Tutor Successes - Kristen Olson
By Brandi Willis Schreiber
The TECHniques Center doesn't just impact students' lives. Our program also has a profound impact on the tutors who find employment with our program.
Kristen Olson is one such tutor. She worked with our Center for 2 1/2 years as a tutor and Master Tutor before graduating from Texas Tech in 2013 with dual degrees in Economics and German. After graduation, she worked as a stock broker for two years, but her thoughts kept returning to teaching and how tutoring in our program sparked her interest in education. "For me, working at the TECHniques Center helped me realize my passion for working with students! I remember thinking about becoming a teacher during my senior year at Tech, but wasn't sure if it was the right career path for me. The joy that I felt working as a tutor and sharing my love for economics with students at the TECHniques Center helped me realize that I needed to be in the field of education," she said.
This fall, Kristen began bold steps toward fulfilling that dream. She started her first term as a teacher at The Hockaday School in Dallas, a prestigious college preparatory academy for girls, and began a Masters of Education at Southern Methodist University, all because of the part-time work experience she had at the TECHniques Center.
"Until I started tutoring, I didn't realize how much knowledge and experience I had to offer. I started tutoring during my sophomore year, and I remember being afraid that I wouldn't be able to help my students very much," she said. "I found that I was able to offer advice from my experiences taking the class and just being at Texas Tech, as well as share my organizational and study skills that I didn't realize I had!"
We know that Kristen will continue to offer the next generation of students this and more. She has lots of advice for future students, tutors, parents, and community leaders:
"For the current tutors and students: take time to appreciate the love and support that you are given there, because college goes by fast! For parents, community leaders: without your support none of this would be possible. I am often surprised when I speak to someone about my time at the TECHniques Center and do not have to take the time to explain what it is because the program is so well-known and highly regarded in the education community. For future students: you get as much out of tutoring as you put into it. I can guarantee you will never regret working hard at a tutoring session! I feel very fortunate to have been a part of the TECHniques community."
And we are so glad that Kristen was a part of our community and that we could provide the inspiration for her new career!
TECHniques Center
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Address
1H1 Weeks Hall, Box 45007 -
Phone
806.742.1822 -
Email
techniques.center@ttu.edu