After being inspired by her own teaching assistants, family science major Shawntay Brown wanted to give back to her public health community – to help students the same way she was helped. So the senior became an undergraduate teaching assistant, or UTA.
“I feel a sense of accomplishment being a UTA,” Brown said. “ It is an honor to be a UTA because it shows what kind of person and student you are.”
UTAs take on a similar role as graduate teaching assistants (TAs), helping students with a class’ coursework, leading discussions and holding office hours and review sessions for exams. UTA’s are unpaid, however they receive course credit.
Applications to become a UTA for the Spring 2025 semester are due before January 27.
Your time as a UTA is a safe space to learn from your mistakes and celebrate your successes with consistent personal and professional support.
Like Brown, junior public health science major Aditi Gubba chose to become a UTA after enjoying her epidemiology class, EPIB301. “I love how rewarding the work is,” Gubba said. “My favorite part is when students come up to me after exams and finals and tell me how much I was able to help them. To me, that is worth so much. It inspires and pushes me to put in even more effort.”
Taylor Palmer '21, a former UTA and public health alumna, credits her time as UTA to many of her career successes. Palmer was able to obtain an internship with the Undergraduate Teaching & Education Assistants and Mentors program with tuition remission, allowing her to complete her master’s program with no student loan debt. Later, she returned to campus as a community partner to employ Terrapin Strong student leaders and community advocates.
The program helped Palmer develop communication skills through hosting office hours, organizational skills through managing schedules and time management techniques from balancing her course load and UTA responsibilities, all of which she said helped her in personal and professional growth.
“The Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Program is like no other program. Your time as a UTA is a safe space to learn from your mistakes and celebrate your successes with consistent personal and professional support,” Palmer said. “The full-circle moments of the UTA experience are very real, and you will have one. One day you’re the acorn learning to navigate, and the next, you’re the oak tree helping the acorns.”
Brown and Gubba both note that UTAs are often able to connect well with students since UTAs were recently in the same course they teach to students.
“The UTA experience will open your eyes to so many opportunities and next steps,” Palmer said. “The experience will empower you to take the leap while also connecting you to SPH faculty and staff who will help propel you beyond the classroom.”
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If you're interested in becoming a UTA for a School of Public Health class you've taken, reach out to Cynthia Kershaw, the UTEAM program coordinator, at ckershaw@umd.edu before January 27 to be considered.
- Sumaya Abdel-Motagaly '26