Armin
I’m a proud graduate of the University of Iowa with a scholarship for Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) and have spent my career in education and student support. My professional background includes serving as a Center Director at Sylvan Learning, where I was honored to be nominated as National Director of the Year. I have also held leadership roles at Rasmussen College, including Director of Student Affairs and Interim Associate Campus President. Additionally, I’ve had the pleasure of presenting the Golden Apple Award to outstanding teachers in the Chicago area—another reminder of the power of education and mentorship.
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It’s truly been an honor to support local students as they find their voice—particularly in writing college essays that reflect who they are—and even more rewarding to celebrate their successes alongside them.
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My Story
My background with college essays started when one of my math students asked for help writing a college essay. In a lot of ways, essays are similar to math, where this is always a formula to find the purpose of the story. For me, it always starts with building a connection and double-clicking on student answers until we discover the purpose of their essay. Here are a few snapshots of my own self-discovered purpose....
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I love connecting with others. My family jokes that I am the Air Traffic Controller of the family. I take it as a compliment. It’s a position that's a little under the radar, but necessary and deeply appreciated. From a young age, I learned to listen, observe, and always stay highly attentive while processing information from multiple sources to ensure things move along smoothly. I have used these skills to interpret and translate communication between layers of cultures, languages, and temperaments. My favorite things about coaching college applications are applying these learned skills of listening, interpreting, creating connections and helping others at a vulnerable time in their lives.
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​I love finding humor in every day. This is another reason I love college essay coaching. At a time when stress is high, it's important to remember the big picture and bring some laughter, joy and personality to the process. I used this approach to help an engineering student come to life after telling me about a machine he discovered in his school’s lab. Another favorite was “A Tale of Two Sisters,” written by a student who turned his family experience into a story of being a liaison, and someone who sees every side of the story.
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I am a mom. I have been tutoring and teaching for several decades now, but being a mom has taught me it's really hard to teach your own kids. Sometimes they just need to hear it from somebody else.
Contact
Email me and we can set up a free consultation call to see if I can help you or your student.