The geology department has hired one of the youngest teacher assistant, so young that sophomore Courtney Bartlett can’t legally drink.

“Teaching is my main objective (after college),” Bartlett said. ‘I want to teach geology as a professor at a university.”

Bartlett, from Seattle, ended up at Midwestern after falling in love with the small campus environment.

Her freshman year, Bartlett didn’t suffer from the first year slump.

Geology Professor Dr. Jonathan Price said she was an excellent student, who engaged herself in class and in out-of-class preparations in his physical geology class last fall with distinction.

Summer 2011 Barlett was offered a teaching assistant position.

“It was a big surprise because I was so young,” Bartlett said. “At the same time I intended to apply for a TA position at some point in my time at MSU. It just came up faster than I anticipated.”

Bartlett started as geology professor Jonathan Price’s teaching assistant last summer in physical science.

“A first teaching assignment during spring or fall is a challenge for most,” Price said. “A summer session is doubly so, with its twice-weekly sessions that each cover multiple topics.”

Even with previous teaching experience with younger children, Bartlett remembers being very nervous her first day behind the teacher’s podium.

“I was fine once the class started, but the anticipation was intense,” said Bartlett. “I also remember thinking most of my students were older than I am.”

Bartlett said she found out very quickly how difficult it is for older students to take her seriously as an authority figure.

“I find that once I get to talking with those students that I am confident in my knowledge,” Bartlett said. “I am not out to impress anyone or take charge of students. I find that I am more of a guide in the lab room.”

In that semester, she also experienced her first classroom confrontation with a female student over her teaching style.

“I know that (the student’s) professors that I have who I respect, but I just do not enjoy their teaching style,” Bartlett said. “However, this student was very rude and blatant about her dislike for me, including gossiping about how much she hated me to other students.”

Bartlett has also experienced the joys of teaching where in her first summer class she helped a student who was continually struggling.

She made herself open to the student and became her tutor. By the end of the term Bartlett said the student was no longer struggling and left the class feeling like she had truly succeeded.

“I felt good to watch her succeed,” Bartlett said. “On a lab to lab basis it is nice to see students enjoy themselves. I will admit that while not all labs are a walk in the park, some do have the potential to be fun. When the students enjoy themselves, I do as well.”

Bartlett continued on as a teaching assistant in life/earth science for Dr. Rebecca Dodge second summer term and is currently teaching that course again this fall.

“Courtney has proved to be a phenomenal instructor despite the intense nature,” Price said. “I am endebted to her skillful teaching and her tireless efforts. The geosciences program is fortunate to have such a talented student and instructor.”

On top of her teaching responsibilities, Bartlett has to balance being a full-time student. The double major in geology and chemistry, who is currently taking 16 credit hours, said she sometimes finds it very difficult to balance everything. Her biggest difficulty being finding enough time to study.

Her teaching assistant position involves around 10 to 15 hours work a week.

She also does research for the chemistry department.

“Being a double major is hard in itself,” Bartlett said. “I spend a lot of time stressing about how to fit in all of my classes and which classes to spend more time studying for. Once I hit junior and senior status, things will only get more difficult. So needless to say, I have busy week after busy week.”

After college, Bartlett intends on obtaining her masters and doctorate attending graduate school in the Boston area.

She plans on using all the good and bad experiences learned through being a teaching assistant to one day be a geology professor in her own right.