Melissa Go: Cheerful Change

When you meet junior Melissa Go, one of the first things you’ll notice is her cheerful personality.  She is bubbly and takes time to enjoy the little things in life.  Melissa is an entrepreneurship and accounting major.  This might not seem too uncommon until you learn a little bit more about her story.

Melissa is from Jakarta, Indonesia.  She is fourth out of five siblings, and followed her two older sisters’ footsteps to come to Baylor.  Family legacies at Baylor are common, but not many families can say they all traveled overseas to attend Baylor! When Melissa came to Baylor for her sister’s graduation, she knew she belonged here, too.

“I knew I was meant to go to Baylor,” Melissa said.  “It’s the only school I applied, too!”

Even though Baylor is a family tradition, Melissa has made it her own.  She joined Alpha Lambda Delta, and serves as the historian.  She is a regular at Waco favorites Bangkok Royal and Baris, and has created a place for herself in the Baylor community.

Melissa quickly found her place was in the business school.  In Business 1301, she discovered she loved business and how decisions can affect the business sector.  Unlike most students, she actually enjoyed the business simulation project! Melissa chose entrepreneurship as her major because ever since she was 7 years old, she has desired to start her own business.  She hopes to open a business in Indonesia that will help others.

“I want my business to be both profitable and charitable,” she said.  “I want to help those in Indonesia who have not been as fortunate as I have been.”

At Baylor, she learned she doesn’t have to wait until she graduates and moves back to Indonesia to help others.  As a freshman, she helped explain difficult business material to her friends, and realized that not only was she good at tutoring, but she also enjoyed it!

“I became a tutor because I like helping people,” Melissa said. “I like to see them smile when they finally understand a concept!”

Melissa encourages everyone to take advantage of the free tutoring services Baylor offers.

“I attend tutoring when I have trouble understanding something, too,” she said.  “It’s good to seek out help when you need it.”

Her cheerful disposition and heart for helping others makes her a great asset to the tutoring department.  Once she leaves Baylor, those same characteristics will help her change her home country of Indonesia!

Claire Major: Standing Out

From the beginning, Claire Major learned to stand out.  She is one of six children, “a true middle child,” and she learned early on she loves having a look all her own.  She fell into the typical little sister mold of stealing her older sisters’ clothes, but soon decided she could create her own looks.

She never considered fashion a career option until she reached high school, when she took an apparel construction class at a community college. “Once I learned to sew, it was all downhill from there!” she said. 

Today, Claire is a standout Apparel Design and Product Development major at Baylor.  In fact, it was Baylor’s top-ranking fashion program that drew her to the University in the first place.  Baylor was on Claire’s radar during the job search because her oldest sister attended, but when she discovered the 19^th ranked fashion program was here, it seemed like a match made in heaven.

“The combination of my familiarity with the school, its academic prestige and Christian background, and the excellence of the fashion department led me to Baylor,” said Claire.

Claire has further honed her skill and passion for the apparel industry during her time at Baylor.  Several professors, especially Ms. Fader, have taken an interest in her development.  “She has confidence in me (more than I have in myself sometimes) and is always pushing me to higher levels of excellence,” she said. 

Claire became a tutor because she enjoys helping others reaching their greatest potential, just as Ms. Fader has done for her.  She loves seeing students actively seeking support, and striving to succeed.  She encourages all students to attend tutoring, because “it can’t hurt” and it’s free! 

No matter what she is doing, Claire stands out.  From her unique fashion style to patient and cheerful personality, she is a stand out in any crowd!

Fun fact about Claire: She enjoys practicing yoga and is a vegan!

Kaila Jurado: Traditions, CPAs... and Food!

Kaila Jurado is one of the most driven students you will ever meet.  An accounting graduate student, she balances work and extracurricular activities with some of the toughest classes at Baylor.  It’s no secret that the Accounting core is rigorous, but Kaila thrives on the pace of the accounting world.

