Article by Christine-Nicole Nyivih | Owl Staff
Professor Claudia Brown (center) has supported students and staff at Harford Community College since 1998.
According to the National Math + Science Initiative, only 36% of U.S. high school students entering college are prepared for university-level mathematics.
Similarly, science classes can also pose a challenge to many students, including Claudia Brown, Professor of Digital Media at Harford Community College.
Twenty-one years after earning her Bachelor’s Degree, Brown took one step closer towards fulfilling a lifelong dream by enrolling in Harford Community College’s theatre program.
However, Brown quickly came across a problem she had faced years prior. Science classes unrelated to her area of study served as massive roadblocks in Brown’s academic career.
“I really questioned whether I was going to complete this goal,” Brown states.
Brown adds, “I literally was walking in the shoes of my students and so often as a professor, we don’t know what a student is going through.”
Encouraged by her own experience, Brown proposed that there should be a support group on campus for students struggling with math and science classes to help them succeed.
“Sometimes, the best resource is a friend… just another human letting you know you are not alone.”
Michael DiLeonardi, an art student at Harford, shared some of his thoughts while studying for the Accuplacer standardized math test.
“I’m not even in the class yet and I’m struggling,” DiLeonardi explains.
Other factors in a student’s personal life may contribute to losing focus in classes and not completing assignments, while others may find it difficult to understand lessons taught in a traditional manner.
“We all learn differently,” explains Jennie Hall-Frantz, a student at HCC. “I’m more of a visual learner so I can understand how it could benefit in a therapeutic sense.”
Brown adds, “Sometimes, the best resource is a friend… just another human letting you know you are not alone.”
The support group was initiated with Arts students in mind, but all are welcome to attend. A planning meeting for the support group will be held on Tuesday, May 20 at 1 p.m. in Joppa 023.
For more information or to provide feedback, contact Claudia Brown at Clbrown@harford.edu.
What a great program to launch from Brown’s experience and compassion for other students. It exemplifies her passion for “wholeheartedly teaching. ” ❤️