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Name: Love Ayinde ’23
Hometown: Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
Majors: Computer Science and Quantitative Economics
OWU Connection Experience: Summer on the Cuyahoga, REACH Program
Ayinde spent the summer teaching Mathematics/Computer Science to boys at University School in Hunting Valley, Ohio. His work was part of the REACH initiative, an enrichment program for academically talented African American middle school young men and college undergraduates. Ayinde’s mentor was Terry Lipford II, the REACH Program director.
Ayinde said his job included creating “a well-detailed lesson plan,” teaching Mathematics/Introduction to Computer Science (coding) to seventh-grade students, and organizing and supervising recreational activities.
“My favorite moment was always when the student gets it and can solve multiple problems no matter how I twist it. I enjoy their ‘oh yeah, now, I get it’ emotions.
“Another memorable moment was when a student came up to me to ask for more problems not because it was easy but because he wanted to be my best student and exceed the present best.”
“I learned that there are very different ways students observe the lesson, and also different ways they express it and that no students are the same.
“Also, if students continue to ask questions, it only improves their knowledge of the topic, and I should never be hesitant to ask questions. Instead, I should always write them down and think of how I perceive the answers when given.
“I also learned that I have a passion for teaching (tutoring), but I am much better with a small group of students and surely don’t like large groups.
“I also benefited from working alongside with OWU Career Connection Office … helping me prepare for interviews, motivating me to apply for internships, and occasionally guiding me to think about my plan for the future.”
Ayinde’s internship was coordinated by the Summer on the Cuyahoga program, which seeks to show promising students from nine U.S. colleges and universities what the Northeast Ohio region has to offer.
“Cleveland was a great place to live and definitely an open place for graduate students to relocate to.
“My favorite experience was at a food event hosted by the pastor of the church I attended. I had a great time. We had wonderful discussions, and he also introduced me to his whole extended family like I was one of them.”
“My plan is more likely in God’s hands. I want to get a job, more based on me working with data and using my Computer Science skills to understand little steps of what is going on, and use my Quantitative Economics skills to analyze the broad view of the data I am working on.
“Another possibility is that I continue on with my education and do a master’s program in Data Analytics, Quantitative Economics.”
“I attended Ohio Wesleyan because of its small number of students in a class, allowing one-on-one meetings with professors.”