Welcome to the Student Ambassador Program

Isabel’s Student Ambassador Experience (1:20)

2022-2023 Cengage Student Ambassador Isabel shares what she learned from the role and what she wants to share with future ambassadors.

Why MindTap for Economics? (2:29)

Cengage Student Ambassador Isabel Sibaja shares how she used the Adaptive Test Prep, eTextbook study tools, & real-world examples in MindTap to get a great final mark in her first Economics course.

Success Story – MindTap for Economics (3:29)

University of British Columbia student & Cengage Student Ambassador Isabel Sibaja shares why she loved MindTap for Economics.

How did you choose economics?  

I’ve been interested in economics since eleventh grade. Being able to review past decisions and use them as a basis for the future interests me. After I graduate, I want to get a postgraduate degree in either international economics or macroeconomics.  

What has been your favourite course so far? 

My favorite course has been politics. I’m interested in looking at the past to help us lead into the future, and I found that my politics class was a good gateway into that.  

And your least favourite? 

My least favorite class was chemistry. Unfortunately, I was never able to understand why all my friends really liked the class as I found it very challenging.  

What do you do outside of studying and working? 

When I’m not working, I usually like to take long walks to appreciate my surroundings. I listen to my favorite songs and have been known to walk for hours on end. There is something very relaxing in being surrounded by nature while listening to good music. Additionally, I love reading. I feel like I’m being transported to another world.  

Why are you excited to be a student ambassador? 

I really enjoyed using MindTap last year as I found it helped me improve my grades. To have the chance to help others improve their studying habits really interests me. I am most looking forward to showing others the different features of MindTap that I feel helped me the most.  

What is one thing you’d love to share with post-secondary students across Canada? 

I would like to share the importance of taking breaks. Sometimes when I’m really stressed, I don’t want to take a break, which often leads me to get even more stressed and exhausted. Knowing that taking a break is necessary to keep being productive is something that really helped me out in university.

What do you wish you had known before starting university? 

I wish I had known that there was no need to be nervous. Since it was my first year, I worried that classes would be super difficult and that I would not be able to reach out to anyone for help. Luckily, I ended up loving all my classes and all my teachers made sure that we understood the topics.  

What do you wish more instructors knew about students today? 

That students want to be able to access a multitude of resources to help them study, such as visual guide or videos, not just the traditional print textbook. For example, I learn most effectively through watching videos and quizzing myself frequently.  

Why MindTap? 

In the beginning, I just assumed that MindTap would be an online textbook with very little help. However, it ended up being the main resource I used to prepare for every quiz and exam in my economics course. MindTap improved my results in my course due to the ability to create practice exams for myself whenever I felt that I needed extra practice.  

First-Year Economics Student Excels with Exam Prep in MindTap for Economics

Success Story (0:59)

University of Toronto student & Cengage Student Ambassador Charlie Morocz shares the top two reasons why he loves MindTap.

Mastery Training in MindTap – 5 Top Tips for Students

I Wish I’d Known That – What is MindTap? (2:18)

What is MindTap? How can it help you? Student Ambassador Charlie Morocz explains what MindTap is and shares what he learned during his first semester using it.

I Wish I’d Known That – How To Register (2:37)

Have you been assigned MindTap? In this video, Student Ambassador Charlie Morocz walks you through how to register.

I Wish I’d Known That – Highlighter in MindTap (2:29)

In the second video in this series, Student Ambassador Charlie Morocz shows the highlighter and note-taking tools within MindTap. Then he shares how he used these tools to organize his notes and review for exams.

I Wish I’d Known That – Flashcards in MindTap (2:20)

In the third video in this series, Student Ambassador Charlie Morocz shows the flashcard feature in MindTap – how you can study with pre-build flashcards and how you can add your own.

Mastery Training in MindTap with University of Toronto Student, Charlie Morocz

How did you pick your majors? 

