UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Learning named two undergraduates for the Outstanding Guided Study Group Leader Award: Ankita Dasgupta, who leads PHYS 211 sessions, and Paige Van Orden for her leadership in CHEM 110B/112B sessions.
Ankita Dasgupta
Dasgupta, a graduating senior, is an astronomy and astrophysics major.
One of her nominators, Stephane Coutu, professor of physics and of astronomy and astrophysics, described Dasgupta as an excellent instructor who carefully prepared materials and recorded high-quality videos for general guided study group (GSG) sessions and exam reviews for PHYS 211.
“In these sessions, she reprises the themes of the course material at that time, explaining the connections between concepts and quantities, then she proceeds to solve sample problems based on these concepts,” Coutu said. “She records and posts her GSG sessions, and I find them to be excellent, clear, well explained and quite easy to follow. I am sure the students attending her sessions derive great benefit from her presentation of the material.”
Another of Dasgupta’s nominators said she went above and beyond in preparing material for GSG sessions.
“She prepares new problem sets, has additional learning and explanation material and provides an extra 3-hour session for each exam preparation, where she goes through our sample exams,” said Heike Pfau, assistant professor of physics. “I believe that a lot of work went into this preparation.”
Dasgupta said she wants students to feel like it’s OK to ask questions and enjoys helping them build their confidence.
“I’ve tried to create a space where students feel comfortable slowing down, asking anything, and really understanding the ‘why’ behind the material,” she said.
She added that some of her favorite moments have been seeing students go from feeling stuck to solving problems on their own.
“This work is especially important to me because of my own background,” she said. “I’ve relied on support, mentorship, and opportunities like this to get to where I am today, and I know how much of a difference that can make. Being able to give that back, even in a small way, has been one of the most rewarding parts of my time at Penn State.”
Paige Van Orden
Paige Van Orden, also a graduating senior, is finishing her degree in biology.
R. Aaron Garner, associate teaching professor of chemistry, said in his nomination of Van Orden that she “has done a great job as a GSG leader, particularly when it comes to developing high quality content for her sessions. She also maintains great relationships with students, helps them during lecture, and serves as an excellent role model.”
Molly Otterson, a former winner of the Outstanding Guided Study Group Leader Award, said in her nomination that in sessions she’s attended for CHEM 112B, Van Orden does a great job simplifying information and ensuring the content contains relevant examples.
“She is very straightforward with the way she presents and explains her materials, offering practical analogies that aim to simplify complicated topics,” Otterson said. “She never wastes time during her sessions — she effectively builds rapport with students and covers a great deal of content in each session I have attended.”
Van Orden said she was honored to have been selected for the award in her second semester as a guided study group leader. She was previously a learning assistant and teaching assistant.
“I appreciate the stronger connections GSG has allowed me to form with students as opposed to my previous role,” she said. “I also felt I have benefitted more from the independence of this role. I am grateful for the opportunities and lessons the GSG program has gifted me with, and I will carry them into my future years of education and my professional career.”
About the award
The Outstanding Guided Study Group Leader Award is supported by philanthropy and awards two leaders each semester a stipend of $500 in recognition of their contributions. Additional information about the award is available at pennstatelearning.psu.edu. In addition to providing no-charge Guided Study Groups supporting a wide range of courses, Penn State Learning also provides tutoring in mathematics, world languages, public speaking and writing.
Penn State Learning is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education.