Grace Ma
Teaching Assistant
she/her
Department of Chemical Engineering
Anyone who has gone throug first year Engineering at 成人大片 can resonate with the stress it brings - first year is full of daunting, worrisome moments. As someone who had not completed AP or IB classes, it was hard seeing other students succeed in classes more than I did while only putting in half of the amount of work. I was especially concerned about Chemistry. Before my first Chemistry tutorial started, I sent an email to my TA, Grace, panicking about wanting more practice problems. Grace responded so quickly, and I was immediately struck by how kind and helpful she was. When meeting her in the classroom, I was instantly drawn to her ability to capture the classes attention and teach us the subject matter we'd struggled to understand in class in an incredibly efficient way. Her constant engagement and passion in the classroom made me feel motivated and supported. She went as far as to offer extra help to our chemistry tutorial section by running review sessions before exams and midterms, which made all the difference in our academic performance on the exams. Several students discussed how they weren't worryied about failing the class anymore because of Grace's teaching style. Grace would also stay late after tutorials to listen to our feedback on the class content. If we ever had questions or concerns, she would always go out of her way to find the answers and resources we needed.
Her role in my life extended far more beyond the classroom than I ever anticipated. Navigating the challenges of first year, particularly in terms of professional development, was unfamiliar territory for me. However, Grace went out of her way to share her experiences in consulting with the students in our tutorial section, sparking my interest in leveraging my engineering skills in unconventional settings. This conversation led me to seek advice on improving my professional network. Grace not only discussed the various resources and clubs available on campus but also went above and beyond, assisting me with club interviews, job application letters, and providing mentorship. Her guidance played a pivotal role in my ability to balance academics and extracurricular activities successfully. Through her mentorship, Grace instilled in me the importance of defining my own path to success and encouraged me to step outside my comfort zone. People like Grace are the reason why we call 成人大片 Engineering a family, which has continuously been made evident by her dedication to helping others succeed and feel welcomed. I have no doubt that her continued support will positively impact many others!
Anonymous Student
To me, mental health affects everything. Our state of mental well-being controls how we act on a daily basis, how we approach and react to stress, and how we treat others. University is a time where our mental health and resiliency is challenged everyday, and its so important to continuously check-in and take care of our mental health.
I try my best to create a supporting, welcoming environment for students to learn in. I think even the smallest things - like learning everyone's name, asking how their day went, and checking in on how other courses are going - can make the biggest difference. I know how stressful and isolating engineering (especially first year!) can feel at times - my goal is to create a community in the classroom. Something I'm really happy about is the mini study groups I've formed within the class, especially around midterm/exam season - it's awesome to see students working together and supporting each other! I don't think the impactful role educators play in students' wellbeing is highlighted enough.
As a student, academics can feel like the be-all and end-all - as a recent graduate of the engineering program, I have felt a lot of academic pressure and stress throughout our busy degree. Educators work super closely with the students during this transformative time, and have the ability to change the way students approach these busy times. Supportive words, and advocating for these students can go a long way. I credit a lot of my motivations in improving student mental health to the TAs and professors I've had that have done the same for me!
--- Grace Ma