University Learning Center
Administrative Staff
Fran Zareh-Smith, Director
Fran began attending Cal State Fullerton in 1981 and earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology 1983, after which she entered the master’s program. As a graduate student in psychology, she tutored statistics at the CSUF learning center, was instrumental in developing study groups, and helped to establish the first open computer lab on campus for students.
After earning her Master’s Degree in 1985, Fran became assistant coordinator at the learning center where she served for five years before moving to the Educational Opportunity Program’s (EOP) counseling program. In 1996, she became the coordinator of that program where she remained until December 2002 when she became the Director of the University Learning Center. In her role as director, Fran supervises the day-to-day activities of the center, manages budgets, and coordinates with other departments to determine students’ needs for services.
Fran is married, has three grown children and six grandchildren. In her spare time she reads, gardens, and races Thoroughbreds (in partnerships) at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, and Del Mar.
Debi Lyn Esquivel,
Assistant Director and
Lecturer, English and Comparative Literature
Debi Lyn Esquivel has been the Assistant Director of the ULC since fall 1999. Her main goals are to oversee the day-to-day tutoring activities, making sure CSUF students have a collegial learning environment as well as to train the Center's exemplary staff of tutors.
Debi writes:
"As I searched for a text book to use in our tutor training course, I found that while several tutoring texts exist that focus on writing assistance or methodologies, there wasn't one that addressed theory and practice from a multi-subject viewpoint. Out of this need for a text book came my inspiration and motivation to write one. Peer Tutoring from Theory to Practice was first implemented in the spring 2006 training course in its draft form. It is currently undergoing revision finalization in preparation for publication.
Peer Tutoring from Theory to Practice: An Instructional Text and Training Program for Tutors Across the Disciplines is a text book to train tutors in ways that facilitate learning. It shows the relationships among learning theories and tutoring as well as provides solid, pedagogical how-to's for tutors in a variety of tutoring situations."
Dannaca Daniel
Administrative Coordinator
I am the Administrative Coordinator here at the University Learning Center. I am also a full time student at Fullerton College. I will be transferring here to Cal State Fullerton in the Spring of 2008 to earn my bachelor's degree in Sociology with a minor in Law, Politics, and Society.
My hobbies include music, movies, cooking, and going to the beach. I also tutor Sociology in my spare time. I hope to tutor here at the University Learning Center when I transfer in Spring 2008. If you have any questions for me, come by my office!
University Learning Center
Student and Tutoring Staff
Agarwal, Ankit
Hi! I am Ankit Agarwal and I am a graduate student in Computer Science at CSUF. Born and brought up in India, I completed my undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering in my home country and now I am an international student here at CSUF.
This is my first semester at the ULC and I am glad to be a part of it. I tutor Math and Computer Science.
I love watching movies, music, traveling and billiards. I wish you all good luck and I hope to see you soon! Cheers
Arana, Ashley
My Major is Communications with a focus on advertising. My hometown is West Covina, but I currently live in San Dimas, California. I plan to graduate in 2011 and get a steady job after graduation. My goal is to work for an advertising company somewhere close to home. I love to play the piano, and I also love to dance. Piano and dance are my passions and have been a part of my life since I was young. I have traveled to places such as Mexico, New York, and Washington D.C. I love to travel and I enjoy meeting new people.
Arraiga, Jesse
Hey, my name is Jesse. I am a freshman here at CSUF. I am currently an undeclared major, but I have a pretty good idea of what I would like to do. I would eventually like to teach in Japan. I am originally from Pomona, and I have lived there most of my life. I’m not sure when I will graduate, but when I do, I hope to work in a stable career. I would like to meet new and exciting people.
Assefa, Redieat (Lily)
I enjoy chemistry and understanding biology because I am fascinated with how our body functions and how food gets broken down in our body. I love understanding how vitamins work and how certain pills take away pain. I want to be able to figure out why someone would be coughing up blood, having back pain, or simply not feeling well. That is, I would like to know the biochemical reason, like which bone did they crack or the kind of virus caused the problem. I want to be able to be in a room where if a heart attack were to happen I would be able to be effective in the situation. My future goal is to become a professional in the health profession and continue to get a better understanding about the human body and to improve the quality of life for others.