Make no mistake- Kaila’s life is full of hard work.  Currently working on passing her CPA exams (which have only a 16 percent pass rate on the first attempt), she spends her time studying.  But she also finds time for fun, and is the proud owner of a new puppy!

Baylor’s many traditions are what drew Kaila to Waco.  Originally from West Palm Beach, Florida, she is the first Bear from her family.  She has created a legacy, though.  Her younger sister is now a freshman at Baylor!

“I wanted to attend a university focused on Christian beliefs and academic excellence,” said Kaila.  “My favorite memory is my sister choosing to follow in my footsteps!”

Kaila choosing Accounting as her major had less to do with tradition and more to do with food.  The many free meals provided by the Accounting Department are what originally drew her into the field.

“I loved all the free George’s meals at accounting events,” Kaila said.  “And my favorite professor, Dr. MacGregor, brought us bananas sometimes!”

While Kaila enjoys the perks of being accounting major, the fast-paced nature of the field fits in with her hardworking personality.  Because of this work ethic, tutoring seemed to be the perfect choice when Kaila decided to get a job.

“I love teaching others seemingly complex concepts in a way they can understand,” Kaila said.

Kaila hopes to eventually move into the non-profit field, where she can combine her love of business with her love for helping people.

Erica Xeiwei Jiang: Searching for Passion

Erica Jiang is a unique student.  A sophomore from China, she understands things about life that most college students haven’t begun to grasp. Through her studies of various mathematicians, she has discovered the seed that will sprout success in her life- passion.

 One of Erica’s favorite books, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, led her to the search for passion.

 “If you aren't passionate about your vocation, you will have a real tough time sustaining a startup, let alone living through the dark days,” the book explains.  Erica understands the importance of loving what you do, and she is in search of just the right vocation.

While at Baylor, Erica has discovered some important things about herself, and she has begun to uncover some of those passions.  For example, she loves mathematics.  She respects their ability to solve problems and create order in a chaotic world.

“They are so efficient and straightforward,” Erica said. “Nothing else can help to explain a system and to make predictions about behavior as efficiently as mathematical models.”

To a student who is constantly searching for meaning, tutoring seemed an obvious choice.  While she is constantly discovering new questions and searching for their answers, she is able to provide guidance to students.  She is able to share the knowledge she has gained through her journey in discovery.

“I enjoy the moment when students who turn to me completely understand the question due to my help,” she said.

Even though Erica hasn’t completely figured out her life yet, she knows she’s on the right path.  Baylor has been a step in the right direction, and she knows she will discover her passion during her time here.  It’s just a matter of perseverance.

“I’ll never give up,” she said. “I will always work hard to achieve my goals.”

True Price

True Price

Meeting the Challenge

You might as well learn this name- True Price.  Remember it, because you’ll be hearing it again someday. 

Baylor senior True Price has all the tools make a huge difference in his field.  He has the intelligence. He has the training. But most importantly, he has the tremendous work ethic needed to excel in the difficult field of bioinformatics.

True chose the field of bioinformatics because it combines his love of computers with the ability to choose from a multitude of career paths.  Once he started his classes, he realized he had truly found his match.  He is the president of the Baylor Association of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, and he is a member of the Association of Computing Machinery.  True is also currently working on his Honors thesis involving novel modeling methods for analyzing disease-state MRI scans.

While True keeps very busy with his research and classes, he does save time for hanging out with friends.  He loves Baylor, especially because of the kind and compassionate people he has met here. He and his friends also have developed a love for Waco and are frequent customers at the favorite local sandwich joint, Scmaltz’s.

Choosing to become a tutor was an easy decision for True. He knew he would be good at helping other students.  He has discovered that tutoring is mutually beneficial for the students and him. 

“I benefit from tutoring directly because explaining an idea helps me better understand and recall that idea,” he said.  “It’s one thing to understand a concept. It’s another matter entirely to explain it.”

