Alwyn Dippenaar

Where do you attend school and what activities are you involved in?

I will be going into my third year at the University of Virginia this fall where I am majoring in Computer Science. I am in the machine learning club and part of the Quizbowl team. Also, I am the Provisional Membership Chair for the Washington Literary Society and Debating Union.

What have your teaching opportunities been outside of Fairfax Collegiate?

I have experience assisting teachers in the instruction of engineering concepts to middle schoolers, and I have also been a tutor for high school level science, math, and programming in the past. I am currently an undergraduate teaching assistant for the computer science department at UVA.

What subjects have you taught with Fairfax Collegiate in the past?

Since joining Fairfax Collegiate in 2023, I have taught classes on programming, 3D printing, robotics, and multiple engineering disciplines.

What sort of experience have you had in the subject you’ll be teaching this summer?

I have been programming in Python, Java, and JavaScript for several years now. I am currently learning about higher level data structures and algorithms and software development in my university courses. This past semester, I was hired to assist the professor of an introductory course in the UVA computer science curriculum.

What excites you about teaching and working with students?

I enjoy using interactive experiments and projects to make complex concepts and information exciting to students.

Outside of work, what are some hobbies you enjoy?

Outside of school and education, some things I most enjoy are playing guitar, walking in nature (especially when it's raining), and playing board games.