Bertea, Cynthia
Hello! My name is Cindy and I’m a third semester TESOL student. I was born and raised in Southern California. I plan to graduate in two years and maybe work abroad in Japan. I studied abroad there in my undergraduate years and then I worked there teaching English. I love Japanese food and learning about the culture.
Bhatia, Piyush
Hi Everybody,
I am Piyush Bhatia. I am a graduate student, and I am currently pursuing my Master's degree in Computer Science. I am an International Student from India, and I came here in Fall 2006. I am a tutor at the ULC in Math and Computer Science. I enjoy teaching and my motive in the ULC is to help students in to achieve good grades.
I love to play cricket, and I am one of the members of the Cricket Club in our school. I am also a member of the ISA Club (International Student Association). I love to swim and play pool. I am addicted to surfing and chatting on the internet. I like to burn CDS, and I have lots of MP3s and Audio CDs in my collection. I like to make new friends and interact with them. To learn more about me, come to the ULC. We are here to help you learn.
Bhupathiraju, Srinivasa "Raju"
I am a graduate student in Electrical Engineering, and I am from India. I will be graduating in Fall 2009. After college, I would like to become an VLSI Engineer.
My hobbies are playing basketball, reading books, and browsing the internet. I like to work under professors, helping them with their projects, and I also like meeting new people.
Brush, Jade
I am a Geology major from Canyon Lake, California. I hope to graduate in 2010 with a degree in geology and a minor in business. After college I would like to do some geologic field research because I enjoy being outside and physically working with the earth. Eventually, I may come back to get a teaching credential so that I can teach geological science to others. In my free time I like to paint, play music, and golf. When I travel, I love to go out hiking and explore the cities. I went to Montreal and New York city this summer. For the last two summers I have traveled the country and Canada on the Warped Tour. Making friends all over the country during these trips and the experiences I had are things I will cherish for the rest of my life. Hopefully with a geology major I can do more traveling.
Chaphalkar, Shrinivas
My name is Shri, and I am a Finance major. I am from India (Bombay) I have been at CSUF for one year, and I have learned a lot about the procedures and activities around campus. I plan to graduate by Fall ’08 and intend to work for a large software firm. After a couple of years I will probably start my own business and set up a manufacturing unit of movie projectors (continuing my family business- my family owns and manages 18 movie multiplexes and implements the latest technology and business ethics/principles.)
I have my undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering, so I hope I will do well in achieving my goal after I get my MBA in Finance. Along with that, I would also like to continue playing professional soccer.
Dhungana, Ishwar
I am Ishwar Dhungana and I am from Nepal. I am a new graduate student of Civil Engineering. I am planning to graduate within two years. After graduating, I will intern for one year. After that, I will go back to my home country and continue my previous job related to civil engineering.
My hobbies are making new friends, visiting new places, and listening to music. I have visited India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, and the U.S.A. During my undergraduate studies, I represented my country in the South Asian Level Quiz Competition, which was held in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
I have about nine years of professional experience as a civil engineer. In Nepal, I was extensively involved in survey, design and estimates of roads, water supplies, and trail bridges.
Eshak, Norjan
I am a seond semester TESOL major here at Cal State Fullerton. I’m from Anaheim, California. I was born in San Jose, and raised in Orange County. I am currently a graduate student and will graduate in the spring semester of 2009. I plan to teach English as a second language to community college adult students. During my free time I like to travel, play the piano, or listen to music. I’ve been to Carmel, Lake Tahoe, New Jersey, New York, Syria, and Jordan. I hope to visit more places in the world and learn new things. I also hope to learn about you.
Gamboa, Javier
Hello Everyone! My name is Javier Gamboa, and I am a senior Political Science student here at CSUF. I am from San Ysidiro, California, and I moved to Fullerton to attend our great school. I will graduate in May 2009, and I intend to pursue my graduate studies in American politics afterwards. In the little spare time that I have, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, playing sports, and engaging people in political discourse.
Harper, Matthew
I’m currently in my last year obtaining my B.A. in Philosophy. My interest in philosophy developed naturally from my tendency to think too much. Specifically, I’m interested in philosophy of mind, language, and religion, though my interests extend to other areas as well. After school I plan on traveling, most likely to India. This past summer I traveled around Europe and have since become thoroughly addicted to traveling. In addition to traveling, I’m also interested in doing music for the rest of my life. I’ve played guitar for 13 years now and am currently in a metal band and am pursuing other projects to express myself musically.