As someone with both a strong creative side and a love for all things science, I wanted to find programs that would engage both sides of me. Computer science was the first program I chose to pursue. Logic and scientific thinking are essential for developing your computer scientist toolbox, but after that your creativity is what guides you. Then I learned about the interdisciplinary field of cognitive science. As a cognitive science student, I draw on computer science and biology to gather data about the mechanisms of the mind and subsequently draw on psychology, linguistics, and philosophy to interpret this information and convert it into meaningful knowledge. The opportunity to explore such a broad range of topics is what hooked me! 

What has been your favourite course so far? 

My favourite class so far is my first Introduction to Computer Science class. I had never done anything computer science related before coming to university, so I was very nervous for my first class. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to discover that most of my peers had similar levels of familiarity as I did, and the class was incredibly thorough in introducing new concepts. I met so many fantastic people in this class, many of whom I know will be lifelong friends. I went from zero knowledge at the start of the semester to developing an application which compared pollutant concentrations and COVID-19 restriction implementations by the end! It was super cool to be able to use my knowledge to actually build something, and it gave me a ton of motivation to continue on with my studies. 

And your least favourite? 

My calculus class (sorry professor!). I, unfortunately, do not possess a passion for integration methods or Taylor series. But I give much respect to anyone who has that itch for derivatives! I will appreciate your work from a distance. 

What do you do outside of studying and working? 

Outside of my classes I have a strong interest in fashion and photography. You can usually catch prowling around various thrift stores, hunting for treasure or attempting to set up elaborate photoshoots in public while pretending to not notice all the weird looks I’m getting! Expanding on this, I love painting and modifying clothes and have a personal goal of learning how to use a sewing machine this summer. 

I also adore theatre. I attended an arts high school in the dramatic arts stream and had the opportunity to participate in so many wonderful performances. I like to write short stories and plays as well, and—of course, find costume design to be endlessly interesting. When I really want to relax, I like to play all sorts of video games - the Soulsbourne series and Hollow Knight are among my favourites! 

Why are you excited to be a student ambassador? 

I am most looking forward to the opportunity to create educational content that is both engaging and entertaining. I love writing, editing, filming, and performing, so the entire process has a strong appeal for me. I am passionate about helping others and putting smiles on their faces, so I cannot wait to get stated! 

What is one thing you’d love to share with post-secondary students across Canada? 

My piece of advice to post-secondary students across Canada would be to not pigeonhole yourself and ensure that you maintain a broad range of interests. Even if not directly related, almost every interest, hobby, or passion you have can teach you some transferable skill that you can use in your program. Maybe you can use your art skills to draw up a logo for your computer science assignment, or the attention to detail developed via sewing to ensure that your essays are pristine and error-free! Maintaining a diverse set of interests helps make you a more well-rounded student and can help set you apart from your peers. 

What do you wish you had known before starting university? 

I wish I had been more aware of the power of starting early. Assignments and tests somehow always seem to line up in the most inconvenient ways, making it a real struggle to stay on top of everything and ensure that you are putting your best foot forward. Getting things done early helps prevent unexpected tasks from sneaking up on you and jeopardizing your tight, last-minute schedule. I could have avoided a lot of stress had I been more cognizant of this going in! 

What do you wish more instructors knew about students today? 

I wish more instructors knew about the diversity of strengths and experiences among students. Assignments and tests are often designed for one specific model of a student, causing undue struggle for their equally bright peers who don’t fit into this mold. Offering more freedom in how students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of a topic would be a far more equitable system which I believe would also promote creativity and innovation. 

Why MindTap? 

I really enjoy how intuitive MindTap is. Various educational applications and platforms can sometimes be bloated with unnecessary bells and whistles that distract from the content and end up hindering the learning process. MindTap’s tools are all simple, clean, and effective, acting as digital versions of techniques that most students already use! It augments the learning experience while still ensuring that the content is in the spotlight. 

MindTap Success Story - Student Frustrated by Educational Technology Surprised by MindTap