My first experience with the Learning Assistant Program was in my First Year Engineering Lab Course at the College of Engineering. One day towards the end of the semester, a student stood up to talk about the senior design project they were doing. Hearing him speak on the culminating moment of their degree was informative and made me think about my path at Florida State. I talked with him after class, and it inspired me to want to be the example and representation for other students at the college of engineering. Black women are notoriously underrepresented within engineering disciplines, so I wanted to show the other students like me that it was possible to thrive here.
Since starting the job, I have had so much fun getting to work with the students in my class. My supervising professor, Dr. Ernst, is currently trying to optimize the course, so helping her with those ideas and tasks has challenged my creativity and pushed me as a leader. It has been so refreshing to see the students working together and enjoying the in-class activities. I often manage their projects and assignments, and it has truly felt like practice for the real world. Recently, we were able to host a roundtable discussion to present some of the classroom activities we have built upon. This was an insightful way for us to perfect the activities, while also ensuring that the purpose of each thing we do is maintained. My work in the classroom has been pivotal in my search for internships and scholarships, as the skills and habits I have perfected are critical to being a good applicant for many opportunities.
Despite the all of the doors that LAing has opened up for me, the most rewarding part of the job is the mentorship aspect. For me, I make it a point to try and connect with each student in the class at least once throughout the semester. Retention and attrition rates are huge issues within engineering schools across the country, but connection and community can help to alleviate the stressors of the major. I have attended general body meetings with students, managed group chats, and participated in class discussions to do my best to ensure that no one feels left behind. Talking with my students inspires me to be a better student and engineer, because knowing what pushes others reinforces my own “Why?” for engineering. While I am only a year ahead of most of them, it is enlightening to reflect upon how much I have changed since I was in their position. The eagerness of the students in First Year Engineering Lab is a refreshing break from my demanding upper-division courses. Though my job as an LA is to enhance the education of my students, the program has strengthened my own education just as much.