Hernandez, Erica
My name is Erica Hernandez and my major is Child and Adolescent Development. I’ve lived in Anaheim all my life and I love it. I am planning to graduate in 2011 and go on to become an elementary teacher. My passion is being around and teaching children. Some of my hobbies are riding streetbikes, dirtbikes, going to shows (concerts), going to the beach, shopping, art, and of course being with people I love.
Kamdar, Kunal
My name is Kunal and I am from Kolkata, India. I am in the Master’s program in Electrical Engineering. I will be graduating in 2009, and I plan to go for a full time job in the field of Electrical Engineering after completion of my studies. I tutor Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
Keener, Daniel
Hello! My name is Danny Keener, and I am currently working on my MA in English here at Cal State Fullerton. I love to read! I am that nerdy guy who likes reading Dante or Milton for fun. Medieval literature is my favorite; give me Chaucer, Malory, Marie de France, or Dante any day. My dream is to teach at the community college level someday after I earn my MA. I am also a huge Lakers fan; I could talk about either books or basketball all day long. Teaching, though, is my number one passion.
Picture Coming Soon!
Le, Tam
I am from Vietnam, and I am an Accounting major at CSUF. I will graduate in December 2008, and I plan to go to work right after college while reviewing and preparing to take the CPA exam.
My hobbies are traveling and listening to music. I recently visited Vietnam after eleven years, and I want to go back in the near future.
Lewis, Sean
I am a first semester Graduate student, majoring in English. I transferred to Cal State Fullerton as an undergrad in 2005. I’ve spent the better part of my life living here in Southern California, mainly in and around the Whittier area. After graduation, I’d like to teach English at the Junior College level. In the meantime, I hope to prove a helpful asset to the tutees and staff in the ULC. I’ve traveled as far as England and Ireland. I love music, reading, writing and art. I am looking forward to this upcoming semester.
Lovacheff, Matthew
I am a Human Services major and McNair Scholar from Cameron, Missouri. I will be graduating in May 2008 and hopefully attending doctoral studies in the Fall of 2008. My primary focus of education is in substance abuse rehabilitation studies. I served four years in the Navy and traveled to Israel, Dubai, France and the Caribbean Islands. My recreational activities include spearfishing, video games, comic books, and I’m an avid student of the Bible as well as other religious and spiritual literature.
McReynolds, Naima
Hello everyone! My name is Naima, I'm a junior here at CSUF, and I am a Radio/TV/Film major. I am 21 years old - whoo hoo! I love shrimp and I hate coconut - yuck! I love meeting new people and learning new things about different cultures. Cant wait to meet you!
Naima means…
--
For you, an angel has been sent.
Forever she shall lay in your possesion.
What is thy name, is the question.
Just simply call her your Blessed Gift.
Mikhail, Maurine
Hi my name is Maurine, and I am an Economics and Political Science major. I was born and raised in Egypt. I lived there until I was 11 and moved here with my family in 2001. I plan to graduate in 2010, this is only my second year. I tutor Arabic and Math. So if you need help with either please do come in.
P.S.
I need more Arabic tutees. =)
Moreno, Juan
My name is Juan, and I am a Chicano Studies major. I am from Mexico. I plan to graduate in 2009, but I don’t know what I want to do after college. I like to travel and I plan to go to Peru in March.
Mukkamala, Shruti
Hi! I am a graduate student in Clinical Psychology and this is my second semester at CSUF.I love to explore the various facets of Psychology, be it Abnormal Psych, Social Psych, Research Methods, even Statistics and SPSS. I hope I can help you see how much fun learning Psychology can be!
Muñoz, Andre
My name is Andre and I am getting my Master’s in Education with a concentration in TESOL. I am from Fullerton, CA, and I plan to graduate one year from now. I enjoy traveling to Latin America. I also going to boxing matches and bullfights, and watching soccer. My time is also spent reading about astronomy and linguistics.
