“Truthfully, Zach and this discussion saved me in this course. He laid out all the topics covered in the lectures and readings so fluently, and in such a concise manner, and it really solidified my understanding. I would leave lectures kind of all over the place, pretty confused. However, I would leave Zach's discussion feeling much more calm and put together, understanding the topic way more. Zach was very personable and helpful when we had questions. He never made me feel dumb for not knowing or understanding something, and I felt like I belonged. Zach always clearly communicated the expectations of the course, and he made his class a warm environment. I can't thank Zach enough!” – Fall 2023, Introduction to Comparative Politics
“I was honestly shocked when he said it was his first time leading a discussion section. He always seemed really comfortable in front of the class, clearly put a lot of time into compressing the readings, and I appreciated how he incorporated current examples of the concepts we were discussing (that really helped me remember what we were learning). Also, I know a lot of what [the professor] said went over my head, and Zach was really good at bringing the content back down to our level...which is great because this is an intro course. I enjoyed this discussion section, and Zach made it a really great experience!” – Fall 2023, Introduction to Comparative Politics
“Zach is approachable, friendly, insightful, and understanding, all things that make a great TA and teacher. Leaving discussion, I always felt better about the course material. Our small group discussions, where Zach often divided up the class so each group can discuss a certain author then present it to the class, was so helpful. It was great because I felt like an expert on a certain reading/author, so I could focus on other readings when studying. Overall, I think this was maybe the most effective discussion section I've had at UVA, and Zach is one of my favorite TA's ever!” – Fall 2023, Introduction to Comparative Politics