Anonymous comments from students (written in the WWU Course Evaluation System)
MATH 226 - Limits and Infinite Series (Spring 2023)
- Mariana is one of the best educators in this entire department - I will always choose to take classes with her if they are offered. She is passionate about what she does and genuinely cares about the success and well-being of her students. More professors should strive to teach with her compassion and eloquence.
- Mariana is an excellent prof. Inspiring, engaging, well spoken, understanding, the list goes on. I wish I could take more courses with Mariana, and I think other math professors could learn a lot from her style of teaching/grading/course set up.
- Mariana is a delight and always strives for the participation and understanding of each student. The course material is challenging and interesting, and quizzes and exams are well-written. Lectures are given in a format that is easy to follow with ample time for asking questions.
- The professor was extremely knowledgeable about the material and wanted everyone to succeed. The practice quizzes were so helpful.
- Mariana was an amazing teacher and always makes sure everyone is understanding the material. She gives a lot of outside material to help with studying and learning.
- Mariana did a fantastic job making an already difficult course less stressful. She is an absolute gem!
MATH 312 - Proofs in Elementary Analysis (Spring 2023)
- Mariana is easily the best professor here at Western and this class would not have been so impactful without her.
- This has truly been one of my favorite classes at WWU, both in the content, manner of instruction and course organization.
- Mariana herself is the strength of this course. The subject is very tough but Mariana did a great job helping get the understanding of it.
- Mariana was fantastic. Love the mix of lecture and group work time.
- One of the best Math Professors I've had in a while. Thank you for being so considerate throughout the course.
- I really liked this class! I've taken classes with Mariana before & I really like her teaching style.
MATH 422/522 - Methods of Mathematical Analysis II (Winter 2023)
- The course was phenomenal in every aspect, from teaching to grading of assignments to notes/resources.
- Mariana's presentation of material during lectures is excellent. She moves at a lively pace without rushing, and frequently checks with the class to ensure their understanding. Additionally, her presence during office hours is invaluable; she is extremely sharp, insightful, and kind. Her warm attitude invites all students to participate.
- Thank you for another awesome quarter of analysis!
- The instructor is an incredibly skilled teacher who always does her best to bring her A game.
MATH 331 - Ordinary Differential Equations (Winter 2023)
- Greatest teacher at Western, exemplary work, more profs should strive to match her!
-The lecture and actual teaching was superb.
- Amazing instructor, great at checking in with students and encouraging us to ask questions, good at explaining things and why they are useful in real life, always super happy to help with anything, makes class fun, super energetic which makes everyone enjoy class more, genuinely cares about every single student, feels like someone I can trust and count on, almost like a friend. Asking about our weekend makes the student-instructor relationship feel more comfortable and fun.
- I absolutely loved being your student and I wish I could take all my classes from you.
- Professor Smit Vega Garcia seems as excited to teach as a student should be to learn, which helps motivate to want to suceed. She is always asking if we have questions and never rushes progress. She goes the extra mile to ensure we have all the materials needed to keep up.
- Mariana is an excellent teacher. She makes sure everyone understand, and she clearly has a passion for this work.
- Best Math teacher I've had yet!
- I had a great time in this class! I intend to take further Math classes with Mariana if I have the chance.
- Mariana did an excellent job, and was my favorite Math teacher on campus by far. Thank you!
MATH 438/538 - Limits and Infinite Series (Fall 2022)
- Best math professor at WWU bar none. Give her a raise.
- This course was a highlight of my quarter.
- I don't have any (suggestions for improvement). You are so dialed as a teacher. It was really amazing to watch and think about pedagogy.
- Every aspect of the course was exceptional!
- Mariana is an excellent lecturer and is very generous with her time in office hours. She asks great questions and when students are uncertain, she seems to instantly know why. So, she is greatest strength of the course, and her way of teaching.
- Honestly, this was a great class and I can't think of anything to improve.
MATH 331 - Ordinary Differential Equations (Fall 2022)
- Professor Mariana Smit Vega Garcia is one of, if not the best professors I have ever had. She has a passion for teaching and the course material and Western is very lucky to have her!
- Mariana is an excellent teacher with a very good understanding of the subject, and ability to communicate that understanding.
- Professor's lectures were most definitely the biggest strength of the course.
- Your classroom structure and presence were great! High enthusiasm and I felt engaged learning the material.
