Academic Coaching
Academic coaching is a free, unlimited service. Academic coaches help you understand how to navigate the unique demands embedded in the Haverford curriculum, and work with you to co-create a strategy and plan towards your academic life goals.
Meet Your Coaches
Lauren Ward (she/her)
lnward [at] haverford.edu
I enjoy working with students and helping them reach their personal, academic, and professional goals. As an academic coach, your goals are my goals. We can work together on study strategies, time management, test anxiety, test-taking strategies, reading management, and note-taking skills. I take a person-centered approach and strive to support others’ individuality and independence with dignity, compassion, and respect. I work in the OAR office on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. I look forward to meeting with you!
Ayo Akinkunmi ‘25 (she/her)
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Studies: Biology (major) and Religion (minor)
I enjoy reading books about literally anything, listening to R&B music and NBA podcasts, as well as writing poems and essays. On campus, you can find me in the library at literally any given moment. Off-campus, I can be found perusing bookstores and thrift stores in NYC. I love STEM but understand how demanding and confusing the discipline can be. I look forward to supporting students, especially BIPOC students, on their STEM journeys at Haverford.
Kyla Hayes ‘25 (she/her)
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Studies: Anthropology (major) Health Studies (minor)
My inability to choose one interest has led me to understand the relationship between STEM and Humanities. I believe that STEM subjects are integral to the Humanities, and I bring this interdisciplinary approach to my coaching. When I’m not at the Office of Academic Resources, I’m passionate about harm reduction and substance abuse initiatives. Outside of academics, you’ll find me lost in a good book or jamming to music from any genre. However, don't go looking for me - I'll likely be hunkered down in my room, curled over my laptop, plotting world domination...or just binge-watching my latest obsession.
Tiffany Lan '26 (she/her)
Hometown: Millburn, NJ
Studies: Philosophy (major) Health Studies (minor)
My passion for fostering community, mutual care, and connection motivates my work as an OAR peer STEM academic coach and a Writing Center tutor. I deeply admire the initiative and care my professors take to tailor courses/curriculum, and I'm incredibly excited to join their effort to make STEM more accessible. Outside of academics, I can be found planning/holding PARC (Pan-Asian Resource Center) events, leading dance rehearsals for Mei (Bi-co Chinese dance club), EMT-volunteering with BMCEMS and Narberth Ambulance, urban-sketching, and birdwatching. I'm excited to learn about and support student's diverse interests as they navigate STEM at Haverford.
Vy Le ‘ 25 (she/her)
Hometown: Pennsauken, NJ
Studies: Chemistry (major) Biochemistry (concentration)
As a FGLI student at Haverford College, I am passionate about making STEM more accessible. As such, I approach my Organic Chemistry TA Recitation, Chem Question Center (CQC), and peer tutoring spaces with compassion and kindness, understanding that some student's life experiences can influence their educational access differently. This passion for bridging the gap towards equity stretches into athletics, as a co-founder of Inclusive Lifting Club and two-terms as Students' Council Officer of Athletics. Aside from academics, I am on the women's field hockey team, a Customs Peer Academic Facilitator (PAF) and a member of the Pan Asian Resource Center (PARC). During my free time, I enjoy cooking and creating art!
Dante Nguyen ‘25 (he/him)
Hometown: Burke, VA
Studies: Chemistry/Educational studies (major) Biochemistry (concentration)
Outside the OAR, I can be found working in labs, the athletic trainers, or the RESE office. I love anything and everything music related, so you might see him dancing across campus or hear him singing in the stairways. I hope to bring the fun back to learning and am excited to support you in this stage of your STEM journey!
Ana Quezada '26 (she/her)
Hometown: Haverford, PA
Studies: Chemistry (major)
I am really into true crime stories. I love listening to music all the time, and I enjoy taking walks along the nature trail. On campus, you can usually find me in Sharpless or enjoying a cup of coffee at the library cafe. Off-campus, you might find me around Ardmore or exploring Philly. I hope to help other students in their pursuit of STEM, helping them achieve a work/life balance and providing support as needed. I am excited to work with and encourage students as they journey through STEM courses at Haverford.
Melanie Santiago '25 (she/her)
Hometown: Stroudsburg, PA
Studies: Astrophysics (major)
I enjoy a range of activities including running, reading, gaming, and spending time with family and friends. I cherish having a healthy work-life balance as it allows me to maintain my passion for STEM courses, though achieving it can be challenging. I hope to help other students, especially those just starting out in their academic career, manage this balance effectively. I am excited to support and uplift students while they begin to navigate their way through the STEM courses at Haverford.
Ethan Silva ‘25 (he/him)
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Studies: Applied Mathematics (major) Chemistry (minor)
Outside of blissful sleep, I love to rock climb, persuading people to rock climb, and playing games (please tell me D&D ideas)! During the stressful times, you can find me in Lutnick Library wondering why mathematics loves Greek letters so much. Throughout my time at Haverford, I have thrived to create a great work/life balance between blissful sleep, my hobbies, and the stressful times. And, I hope to help my fellow Haverford students to achieve the same type of work/life balance while navigating the demands of a heavy STEM workload!
Quynh Vo ‘25 (she/her)
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Studies: Chemistry (major) Biochemistry (concentration) Asian American Studies (minor)
My passion for building communities and bettering student experiences also pour into the time that I spend as a Customs' Co-Head, Admissions Office Fellow, Chemistry Student Group Co-Head, and member of the Pan-Asian Resource Center. Outside of the OAR space, you can find me giving campus tours, helping out at PARC events, or hanging out in the RESE office. In my free time, I enjoy playing Just Dance, shopping for JellyCats in Ardmore, and getting froyo! As a coach, I hope to be a support system to students in their endeavors in navigating STEM and starting this exciting journey :)