True loves tutoring because it allows him to impart his tremendous work ethic on other students.  He looks at difficult courses just like any other challenge he faces- something to make him stronger.  Each difficult situation will give him the experience to build off of in later experiences.  It is this determination and willingness to face challenges head-on that will take True far in life.

 

Fun Fact about True: His sister was also a tutor at Baylor University!  

 

 

 

Ryan Andrews

Loving Baylor and Giving Back

Learn a little more about tutor Ryan Andrews

Ryan Andrews, a Baylor junior, comes from a long line of Baylor grads.  His parents and grandparents attended Baylor, and one of his favorite memories growing up has been visiting the campus and eating at the Waco classic Papa Rollo’s.  When it came time to choose a college, Baylor seemed a no-brainer.

Like many students, Ryan put down roots at Baylor and grew to love it.  From rushing the field after beating OU to participating in other traditions, Baylor has become his home. He also has close relationships with his professors and attributes much of his personal growth to their instruction.

“The professors are so approachable,” he said. “They give insights beyond the scope of the class material.”

The most important event of Ryan’s college experience occurred before his first week of classes even began.  During the Serenade tradition during Welcome Week, Ryan met Bethany Eason and they’ve been inseparable ever since.  Ryan proposed to Bethany this semester, and they will be married in the summer!

While Baylor is where Ryan and Bethany’s life together began, they are still looking toward the future.  Ryan, an engineering major, has been involved in Phi Kappa Chi, a Christian fraternity, and Engineers with a Mission.  These activities have opened doors to show Ryan what he is truly passionate about- giving back.  In the future, Ryan hopes to move overseas to use his engineering skills as an avenue to mission work.

“The great thing about mechanical engineering is that it’s so versatile,” he said. “You can find what you’re really passionate about and dig in.”

Giving back has become a part of Ryan’s character, and choosing to work as a tutor was almost second nature.

“It’s both something I’m good at and something fulfilling because I enjoy helping others,” Ryan said.

He tutors the calculus and physics, and encourages students to not only work to improve their grades, but also to learn. He hopes to help students realize they can take knowledge as well as grades with them into their career. 

From tutoring to mission work, giving back is Ryan’s passion, and Baylor has given him the foundation needed to start his life.  While his work has already begun here, he will continue to give back and impact lives throughout the world.  

 

Fun fact about Ryan- He traveled to Uganda on a mission trip with his fraternity last summer!

Joy Gu

No Pain, No Gain

Tutor Joy Gu shares her experiences and advice

Joy Gu, a Baylor sophomore, believes in reaching for the stars and pushing yourself to be great.  Born and raised in Beijing, China, she knew she wanted a quality education and wanted the experience of coming to America to get it.  After surveying the country for schools with quality accounting programs, she finally settled on Baylor, and has never looked back.

While adjusting to a different country can be difficult, Joy has found something that transcends cultures- music.  She loves music and dance, and participated in concert band last semester.  Being able to make friends with students who share her passion has been one of her favorite experiences at Baylor.

Joy has also grown to love her major, accounting.  She first considered becoming an accountant because her mother has been successful in the field and has loved it throughout her career.  Joy found that she too had the accounting gene when she began taking classes her at Baylor.  She fell in love with accounting, just like her mom.  Over Parents Weekend this last fall, Joy’s mom finally got to visit Baylor.  She was able to meet her professors and see how her daughter is thriving in Baylor’s Accounting Department!

Joy decided to become a tutor because she wanted to encourage students and help them overcome their struggles with studying.  Because she has overcome many obstacles, both culturally and geographically, throughout her education, she knows she can help other students reach their full potential. 

The advice she gives her tutees is “no pain, no gain.”  She explains how we all face challenges, but they make us stronger.

“To start strong, you need to pay attention in class and finish assignments on time,” she said.  “Who doesn’t want a 4.0? If you aim for it, you can get it!”

                            Fun Fact about Joy: She has her black belt in taekwondo!