Are you interested in sitting on the Committee on Instruction? If yes, why?

Definitely! I’m very passionate about pedagogy and would love the opportunity to connect with faculty in this way. I frequently communicate with my professors, especially my STEM professors, about their pedagogy choices and am always interested in collaborating with professors to provide the best learning environment and experience for students. From the research I’ve done on the COI, I’ve seen that it serves as the college’s main formulator in educational policy, and directly oversees the implementation of new curriculum-related policy initiatives. It would be an honor to experience these meetings, and to have the chance to voice my opinions in a room where they’re capable of leading to real change.

Do you have any previous experience with SGA? (ran in an election, worked on a committee, sat on rep council, etc.)

I previously ran for Representative for Information and Technology in Fall 2021. I was suggested to run for this position by two SGA members.

Why would you like to join this committee?

During my time at Barnard, I’ve been deeply involved with the STEM community and have worked hard to create my own academic path to study computer science in a way that felt truly authentic to my interests. I’ve spoken with countless students about their experiences in their STEM classes—from biology to neuroscience to information science to physics—and often provided my advice, encouragement, and support as these students navigated their ways through STEM at Barnard. I know first-hand what works and what does not in many of these classes, and want so deeply to make the experience of studying STEM—and all subjects for that matter—at Barnard as excellent as possible. I would love to work with other students passionate about education, pedagogy, and reimagining the best ways to teach and learn at Barnard. I’m passionate about creating resources for students so that their individual learning needs can be met. I’m excited by the notion of continuing my conversations with students regarding ways of making our education spaces as inclusive and equitable as possible. I believe that joining this committee would give me the platform to make a real impact in the work I’ve already been doing on a daily basis since starting at Barnard, and would be an excellent next step for me in my Barnard career.

The academic affairs committee is all about figuring out how to navigate challenges with regard to students’ academic life. What academic issues have you encountered, and what are some possible solutions to propose?

Since I started middle school, I’ve struggled greatly in my STEM classes. I’ve had teachers tell me to drop out of my advanced math classes, failed tests to get into advanced science classes, worked with multiple different math and science tutors, and dropped out of multiple computer science classes. I’ve encountered set back after set back when it’s come to pursuing STEM, yet here I still am, continuing to pursue it. From all of these experiences, the biggest thing I’ve come to understand is how vital support and encouragement are in one’s academic journey. If I didn’t have role models, support systems, mentors, and advisors to continue to remind that I had the capabilities to succeed in whatever (STEM) career path I dreamed of, I probably would’ve given up. When it comes to academic issues I’ve encountered at Barnard, my computer science classes are the first that come to mind. In Fall 2020, I dropped out of my very first computer science class, the infamous 1004, Introduction to Programming in Java. In Fall 2021, I dropped out of yet another computer science class, Data Structures. These classes were, evidently, very hard for me. I struggled with being at a disadvantage to students who had access to computer science education before getting to Columbia. I struggled with feeling comfortable talking to the professor. I struggled with being a Barnard student in a predominantly Columbia-feeling class. I could honestly go on and on about the struggles I’ve had, but I’ll skip to some of the potential solutions I’ve begun to come up with throughout the past two years of these experiences. I will also include that I did wind up retaking both of the previously mentioned classes. All of these experiences—both the good and the bad—are what encouraged me to continue pursue computer science, but through my own, individually-created major. Some ways that I believe my computer science experience, along with many other Barnard students’ computer science experiences, could be improved are: 1) Creating a Barnard-only Introduction to the Computer Science Major at Columbia class, since all introduction and core classes for the Computer Science major are housed at Columbia, and many Barnard students feel at a disadvantage. 2) Having an equal number of Office Hours offered in Barnard’s CS Help Room for all Computer Science classes. 3) Extra encouragement towards Barnard Computer Science students to become TAs in Columbia Computer Science classes. 4) Including Barnard students in as many conversations and decisions as possible about the future of Computer Science at Barnard. 5) Creating Barnard-only sections of intro CS classes. 6) Teaching some CS core classes at Barnard, even if they are taught by a Columbia professor. I have many, many more ideas that come from speaking with Barnard students about their experiences in CS classes, but I’ll leave these ideas for now. If it isn’t quite evident, I think often and greatly about how to take academic challenges I’ve experienced throughout my time at Barnard and turn them into opportunities for potential solutions. Serving on the Academic Affairs Committee would be an excellent means of putting some these ideas into action!

What was your childhood dream job?

An astrophysicist! I distinctly remember being asked this question in 3rd grade and having to ask my teacher how to spell astrophysicist.

If you could create any major in the world, what would it be and why?

The one that I did create, Computing, Design, and Pedagogy! To answer this question in full, I would need to send in my 13-page proposal that I wrote and submitted to the CPAS committee in order to get my major approved. Long story short, I’m interested in studying how to design the ideal computer science learning environment. This includes interrogating the curriculum, teacher, teaching styles, tools incorporated, physical classroom layout and design, support systems in place, etc. I strive to design a human-centered, community-based, approach to computer science education that takes into account the identity, background, and individuality of the student. I am to use these to craft a unique and flexible curriculum that directly meets each and every student’s needs.