- Mariana is an extremely engaging and passionate instructor! Her love for math made learning a subject as difficult as diff. eqs. fun and easy. Lectures were helpful and she always encouraged questions. Exams were consistent with lecture content and homework, so they were very fair.
- The teaching method was definitely a highligh of the course.
- This has been my favorite math course during my entire time at western, and I would take another class with Mariana in a heartbeat!
MATH 204 - Elementary Linear Algebra (Spring 2022)
- By far the best class I've taken at Western. The energy given off during lecture is infectious and makes me want to come to class. I really appreciated the dedicated review and example times for tests/quiz items and for concepts needed to build upon. Thank you!
- I thought the teaching of this course was superb. This is a difficult subject and the professor did a great job guiding students and helping them as much as she could.
- I struggle a lot with pure math like this, so even though it's still very hard, you have amazing explanations that help so much.
- The professor was super enthusiastic about class which made it much easier to learn. The expectations were clearly defined without much hassle and the quizzes and tests were super well written.
MATH 331 - Ordinary Differential Equations (Spring 2022)
- Best professor at Western, hands down.
- Best math class/professor I have had at Western.
- One of the best/most productive/most engaging classroom experiences I've had if not the best.
- This class was taught incredibly well. Mariana speaks and explains very clearly and concisely, and really cares about students doing well. She always takes time to answer questions and is so welcoming. Her grading is the fastest I've ever seen, and quizzes/exams are a fair difficulty despite complexity of course material. Honestly this course is one of the best I've ever taken at Western. Mariana is the best!
- Outstanding lectures, clear line of reasoning, lots of opportunity for questions.
MATH 226 - Limits and Infinite Series (Winter 2022)
- Lecture is a great pace. Questions are REGULARLY encouraged, which I love. This class startedout very challenging for me, but Mariana is very good at working through problems/misunderstandings. I wouldn't change anything.
- Mrs. Garcia's attention to her lectures makes learning proofs much more maneable than any other professor I have had. Overall the class is beautifully organized.
- Best/favorite Math Prof.
- It was really well done and I love having Mariana as a professor. I don't think I could change anything.
- Your teaching was especially good and made the class interesting and not a pain to work on. Good job!
MATH 312 - Proofs in Elementary Analysis (Winter 2022)
- I think Mariana's taught this class perfectly. We were given everything we needed and she made sure we were able to succeed. I was worried about MATH 312 because I hear it's one of the hardest undergrad class you can take. She made this class very enjoyable and I am glad I had her as a professor.
- I really liked the in class group work. It helped me understand topics and problems I had been confused on. One of my favorite classes I've taken in my college experience. Tough but interesting and engaging.
- I learned something every time I showed up to class. Mariana's teaching style for 312 felt like the epitome of a quality math class. Although elementary analysis felt like an abstract and difficult subject,she tried very hard to make it approachable and understandable (I believe she succeeded).
- Really enjoyed your class :)
- In class is perfect.
- For the difficulty in concept, I felt like Professor Garcia did an amazing job with answering/giving time to ask questions. She was also excellent at guiding my understanding.
- The teacher was always ready to help and was very caring.
MATH 331 - Ordinary Differential Equations (Winter 2021)
- Thank you!!!!! 3 years of horror stories about diffy-q..... I loved the course and will let everyone know it is not that bad if you pay attention in your previous math classes!! you will also be highly recommended by me!!!
- I think this has been one of the best classes that I have taken at western.
- I thought the lectures went well, clear explanations with helpful examples. I thought the flow of concepts tied together well, I was able to see why we were moving from concept to concept well, so I didn't really feel like I was in the dark about anything during the course. Overall great course, absolute top notch stuff, teaching and concepts that make me feel like college is worth it.
- Thank you so much for another great quarter Mariana, hopefully I can say hello in person sometime this fall! One of the kindest people I have ever met.
- I'm really glad I took this class with you and I hope you get to take a little bit of a break during this spring break because you deserve it.
- No changes! Really!! Especially during covid, the format has been perfect for these hard times.
- You have an amazing structure to your class I just have to say. For an online course you hit every check in my box, The canvas page was organized and I never felt lost looking for something, Every lecture was clean, concise, and well said. You clearly have a very good knowledge on the topics you are teaching and whenever I had a question you were there to help me. I love how you gave of us few days to do exams, it made it really nice for finding time around my work schedule. And all in all it was just an amazing course. I have ran across a few good math professors but you are probably on the top of my list if I was gonna recommend one.
