Academic Coaching
Academic coaching is a free, unlimited service. Academic coaches help you understand how to navigate the unique demands embedded in the Haverford curriculum, and work with you to co-create a strategy and plan towards your academic life goals.
How Academic Coaching Works
Every learner is different and there is no one-size-fits all guide or approach to learning in college. Therefore coaching is collaborative, not prescriptive. We lean into your story to identify your strengths to help you overcome your current challenges and create tangible goals towards managing your time, projects, reading loads, along with any practice required to successfully navigate the rigorous academic demands of Haverford. We generally work individually with all students from customs to commencement.
We encourage you to meet with a peer STEM academic coach if you’re currently enrolled in an introductory STEM course!
Meet Your Coaches
Gabriel Angrand (he/him)
gangrand [at] haverford.edu
While I may be the only one doing the talking as you read this, I'm looking forward to meeting you and listening to your story at some point this semester! I come to this work with experience as a Haitian-American STEM student, peer educator, and spoken word poet who knows how much it means for someone to be kind to you and empower you to make yourself known. With that said, I want you to know something. Whether you feel like it or not right now, you are the center of an academic success team waiting to be assembled at Haverford! I'd be happy to join your team, help you identify other members (because I won't know all the answers), and hone your own skill set during your time here!
Brian Cuzzolina (he/him)
bcuzzolina [at] haverford.edu
In my practice as an academic coach I am interested in how your life stories impact your motivations, emotions, and how you make meaning and navigate this academic journey. Personally, my academic journey was marked by being labelled with a learning disability and thus, I am attuned to the various difficulties of doing schooling on such an inequitable ‘track’. Punk rock, and self-reflexive practices were things/strategies that have helped me navigate the challenges, and have motivated me in my work supporting students.
Lauren Ward (she/her)
lnward [at] haverford.edu
I enjoy working with students and helping them reach their personal, academic, and professional goals. As an academic coach, your goals are my goals. We can work together on study strategies, time management, test anxiety, test-taking strategies, reading management, and note-taking skills. I take a person-centered approach and strive to support others’ individuality and independence with dignity, compassion, and respect. I work in the OAR office on Mondays and Tuesdays and remotely via Zoom on Wednesdays. I look forward to meeting with you!
New! Peer STEM Academic Coaching
Are you enrolled in an introductory STEM course? If so, we think you would greatly benefit from meeting with one of our amazing peer STEM academic coaches. They bring a powerful peer lens to the role of coach and can be a wonderful resource, guide, and/or accountability partner in navigating STEM at Haverford. Schedule an appointment via Penji today with any of the below peer coaches!
Please note: this is a grant funded program open only to students currently enrolled in introductory STEM courses at this time.
Alex Abramenko ‘24 he/him
Hometown: Ridgewood, NJ
Studies: Biology (major); Neuroscience (minor) and Psychology (minor)
As both a peer coach and a neuroscience TA, I am dedicated to helping students navigate the STEM curriculum at Haverford and develop their confidence as scientific thinkers. Academically, my main area of interest is neuroscience though I also have a background in chemistry, biology, and psychology. In my free time, I like to read, play guitar (poorly), drink tea and coffee (can you ever get too much caffeine?), and subject anyone within earshot to my bad jokes. Having struggled with many STEM courses as a first-year, I am painfully familiar with many of the pitfalls and self-doubts students face in introductory courses and I’m excited to work with you all to make these courses more manageable.
Ayo Akinkunmi ‘25 she/her
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Studies: Neuroscience (major) and Religion (minor)
I enjoy reading books about literally anything, listening to R&B music and NBA podcasts, as well as writing poems and essays. On campus, you can find me in the library at literally any given moment. Off-campus, I can be found perusing bookstores and thrift stores in NYC. I love STEM but understand how demanding and confusing the discipline can be. I look forward to supporting students, especially BIPOC students, on their STEM journeys at Haverford.
