1. THINK TANK TUTOR TESTIMONIAL
IVAN RODRIGUEZ
ABSTRACT. The aim of this article is to express the overall significance and impact that
working with the THINK TANK has provided the author.
Being granted the opportunity to be a THINK TANK tutor has allowed me to be the
kind of person and resource I desperately needed, but never had, when I was a clueless
freshman. To this day, I wonder how my university experience might have been different if
I knew about this service during my early years as an undergraduate, but such rumination
is now for naught; what’s done is done.
I have sought to turn this negative into a positive by becoming a tutor and offering the
type of guidance, assurance, and instruction that I lacked. As a result, it has been my
absolute pleasure to observe and contribute to the incredible outcomes that the THINK
TANK can confer to the academic environment. These effects range from basic student
course success to more profound consequences, such as instilling conviction, curiosity,
and even excitement regarding the subject matter and its broader implications.
Anecdotally speaking, I have witnessed first-hand the precipitation of student confi-
dence and alacrity within the realm of mathematics. Numerous students have commented
that, with tutors’ assistance, they have not only received satisfying grades, but the learning
experience has been more bearable, feasible, and—yes—even interesting. Helping stu-
dents receive great marks is the status quo at the THINK TANK as far as I can tell; our
goals en masse extend well beyond this benchmark. When I see that my tutees are not
only surviving and thriving in their courses, but also asking bigger questions that go well
beyond the scope of their assignments, becoming more open to the idea of pursuing ca-
reers in science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM) that they had never
considered before because they had self-selected out of those possibilities, and openly
declaring/switching to STEM or STEM-heavy majors, minors, and/or specializations in
order to enrich their career ambitions—all of this, they readily admit, as a direct result of
our influence as tutors—then I can safely conclude that the THINK TANK has fulfilled its
grander aspirations.
Tremendous benefits are not limited to the students, however. Personally, I am now a
more adept scholar as well, and these results will prove to be incredibly useful as I begin
to pursue a doctorate in biostatistics. In particular, the interpersonal skills and techniques
that I have acquired during my time as a tutor will easily extend to my near future as a
graduate teaching and/or research assistant. Communicational prowess is vital in my field
of interest given its interdisciplinary nature.
Due to the influence of the THINK TANK, I have been able to assist the next generation
of academically empowered citizens, and in so doing, I have paved the path towards a
brighter tomorrow for myself as well. I could not fully express in words how significant
Date: August 10, 2016 and, in revised form, August 11, 2016.
Key words and phrases. THINK TANK, tutor, testimonial.
1

2. 2 IVAN RODRIGUEZ
my experience at the THINK TANK has been for me and, I am very sure, innumerable
others.
THE THINK TANK, THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, TUCSON, ARIZONA 85719
E-mail address: ivanrodriguez@email.arizona.edu