Yvonne Niyonzima - Community Service Scholarship Recipient

My name is Yvonne Niyonzima. I am an undergraduate student at East Carolina University pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics. I have been involved with the ECU Pirate Tutoring Center (PTC) for a year now. The PTC is dedicated to offering free peer tutoring sessions, academic support and study skills to ECU students. At the PTC, we create a comfortable atmosphere for students so they can ask for help with ease. This year, I am tutoring Organic Chemistry I and II. Many of those coming for organic chemistry tutoring are pre-med students. I love that we at the PTC are able to give our fellow students the necessary tools to comprehend the subject to pass the class, and hopefully do well on the organic test part of the MCAT. Through my time there, I have seen students who have gone from not understanding the course to getting A’s. As someone who enjoys chemistry, I take pride when students report positive results, knowing that I was part of their success.​