Pitts, Jaclyn
Hi, my name is Jaclyn Pitts and I am studying TESOL here at CSUF. I like to travel, read, study languages, and meet new people. This is my second semester here on campus and I look forward to meeting all of you in the ULC.
Potla, Srikanth
I am from India, and I am studying Electrical Engineering. I will graduate in Fall 2008. After that I want to do my PhD in the field of VLSI. In my free time, I like to read technical books.
Sahagun, Hector
My major is Computer Science, and I have lived in many different cities in Southern California. I currently live in the city of Brea. I plan to graduate n 2010 and then attend law school. I like to travel to new places as a hobby.
Singh, Babanpal
I am the Business tutor of the ULC. I am pursuing my MBA from CSUF. My primary area of concentration is Economics and Finance. I love meeting new people and tutoring students. In spring of 2007, I got the award for outstanding student from the College of Business and Economics. Additionally, I was also honored at the Honors Convocation 2007 by at CSUF with the International Understanding Award. I have been president of the Economics Association and Phi Beta Delta at CSUF. For this academic year I will be involved in the Business Inter Club Council. Under my leadership, the Economics Association won the award for Best Business Organization at CSUF. I also enjoy tutoring Business students, as I know a lot about it. So if you need any help in Finance, Statistics, Economics, Mathematics or Business come and see me. When you are coming for tutoring with me, you are in the best hands and all your worries for your class will end.
“From the East to the West, Baban is the best!”
Simonson, Jennifer
I am a graduate student in the English Department. I grew up in Turlock, CA, which is in the central valley, and I moved to Southern California to attend CSUF. In May 2008, I will graduate with my master's degree. I would like to teach writing at a university or at a community college. When I am not reading, writing, or preparing for class, I like to watch movies and spend time with my husband. We like to go to the beach or hang out with friends or family.
Sousa, David
I am a Math major that was an Art major before. I was born and raised in Southern California. I should graduate in 2009 and plan on teaching high school. My hobbies include art, working on cars, and going to new places.
Taing, Jennifer
I am a Bio Chem major from Rowland Heights, California. I plan to graduate in 2009, and attend grad school after that. I enjoy arts and crafts, like origami and knitting. I also really like to read, especially books by Dan Brown.
Townamchai, Roujkun "Poon"
I am a graduate student, studying Computer Science. I come from Bangkok, Thailand. After I graduate in fall ’08 (hopefully) I’ll find a job in the U.S. as a software engineer. I love basketball and swimming. I also play video games in my free time. I used to play piano, but I have not touched one since I came to the U.S.
Turchie, Michelle
I am currently working as a lecturer in the Reading Department at CSUF teaching READ 290- Critical Reading as Critical Thinking. I also work part-time at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo teaching ENG 340- College Reading Skills. I graduated from CSU, Long Beach with my B.A. in Liberal Studies before receiving my teaching credential from CSU, Fresno. After 10 years of teaching elementary school, I came to Cal State Fullerton for my M.S. in Education with an emphasis in Reading. Besides teaching courses at CSUF, I work in the ULC with graduate students from the College of Education who need writing assistance. I have worked with many students on their final projects, literature reviews, research papers, and other writing assignments. My hours working in the ULC are limited, but you may contact me personally at mturchie@fullerton.edu for other appointment times.
Varghese, Jimmy
Hi my name is Jimmy Varghese and I am a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering. I received my Bachelor’s in Engineering from Calcutta University, in India. I will graduate in May 2008, and after graduation I plan to do my Master’s thesis in the same area. I can also help students in other areas of Mechanical Engineering, Physics, and Math. My hobbies are basically reading books, and watching cricket.
Watabe, Yuko
I am in a M.S. program for Clinical Psychology. I was born and raised in Japan. I am planning to graduate in spring 2008 and go on to a PhD program. My hobby is dancing, and I have been doing it since I was 4.
Webb, Arsula
Hi, my name is Arsula and I am double majoring in Afro-Ethnic Studies and American Studies. I am originally from Brooklyn, New York, but I have spent most of my life here in Fullerton/Orange County. I am graduating this spring and I plan to attend grad school where I will continue my studies in American and Afro-American studies. I love school, but I also love to have fun. I am a movie buff- I love to watch movies. (I don’t do scary movies!) I love music, all types. Most of all, I love to spend time with my family and friends! |
