This semester spent as an undergraduate Teaching Assistant through the CUTF has been an incredible learning experience. In fact, everything I have been learning came together when I was responsible for teaching a full class period (75 minutes) completely on my own. To say I was nervous was an understatement. While I have gotten to…
Category: Chancellor’s Undergraduate Teaching Fellowship
The CUTF: A Transformative Journey
Hello everyone! As my journey with the CUTF comes to an end, I have reflected intensively on how the fellowship has allowed me to grow professionally and develop my teaching skills. However above all, the CUTF has taught me the importance of a flexible and open mindset. Teaching is a skill that requires utmost patience….
CUTF: Reflections and Resolutions
When I first began teaching through the fellowship, I thought that the most important tactic was to consistently review my teaching plans prior to my tutoring sessions. The fear was that, if I didn’t review enough, I would forget what I “needed” to do in order for them to succeed. Though it’s true that preparation…
CUTF: Navigating the Music, One (Half or Whole) Step at a Time
Over my four years in the Heinz Chapel Choir, I’ve had the privilege of working with Dr. Rice in a variety of projects. Under her guidance, I have successfully led practices outside of class, organized fundraisers, designed and distributed merchandise, guided Big/Little Induction Ceremonies, and have recently given starting pitches to the choir during our…
CUTF: Learning Through Teaching
Some people choose their major because of lifetime goals or interests; I chose my major because I thought my high school physics teacher was funny. Every class felt lighthearted and the topics were exciting. Further, I wasn’t required to memorize anything – I was tested on my ability to problem solve, not blindly spew facts…
CUTF 2: Becoming Involved in Teaching
I became a Peer leader for Dr. Bell’s class during the Fall 2021 semester, hosting weekly content reviews. One observation I made was that students often did not take advantage of the course resources until the days leading up to the exams. For example, there was low attendance at peer sessions in between exams, then…
My Journey to the CUTF
In many ways, the Chancellor’s Undergraduate Teaching Fellowship has provided me with a unique avenue to engage with the academic community here at Pitt. Bridging the relationship between professor and student, the fellowship has allowed me to directly contribute to how a course is taught at Pitt. Translating my experience as a student to a…
CUTF: Figuring it Out
Like many undergraduate students, I came to Pitt believing I would go on to medical school. My freshman year I took courses like Chemistry and Biology but quickly realized I did not have a passion for what I was learning. I started to explore other classes the university had to offer. I tried computer science,…
Disability and the Humanities
Hello everybody! My name is Vidya Surti! I am a junior majoring in Anthropology and English, with a Chemistry minor and a Global Health Certificate. I was awarded a Chancellor’s Undergraduate Teaching Fellowship through the Frederick Honors College. I am creating a Disability Archive combining teaching methods on critical disability studies and the digital humanities….
Supplementing Organic Learning: An Introduction
Hello fellow members of the Frederick Honors College community! My name is Goutham Lakkaraju and I am a current Junior at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Molecular Biology and minoring in Chemistry and Hispanic Language and Culture. This fall semester I am working alongside Dr. Jaclyn Powell in creating an interactive video learning platform…