PrepNow Tutor - Erika A.
A science nerd with a punny sense of humor, Erika aims to make the learning experience easier. She attended Truman State University, where she earned a bachelor’s in chemistry and minored in mathematics. Not surprisingly, she was the president of the chemistry club and vice president of the math club. Upon graduation, Erika started working in the quality control industry—an important aspect of production regulated by the FDA. She worked on pharmaceuticals for animals and humans as well as medical devices.
“I fell in love with tutoring,” Erika explains. “I felt like I was making a difference in people’s lives.” She first started tutoring after her freshman year of college. While the school required mathematics tutors to have completed calculus II, the math department made an exception due to Erika’s proficiency. She did both one-on-one as well as group lessons as a supplemental instructor leading sessions for students enrolled in a specific course. Erika also served as a teacher’s assistant for an organic chemistry professor. She has tutored everything from algebra to calculus II in addition to a variety of chemistry courses.
Erika uses a holistic approach in tutoring—focusing not just on the problem at hand but on future applications of the skill. “I ask students questions about what they think the problem is asking for or how they think they should proceed to solve it,” rather than simply showing the solution. “I try to make the student engage and improve their critical thinking skills so that they can take on any problem they might encounter on a test, in homework, or in real life.” Ultimately, she tries “to make learning as enjoyable as possible.”
Outside of tutoring, Erika is quite interesting. She boasts a talent for taking apart high-pressure liquid chromatography instruments, fixing them, and putting them back together. She loves to read and spend time outdoors. She’s an avid hiker, camper, and backpacker. Erika currently lives in a converted church from the 1850s!
