Meet the Academic Coaches
Career Goal
To develop new technology in the field of robotics, specifically collaborating in
the development of prosthetics to improve mobility and quality of life.
Three Fun Facts About Me
- I love ramen
- I am trying to learn how to play the piano
- I used to play the drums
Skyline and Community Programs I have been involved in:
- ESL Connect
- TRiO
- EOPS
Languages I Speak
- English
- Spanish
When I started at Skyline College, I wish I knew...
about the TRIO program; I highly recommend being a TRIO member. I found a community and a support in my college development. I have found a space to nurture my potential and share my experiences as well. I recommend you to check the many programs on campus to have a broader perspective of the available opportunities at Skyline College.
One thing I learned while engaged with Distance Learning…
I re-learned the importance of effective self-management and the great need to actively engage in the learning process. During online classes, you could feel constantly challenged to organize the time. Utilizing my time effectively has made my online learning much easier
Why I became an Academic Coach
I have assisted many peers through different services at Skyline college. I started as a student assistant for the ESL connect office, assisting ESL students as an interpreter and translator. Helping them access resources on campus and guiding them in their applications. The learning center and TRIO programs provided a space for me to help other students with their classes by tutoring them. I want to nurture the development of my peers by sharing my experiences with them and help them achieve their goals
Career Goal
Clinical Psychologist or Marriage and Family Therapist
Who I am
Hello, all! My name is Justine Baker, and I am the TRiO Writing Instructional Aide
at Skyline College. I am a first-generation college student and graduated from
Skyline in 2018 with my Associate in Arts Degree for Transfer in Psychology.
I then transferred to San Francisco State University (SFSU) where I earned my Bachelor
of Arts in Psychology
just last year! During my time at SFSU, I completed an undergraduate thesis
exploring my academic interests in mindset and ambiguity tolerance. Other academic
interests of mine include
psychopathology, personality development, family, and clinical psychology.
I am currently applying to graduate programs all across California to advance toward
my career interest of working as a Clinical Psychologist or Marriage and Family Therapist
supporting individuals and families of underrepresented, marginalized communities.
Outside of academics, my hobbies include cooking, baking, scrapbooking, and watching
Netflix!
Three Fun Facts About Me
- I am actually a reverse transfer student! Straight out of high school, I attended Sonoma State University for two years, transferred to Skyline College, then ultimately graduated from San Francisco State University!
- I danced competitively from ages 4 to 14 in states all across the US
- I love to travel and, outside of the US, I have visited Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. I hope to expand this list very soon and would love to hear about your travel recommendations!
Skyline and Community Programs I have been involved in:
- TRiO
- Transfer Leadership Summer Program
- Jump Start
- Promise Scholars
- The Learning Center
Languages I Speak
- English (native)
- Tagalog (proficient)
When I started at Skyline College, I wish I knew...
about how many opportunities and programs were available for me to join, and about the many scholarship opportunities specific to my circumstances and experiences.
One thing I learned while engaged with Distance Learning…
is that technology can be your best friend and your worst enemy! But more importantly, that maintaining a strong social connection with your friends, classmates, teachers, and colleagues can ultimately decide if you sink or swim.
Why I became an Academic Coach
To work alongside students at every step of their academic journey and help them develop study skills, behaviors, and habits to complete assignments, prepare for exams, and transfer to the four-year university of their dreams! Had it not been for the support of my many academic coaches, I would not have had any guidance at any step of my academic journey. I definitely would not have earned an undergraduate degree or even completed my work at Skyline had I only relied on myself as a first-generation student. So, using the knowledge I learned from them and from my own experiences, I hope to help students develop a more organized approach to learning and coursework.
Career Goal
Nurse Anesthesia
Who I am
I have always enjoyed biology and had an immense interest in it which led me to think
of nursing as a career.
What brought me to the conclusion that I should pursue a career in nursing
is when my dad ended up breaking both of his wrists in a motorcycle accident.
Although unfortunate, I was able to interact with various doctors and nurses
and experience the amount of care needed to heal someone.
