Mentor Biography

My name is Mary Jane Montague and I am a 2nd year Computer Engineering Major at UCF. I am from Louisville, Kentucky, and graduated high school from Mercy Academy in 2024. My favorite class I have taken so far is Calculus 2. Many problems we solved in class were like fun puzzles and required critical thinking which is perfect practice for being an engineer. One of my favorite professors at UCF is Alexa Grubowski. She is currently working on her Graduate Degree in Mathematics at UCF and taught my Calculus 2 class. She is very thorough with the lectures and explains each new concept with several examples to help her students be successful. Her enthusiasm and thoughtful lectures create an engaging classroom and inspire my excitement to learn. Being an out-of-state student seemed like a great challenge when coming to UCF, however, the COMPASS program and other organizations made it easier to find my community. I wanted to become a COMPASS Mentor to help other freshmen who are intimidated to talk to new people find ways to build their community. Having gone through the COMPASS Program my first year, I understand how to take the most from the program and I hope to share this knowledge with my new mentees so they too can navigate each of their interests and career choices successfully. Learning more about yourself and finding a support system is going to be very beneficial as freshmen transition from high school to UCF, and the COMPASS program is the best way to learn how to go about it. The COMPASS course has shown me how to utilize many different career resources at UCF, how to network effectively, and how to find new clubs. In my free time, I enjoy shopping, crafting, and playing video games.