- Mariana is a fantastic professor, one of the best I've had for mathematics. I see how passionate she is about what she teaches and how much she cares about her students and their learning. I would take other classes by her over anyone else, she's really awesome. Thank you so much for giving me an awesome learning experience and bringing more joy to what I study, I appreciate you and everything you do.
- You were a great instructor. I really wish I would have had you for linear algebra. In fact you were my first pick for linear algebra last quarter but I changed classes last second ( stupid ). I decided I am going to minor in mathematics and I hope that you might be teaching 224,225 or 226 in the future. Thank you again for being so thorough, and keep up the good work.
- I really liked the pace Mariana took her lectures at. They weren't too fast, and they weren't too slow either. I also liked the amount of practice problems that she gave us to work on, and how she didn't make them required. It allowed for flexibility with my schedule. She also did a really good job of answering student's questions well, and providing thoughtful explanations of certain topics. I also appreciated how she gave us multiple days to work on and turn in exams. Overall, I really liked this course.
MATH 524 - Topics in Analysis (Winter 2021)
- Lectures were excellent, I think they were fast paced and I liked it! Even counting courses outside covid times, this class has been one of my favorites.
- While any online course is obviously going to be less than ideal, this is by far my favorite online class I've taken. The content was interesting and the class atmosphere was inviting. It is clear how much work you've put in to make this feel as much like an in- person class as possible. Thanks for the great quarter!
- The pauses to check student understanding were very consistent and appreciated; it made the pace of the class very manageable. Lots of background was given which made the ideas feel very motivated and natural to explore. Your enthusiasm for the content made everything exciting as well!
Also, I really appreciated coming into class and seeing brief summaries of ideas from a previous class that would be relevant for the content we would be covering in the current class. This was really helpful.
- I thought the lectures and summary of content was very clear. I appreciated the color coded summaries put on Canvas. Your responses to student questions were always thoughtful.
But the thing I enjoyed most was the atmosphere of shared inquire and the way you created a safe learning space. I haven't been in a math class at Western in which the instructor genuinely encouraged questions. I have had instructors say we should ask questions, but leave no wait time or respond in ways that suggest the question is silly. You never responded to a question in a way which made the question seem stupid. You often checked in individually with us to make sure we were actually following. And frequently, you paused for real wait time after asking if there are any questions. I really appreciated all of that.
I also appreciated how you introduced yourself and shared pieces of your own life as well as had us introduce ourselves at the start of the quarter. It helped changed the sterile environment of academia into something that felt genuine and personable. I hope you have an effect over time on your colleagues.
- An amazing course overall. Content was adapted to student interests. It was clear that Mariana really cared about the material, and that also added a ton of energy to the class. I also enjoyed that lectures weren't overbearingly slow. There was space for the students to ask questions when they needed to, or when background material was missing, but it never felt as if she assumed we didn't understand previous course work. My favorite part of the course was either the Sezaro and Abel summations or the proof and applications for the Inversion formula.
MATH 226 - Limits and infinite series (Fall 2020)
- This course has been a bit of a light in the dim gloom of this quarter and these months of quarantine. Mariana is so much fun to
have in lecture and to talk to, and she'll always be my favorite math professor and one of my favorite professors ever!
- Mariana is one of my top 3 favorite teachers. She's always organized, composed, patient, and easy to relate to.>br>
- Being able to prove limits and understand the patterns of limits, series, and sequences feels really beneficial for teaching
mathematics. I enjoyed her system of showing us a new image each week and having a question of the week to answer so we
could get to know our classmates. I just wished more people participated. She was always patient with the questions I came to her
with. Very understanding and always responded well with the topics I discussed with her. The quizzes tested average knowledge
of the material and that seemed sensible. The midterms tested on the easier side of the knowledge on content and that also made
sense. Her reviews were spot on with the tests and the most helpful reviews that I've ever had a teacher give me. Reminded us of
key components and concepts/rules that are useful and gave us a little insight on what might be on the test - without giving too
much away. Loved the timing of test/quiz grade returns! Loved the creativity that was encouraged every now and then and using
theorem names that we could make up to make the content feel more friendly and personal to us!
