Meet our Inspire TAs: Reethee Ghafoor!
Meet Inspire Teaching Assistant, Reethee Ghafoor! Reethee has been a teaching assistant in multiple Inspire courses this summer, and we appreciate all the ideas and knowledge she has brought to the program. Reethee’s experiences display that students of all interests share the same motivation and passion about their area of study, and that many people enjoy multiple fields of study. With the Inspire program, you can explore different possible career paths, find new friends, and gain meaningful experience in a topic that matters to you. Find out more on our website!
Q: What is your name, major, and year at UVA?
A: My name is Reethee Ghafoor, and I’m a third year at UVA majoring in Global Public Health with a minor in Public Policy & Leadership.
Q: What are you studying, and what drew you to that field?
A: I was drawn to the field of public health, and health policy in particular, because I want to make a difference in ensuring that everyone receives the care they deserve. I’ve always known that I didn’t want to work in a clinical setting, but health encompasses a lot more than just a doctor’s visit! An experience that really influenced the way I viewed my future aspirations was studying abroad in Valencia, Spain, and volunteering in an international health clinic, where I learned
about the impact that differing cultural and political systems can make on the care experience.
Q: Which Inspire classes have you supported this summer as a teaching assistant, and what were some of your favorite moments or highlights?
A: This summer, I’ve TA’d for our Digital Marketing and Nursing courses as well as three of our four courses in the Engineering series: Teamwork & Leadership, Mission: Engineering, and
Design Thinking & Rapid Prototyping. Though these courses are in vastly different disciplines, one thing in common that I loved seeing throughout the summer was students asking questions
about how their learning intersects with their future career aspirations. One moment that stands out to me was getting to visit the Inova Center for Advanced Medical Simulation (ICAMS) and work with students in practicing real hands-on patient scenarios with high-fidelity mannequins and safety procedures!
Q: What does a typical day look like in your role at UVA | Northern Virginia?
A: My typical day as the lead Teaching Assistant for the Inspire program involves greeting students as they arrive for class and answering any questions they might have about the day’s content and activities. I always write up a fun question of the day for students to answer as a conversation starter and also make sure that there are plenty of snacks stocked up for them to enjoy! Besides student engagement and capturing marketing content, another role of mine is organizing our lunch catering for all students, staff, and faculty members and helping out with any office needs.
Q: What is the biggest takeaway you’ll carry with you from this experience?
A: My biggest takeaway from this experience would probably be how important it is to expose yourself to new ideas and specialties, especially if they aren’t what you think you’re interested in! As a public health student, I knew that I would immensely enjoy observing our Nursing course with guest speakers from diverse healthcare sectors, but what I did not expect was to learn so many broadly applicable skills from courses in the Engineering series. For example, while E4: Teamwork & Leadership featured a project utilizing Arduino kits and programming, it also emphasized the effectiveness of communication strategies when collaborating with a group. For high school students just beginning to figure out their interests, I really do encourage viewing learning with an open-mind. Even if you have an idea what you want to do, there is always more to learn, and we shouldn’t be limited by our specific disciplines!
Q: What was the most rewarding part of helping high school students this summer?
A: I would say that the most rewarding part of this experience was watching students engage with both the classroom activities as well as each other in real time. Oftentimes, students would be quiet coming in on Monday morning but then find a great group of friends by the end of the week, so I really loved that we were able to foster friendships and fun memories even throughout the academic setting. Overall, as someone who wasn’t sure of what she wanted to do in high school, I loved having the opportunity to answer any questions about UVA and my own experiences to help students discover what they are passionate about learning