Outside of academics, I like to read for fun with my favorite categories being fantasy
and fiction. My favorite book series is Lord of the Rings
right now just for the complexity of the characters.
Three Fun Facts About Me
- All of my anmials are named after food
- I got my motorcycle license before my car license
- I have moved 9 times
Skyline and Community Programs I have been involved in:
- TRiO
- Phi Kappa Phi
Languages I Speak
- English
When I started at Skyline College, I wish I knew...
that everyone is starting in the same position as I was. They are all nervous and they all want to pass their classes just like you. Although daunting at times, it is easier than it may seem to make friends
One thing I learned while engaged with Distance Learning…
it’s harder to interact with your classmates and teachers when you are not able to see them in person so it is a lot easier to fail a class without getting any help unfortunately.
Why I became an Academic Coach
Continuing your education is hard and it is not something that should be done alone. After learning the hard way that it is easier to ask for help then to try and figure everything out by myself, I would like to pass on the lessons I learned in college, and continue to learn, to other students.
Career Goal
Researcher
Who I am
After finishing two years working towards an AS-T in Biology at Skyline, I recently
transferred to CSU East Bay to work towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Molecular and Cell
Biology.
After I get my Bachelor's Degree, I hope to get into a graduate program that
will allow me to gain strong foundational research experience. In addition to research,
I would like to be a Biology teacher.
During my free time, I like to read books and bake new desserts. My favorite movie
genre is horror as that is the only genre that keeps me awake until the end of the
movie.
On the weekends, I like to spend time playing sports.
Three Fun Facts About Me
- I love to draw but I can only draw stick figures
- I love making lists of every task I have to do
- I love explaining complicated concepts to people in simplified forms
Skyline and Community Programs I have been involved in:
- TRiO Tutoring and Coaching
- Research Projects
- Internship
Languages I Speak
- Arabic
- English
When I started at Skyline College, I wish I knew...
that I can request a tutor for a subject that is not listed as a tutoring subject.
One thing I learned while engaged with Distance Learning…
that attending non-mandatory synchronous classes helps with time-management.
Why I became an Academic Coach
I chose to become an Academic Coach in order to help other students get through Skyline College strong and healthy. I have gone through a lot of obstacles in order to finish my Associate Degree at Skyline, and I have been able to acquire skills that I believe will help other students as well.
Career Goal
Getting Master’s degrees in Data Science and Human Resources
Who I am
Studying abroad was my lifetime dream when I was a little girl because I am a curious person who always wants to explore new things. It took me 10 years to convince my father to allow me to pursue my dream because I am his only daughter. I have to face the obstacles of living alone far away from home, become more mature, and take good care of myself. I have been studying with a positive attitude and self-motivation. I believe that if I put all my effort in studying, my hard work will pay off, and I will achieve a better future. My goal is to earn master’s degrees in Human Resources and Data Science to pursue a career in both Human Resources and Data Analysis. In my free time, I like reading, listening to music, watching movies, and hiking with my friends
Three Fun Facts About Me
- Im a huge fan of the Harry Potter series
- I have a mini library for myself with over 400 books
- I collect snow globes of places I go
Skyline and Community Programs I have been involved in:
- Phi Theta Kappa
- TRiO
Languages I Speak
- Vietnamese
- English
When I started at Skyline College, I wish I knew...
about all the free resources that I can help me with my study and regular life such as borrowing TI- calculators and iPad from library, receiving free food from SparkPoint, and get quickly free health check when I’m sick, etc.
One thing I learned while engaged with Distance Learning…
Distance Learning was a little bit hard at the beginning due to distractions from different sources. I learned to manage my schedule to avoid those distractions and stay focused on what I need to do.
Why I became an Academic Coach
I have been through a lot of struggles both in life and in school. I believe I can share and work with others to help them overcome their own obstacle. It’s hard to see people that I care for going through what I went through without support. I also believe everyone has their own potential and they just need a push to shine, and I want to be that push.