Sarah Campbell ‘24 she/her
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Studies: Physics and Mathematics (major)
I love to collaborate on solving challenging problems with my peers, which drew me to physics and math early on at Haverford. I am passionate about educational equity and plan on getting teaching certification after college. On campus, I co-lead Inclusive Lifting and work as a peer academic facilitator (PAF) and an honor council representative. In my free time, I enjoy swimming, weightlifting, (re)watching sitcoms, and sharing a meal with friends. I am excited to get to know you and embark with you on your journey as a scientist!
Ahlam Houssein ‘24 she/her
Hometown: Springfield, PA
Studies: Biology (major); Health Studies (minor) and Neuroscience (minor)
With a passion for increasing equitable access to education, I am committed to supporting you in navigating the nuances of Haverford’s STEM curricula as a Peer Coach. As someone who comes from a marginalized background, I understand that many challenges accompany pursuing a STEM track and hope to pass along the advice and tools I have garnered in my experience so far to help you succeed not just in your current courses but in your academic journey as a whole. When I am not in class, a research lab, or responding to (daily influxes of) emails, you can find me working out at the gym, playing basketball, reading, or baking anything from cinnamon rolls to croissants! Please do not hesitate to reach out; I look forward to working with you!
Vy Le ‘ 25 she/her
Hometown: Pennsauken, NJ
Studies: Chemistry (major) Biochemistry (concentration)
I am originally from Vietnam, but immigrated to Pennsauken, New Jersey at the age of 3. Aside from academics, I play on the varsity field hockey team, mentor other FGLI students, and advocate for student-athlete concerns as Students’ Council Officer of Athletics. I am also a founder/co-head of Inclusive Lifting, a board member of the Pan Asian Resource Center, and work in the Charkoudian lab. During her free time, she enjoys cooking and making art!"
Dante Nguyen ‘25 he/him
Hometown: Burke, VA
Studies: Chemistry (major) Biochemistry (concentration) Educational studies (minor)
Outside the OAR, I can be found working in labs, the athletic trainers, or the RESE office. I love anything and everything music related, so you might see him dancing across campus or hear him singing in the stairways. I hope to bring the fun back to learning and am excited to support you in this stage of your STEM journey!
Natalie Olivieri ‘23 she/her
Hometown: Madison, NJ
Studies: Biology (major)
Natalie (she/her) is a biology major with minors in psychology and health studies and she is also on the pre-med track. Her interests in biology and love for children have inspired her motivations to pursue pediatrics and translational research. Natalie works as a lab manager for the Fairman lab, supporting seniors with their thesis projects and helping new members acclimate to the lab environment. In her free time, she enjoys running on the nature trail in the mornings before class starts. She also loves baking with family and friends and often pretends to be on the Great British Baking Show. As a peer academic coach, Natalie loves to support students in envisioning their goals for the semester along with their future aspirations. Whether this means developing new schedules, working on time management and study strategies, or figuring out ways to pursue new academic interests, Natalie is eager to help students in any way she can. Her goal as a coach is to help students find meaning and support throughout their academic journey, especially in navigating the ups and downs of STEM courses.
Petra Mengistu ‘24 she/her
Hometown: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Studies: Astrophysics (major) and Psychology (minor)
I’m an international student from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, although I spent the majority of my childhood in the Middle East. In my free time, I enjoy binge-watching sitcoms, hopping on long train rides, baking, and exploring new cities. On campus, I work as a peer tutor for the Writing Center and have been a TA for Physics and Astronomy. Getting to explore the many different perspectives people have in STEM has been a wonderful experience for me, especially engaging in the collaborative aspects of the field. I look forward to working with you as we navigate through the world of STEM together!
Kyla Hayes ‘25 she/her
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Studies: Anthropology/Chemistry (major) and Neuroscience (minor)
My inability to choose one interest has led me to understand the relationship between STEM and Humanities. STEM subjects are part of the Humanities, they are interrelated and I use this same approach when it comes to coaching. Outside the OAR, you can find me in Norquist Lab or TAing for gen chem. Non academically, I enjoy reading and listening to music of really any genre.