Part of consulting is teaching about your respective program, so everything I am currently doing will help me later on as well.
HC: That’s great! Most college students have trouble figuring out what they want to do early on, so it looks like you are ahead of the game! Thanks so much for your time!