- I loved taking your course. It was challenging, but you made it enjoyable. Thank you for being an amazing professor
- I think the lecture material was structured very well. When I looked back at my notes to study it was easy to find theorems and
examples following them, which made them very useful. You were also very fast at posting the lectures, so if I missed lectures it
could always found on them being uploaded in a timely manner. I also loved your method of uploading lectures and I wish more
professors used it. It is super easy to go to the home page and go to the learning materials and find your notes and the videos
there. The zoom tab on canvas was also awesome because other professors have links on their syllabus and it makes getting to
lecture a little more tedious. Your use of the homepage was also great. You also offered a lot of office hours for extra help and it
was always welcoming and easy to get to! Thank you for writing such great homework solutions also. I feel like you do the most to
see your students be successful and understand the material and I loved it.
- Honestly, I think you are doing everything right.
- The effort to create class collaboration and community was definitely
felt, but I have not found a better way to create the "classroom feel" virtually. Office hours were wonderful! The professor does a
wonderful job explaining materials or answering any questions or confusion, even when I didn't know what question to ask. During
class, the professor did a great job making everyone feel included. With such a hard class, it was very easy to feel lost and left
behind (almost on a daily basis). However, the professor was phenomenal at encouraging and supporting everyone when there
was confusion. Take-home tests that allowed for several days to be taken was the best set-up of any of my classes. I had time to
ask questions about the exam and still finish it in the allowed time period. All fo the online resources were very helpful, including
posted lecture notes, lecture videos, and homework problems.
- The effort to create class collaboration and community was definitely
felt, but I have not found a better way to create the "classroom feel" virtually. Office hours were wonderful! The professor does a
wonderful job explaining materials or answering any questions or confusion, even when I didn't know what question to ask. During
class, the professor did a great job making everyone feel included. With such a hard class, it was very easy to feel lost and left
behind (almost on a daily basis). However, the professor was phenomenal at encouraging and supporting everyone when there
was confusion. Take-home tests that allowed for several days to be taken was the best set-up of any of my classes. I had time to
ask questions about the exam and still finish it in the allowed time period. All fo the online resources were very helpful, including
posted lecture notes, lecture videos, and homework problems.
- Mariana is an absolute joy to have in lecture. The weekly discussions have been really great, as well. The overall untimed
structure of the quizzes and exams have been pretty low pressure which is very valuable for online learning.
- Being an inherently difficult class, I’m glad professor Mariana’s lectures were of the most straightforward and streamlined I’ve ever
attended. Although she may go quickly at times, she never hesitates to slow down or rewind if asked to do so. Additionally, her
understanding of mathematics is made evident by her intuitive explanations to questions asked by myself and my peers.
- I really appreciated how organized the home page was in terms of nicely sorting the weeks and their content. Having the zoom
recordings and corresponding white boards so readily available for review was also a great benefit to me. The professor was
amazing about pausing and asking for any questions, and their answers were always well thought out and successful.
MATH 204 - Elementary Linear Algebra (Fall 2020)
- I really enjoyed your class and feel very lucky that I had you as a professor especially now. The class did not feel stressful at all
and I thank you for that. My roommate dropped out of his linear algebra class with another prof. because it wasn't working for him.
- Your attitude during class was such a joy! I look forward to watching your lectures and occasionally participating.
I also really appreciated the amount of homework. The quizzes and HW problems made me make sure that I understood the
material but didn't burden me with work although you did provide it in case people wanted the practice.
The problems in class also help me fully understand the concepts. I learned a lot of things from those problems that I might have
just overlooked otherwise.
- I think the course was really good, there is nothing I can think of that it needs improving on.
- I felt that the Teacher really enjoyed teaching her students as well as teaching the material. The lectures were always upbeat and
did not drag on and bore you. I really enjoyed when a lot of different examples were given.
- Everything was perfect. Honestly.
- It was such a pleasure to take your course. I hope that I am able to take another class with you because you really do a great job
at teaching and making students feel empowered about their math abilities. Thank you for all your work, I hope that you have a
wonderful winter break and the rest of the school year!
- I was really nervous about taking this course but Mariana made it enjoyable and far less intimidating than I had expected.
Extensive time on quizzes and exams allowed me to feel confident in demonstrating my understanding of the material rather than
pressed for time and rushing to just get as many points as possible. The recorded lectures were very helpful for returning to when
a concept was unclear or when you couldn't make a class. Having access to LOTS of practice materials was also extremely
helpful. I felt like Mariana cared deeply about our learning and understanding and did everything possible to assist us rather than
make us worry about our grades. The focus of the course was on understanding, not on a grade. One of the most well organized
and well executed online courses I have taken and definitely the best math professor I have had at WWU! Thank you
- I am not a huge fan of math anymore. I really enjoyed it when I was young and good at it, but after a few teachers that were not
super great and when I did not work as hard at it I found myself hating it more and more. This class was very difficult and was still
math so it was not always great, but I felt with Mariana I could enjoy doing math more than some previous classes.
