STEM Grad with College Level Math Background

Godfrey O.

I graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2025 with a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science. At UCSC, I participated in a tutor trainee program called Merrill Classroom Connection, where I learned effective strategies and practices for tutoring students. It was a one-quarter program in which I tutored students in grades K-8. My training centered on techniques that teach students to analyze a question before writing a quick response, and to critique suggested solutions by examining the edge cases of solutions that seem correct. Working through these edge cases helps students build a more coherent understanding of the underlying concept. The training emphasizes skill development – helping students learn to formulate solutions rather than memorize facts.

When I apply these techniques, students develop stronger problem-solving strategies. For example, I ask students to explain how they arrived at an answer, then I pick up where their reasoning broke down. Learning to formulate a solution can take time, but once that machinery clicks into place, a student’s learning accelerates noticeably. Some of my students showed a 20-30% improvement on math quizzes–not because they memorized how to solve specific problems, but because they mastered the underlying strategies, and I want to help you build that same skill and confidence.

I have a strong background in mathematical proofs and STEM problem solving. My degree is in computer science, but my career trajectory sits at the intersection of computational simulation and applied mathematics. My coursework includes all standard math courses required for engineering majors, as well as upper-division pure math courses typically taken by math majors — including graph theory and advanced linear algebra in which I earned A’s. I also completed a PhD-level algorithms course, an elective beyond my major’s requirements.