MATH 432 - Systems of differential equations (Spring 2020)
- You had the best online course out of all the courses I registered this quarter. You were more prepared and I felt less loss in this course. I do miss the interaction of in person classes. I am glad that I got to take a class with you before I graduate in the fall. You are the best!
- This was the class I felt best transitioned online this quarter. I feel like I still learned exactly what I would have in a normal classroom, and the professor did an incredible job of trying to ensure students were actually understanding the material. She also gave timely and valuable responses to homework and exams.
- Overall by far the best course I had this quarter. Her course should serve as an example for other professors to model their courses after.
- Great Professor, she put in her best effort in teaching us during this tough times. Really enjoy her class and feel like I’ve learn a lot!
- Mariana Smit Vega Garcia did a very good job adapting rapidly to an online teaching environment. In other classes, we lost a lot of time while instructors figured out how to teach online, but she was adaptable and quickly figured out how to integrate her tablet with zoom to provide better instruction than any other teacher I encountered this quarter.
Her flexibility on due dates and sympathy for difficulties adapting to technology this quarter were extremely useful, and took a lot of needless pressure off a very stressful time. In fact, this flexibility, for me at least, made sure that I was able to spend more time on the quality of my assignments and work, rather than just rushing through something in order to hope for some partial credit and moving along to the next due date.
Lastly, Mariana Smit Vega Garcia, spent a great deal of time helping and answering specific questions over email. This is especially important since office hours conflicted with other classes, so having email as an option was very valuable.
MATH 226 - Limits and infinite series (Spring 2020)
- You really seem to care a lot about your students and I think that that is something that makes you an amazing professor. A lot of teachers don't seem to care all that much, so when I would come to class and you genuinely asked how we were, I really appreciated it. Escpecially with everything that is happening, you made things just a bit easier and better, so thank you so much for that. I am glad I was able to take another class with you, and would recommend anyone to take your classes. You are a fantastic professor!
- Overall I was super impressed by Mariana's dedication and grateful for her attention to detail. She really cared about her students and succeeded in making her classroom a comfortable place for students to ask questions. She was also understanding of students' circumstances throughout the quarter and gave us as much flexibility as she could to minimize stress for us. Thank you Mariana!
- Mariana did a really great job adjusting to online courses. She was enthusiastic, encouraged participation, and made it very easy to ask questions. Her lectures and explanations were thorough but she did a great job of anticipating points of confusion and addressing them before they caused issues. Her lectures were always well thought out and structured, and her homework materials and assessments were never too hard or too easy.
- The vibe of the classroom was, communication was really (...really...) great like communicating before the class, the review before class, the review sheets for the midterms are a huge help and make the class a lot more memorable as they help a lot, very easy to ask questions.
- I felt that her comprehension of students understanding was excellent. She always stopped for questions and never moved on before people understood.
MATH 331 - Ordinary differential equations (Winter 2020)
- Professor Garcia's teaching style is fantastic. The amount of effort she puts into student learning exceeds any math teacher I ever had. She always has our exams graded quickly and she is very encouraging. One outstanding aspect was that Professor Garcia found what we did wrong on the exams and emailed us solutions on what we could have done better. I am very happy to have had you as a professor and I hope you are recognized for all the hard work you put into teaching and mathematics.
- Amazing class! Amazing professor! Best Math class I have taken yet. She cares more about our understanding than the grades we receive. Her ability to work with us and be flexible is great!
- I wish all of my teachers were as passionate and caring as Mariana. I will miss having her a teacher.
- Your lectures were amazing. Usually in math classes I have to read the textbook to understand the lecture but I never once used the textbook. I loved how much you encouraged students to ask questions. You also gave really thorough explanations to questions, which was really helpful. Your enthusiasm for the subject made the lectures really engaging as well. You are one of the best, if not the best Math professor I've ever had. You made the information really easy to understand! I hope I get to have you for another math class in the future.
- Mariana is the best professor I've ever had. She does an excellent job explaining difficult subject matter and makes a point of giving personalized feedback after each exam. If I don't pass and need to take this again, it would be an honor to once again be in her class.
- Amazing professor! Wish I could take more classes with her.
MATH 204 (Winter 2020)
- Awesome feedback on student work. Best job from any instructor I have had with timely communication, and she is available by email for questions. Also, she grades work right away and sends detailed feedback to each student - this really helps with continued study, to be able to continue progress right away. Also, she has an excellent relationship with students - approachable, professional, and a really great person to work with!
- You were by far the best professor I have had yet. Your lectures were excllent and very clear, and you made a lof of effort to ensure that everyone understood what you were talking about. It is obvious that you care very much about the subject and because of this you were very effective at teaching it.
- Amazing ability to give an abundance of practice work with guided solutions to help us learn out of class. Very aware where student comprehension stood and did evetything in her power to help (which was great). Generally extremely attentive to student learning. I really enjoyed this class! You are a great Prof.
- I will really miss how clear your explanations of complex topics in Math are. Good luck on future endeavors.
- I have never had a professor give individualized feedback on exams. This was a delightful surprise and made it very easy to address issues had on the test in a quick and effective manner. Super refreshing professor, one of if not the best Math profs I have had in 4 years at Western.
- I loved this class and will be lookin for your name when I register in the future!
MATH 430/530 (Fall 2019)
- One of my favorite classes I've ever taken.
- Mariana is one of the best profs I've ever had at WWU. I've been here since Fall 2013 and working on two bachelors' and I wish I could have taken other courses with Mariana! She is the most dedicated Prof. I've never had a prof be so quick with grading. She is awesome! Very enthusiastic about the subject and makes lectures really enjoyable. I really appreciate everything she does for her students. She really cares!!!
- The structure of the class was absolutely amazing! Expectations were clear, lectures were organized and easy to follow, homework was a perfect difficulty, and the exams were fair. I really enjoyed this class, even though the material wasn't especially interesting to me, because of how interested the professor was in the subject and how much she cared about students' understanding. Overall Mariana is one of my favorite math professors at Western! I wouldn't change anything about this course! Always suggest other math students to take it because how great my experience has been in this class.
- Mariana's lecture style is excellent, she explains each new topic clearly, and thoroughly and is very in touch with the class understanding, making time for questions at each step. I have thoroughly enjoyed taking this course with Mariana and hope to take classes with her in the future.
- Absolutely loved taking this course with her.
- The lectures are very engaging and I can tell you really care about making sure everyone suceeds!
- Mariana is one of the best professors I have ever had and goes above and beyond for each student. The course content was very difficult (especially for me), but she motivated me to keep trying. Her enthusiasm is helpful as with her explanations for describing the material different in every way possible.
- Awesome job at making a comfortable classrom environment to ask questions! Always very approachable.
- You're one of the best lecturers/instructots in the department. The class was run at an excellent pace and I especially loved the opportunities you would give us to work on a problem on our own while you walked around the room. That really helped my confidence in the material grow. Homework and exams have thus far been challenging yet fair, and your avalability for help during office hours and through email is incredible. You've done an incredible job and I hope you can stay at Western, you'd be a huge loss for the department and its students.
MATH 527 (Spring 2019)
- Awesome. Really engaged the class. Really appreciate the feedback. Thank you for everything.
- This course was my favorite Math class in large thanks to the teaching style. I am glad that I took it!
- Thank you for making the class environment so friendly and comfortable. This was the best Analysis class I've had. Thanks for all your hard work.
- Fantastic lectures, great pace, interesting questions!
- Mariana gives the best feedback any Math Math professor I have had. The amount of care in helping students learn, while respecting mistakes and encouraging improvement is refreshing. The content was clearly very well known by Mariana and it felt very good to be in this class.
- I really liked this class. Mariana is an excellent lecturer. The homework was very fair, it was difficult but
didn't make me want to die (I mean this figuratively, to be clear). The problems did a good job of being thought provoking and engaging.
This class made me like Analysis a lot more.
- Mariana's clarity and precision are remarkable. Lectures are detailed and never leave ambiguity, yet she takes the time to give overviews/outlines of material which greatly help continuity and understanding.
Mariana's prompt grading of homework and exams is impressive and conducive of learning
material. Her facility with Analysis is exceedingly evident. Mariana also has great enthusiasm and energy which makes class enjoyable.
MATH 204 (Winter 2019)
- I used to hate linear algebra and not love math but because of this class, I found a new appreciation to linear algebra and I'm now minoring in Math!
- Mariana is an absolute treasure. She clearly cares about her students, and she is a very intelligent person. If more of my tuition went towards paying professors like her more, I wouldn't feel so bad about the absurd amount of debt.
- This is the second course I've had with Dr. Garcia, and once again, it was fantastic.
- I absolutely loved having you as a professor, your teaching style is so easy to follow and I found you to be extremelly approachable outside of class. Thank you for all your dedication, it truly shows and is ia huge change from many other math courses.
Thank you again! I wish I could take all of my math classes with you!
- Excellent course taught by excellent professor. I wish I had Mariana for all my Math classes.
- Thank you for an amazing quarter, you are an awesome lecturer.
- Immediate quiz feedback was excellent and she really felt invested in her students' learning. Excellent work. Even though the subject was not one I was excited about, class with you was a pleasure. Thank you.
- This is how all courses should be taught.
- You are an amazing professor and I'm glad I took your class!
MATH 331 (Winter 2019)
- Definitely my favorite Math teacher of all time! Thank you so much for the work you put in this quarter.
- I thoroughly enjoyed my class. Everything felt very comprehensible and the availability of the instructor and material for practice was very open and flexible. I look forward to taking more classes with Dr. Vega.
- I've never had a professor invest so much of their time into each individual student. I honestly don't know how you do it! I wish I had some constructive criticism, but the only thing to say is WOW! One of the best professors I will ever have.
- Mariana was amazing and I hope to have her as an intructor again for another class. Mariana was always very eager to answer questions and always encouraged students to ask them, which I think was very helpful and by doing that Mariana created a great learning environment in her classroom.
- Professor Garcia is the best Math professor I've had at Western so far. She is great at explaining concepts and giving exams. This is the first Math class I had where I didn't have to teach myself everything. She made upper level math class easy but also challenging. I learned a lot this quarter and feel confident solving differential equations.
- Best Math professor I've ever been taught by at WWU. The pace of the class was perfect and I thought she did a great job explaining the material and ensuring every student understood what was going on. Thanks for another great quarter!
- Mariana, I think you are a great professor and it really shows how much you care about your students and your teaching. Thank you!
- Dr. Garcia is one of my all time favorite professors. She goes out of her way to ensure her students understand the material. It is apparent that she is here to educate, not just teach and research. Incredible professor all around.
- Would take this class again :) loved it.
- I loved this class and looked forward to it every day. Lecture pace was perfect.
- The passion for the topic demonstrated by the teacher was fantastic. Always clear and easy to learn. Mariana made a challenging topic very manageable. I had a great time in our class. Thank you!
- Mariana is the hardest working teacher I've ever had.
- I loved this class and could really tell that Mariana really just wanted the best possible outcome for everyone.
MATH 224 (Fall 2018)
- This class was excellent. Dr. Garcia's enthusiasm for the subject and for teaching are obvious and she really wants
her students to succeeed and provides every resource they might need.
- Wonderfully taught class. Your energy and enthusiam in lecture made for a very engaging course, and it's clear that you've put a lot of effort into
creating digestible and effective explanations of the topics. I appreciated your spatial and visual ways of presenting course ideas, which for me made it
much easier to understand the material. I loved the opportunities for questions and help, and in-class exercises.
- I found every aspect of the presentation of the content to the exceptional.
- I liked how she used in class time for us to work on examples individually or in groups - it helped us understand what was happening.
- The availability for help outside of class was great, I felt like I was encouraged to ask questions about anything at anytime. The classroom environment was also a place where I felt I could ask questions or ask to go over something again without feeling like I was interrupting.
- Dr. Garcia is a fantastic professor here at Western.
- In class explanations of topics were extraordinary.
- Mariana is extremely passionate about Math.
MATH 331 (Fall 2018)
- Professor Vega Garcia was an excellent teacher. She put an exceptional amount of effort into feedback with individual responses to our exams.
- Mariana is the nicest and most enthusiastic professor that I've had at Western! I love how open she is to questions, mistakes, and students seeking help. You can tell she really wants us to suceed, while still holding us accountable and challenging us.
- This class was wonderful. The professor knew where students were struggling and had fun and creative ways for us to remember information.
- You did a very good job of teaching this class and made me interested in showing up every day. Glad I got to have you as a professor.
- I hope to have the chance to take future courses with her as a professor.
- I think your organization of course content was superb, for example the notes you made on the board every day.