Matt Trybus, M.Ed.

PASS Coordinator, Instructional Faculty

trybusmj@jmu.edu
Contact Info

Matt Trybus is the Coordinator of PASS. Matt holds an M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Administration from the University of Vermont, a teaching license from Saint Michael’s College, and a B.A. in History from the University of Montana. Prior to coordinating the PASS program, Matt served as Assistant Director of James Madison’s Office of Disability Services for 7 years. In addition to working with members of the JMU community to realize their potential, Matt is passionate about his family, friends, cycling, food, and balance.

Yang Liu, Ph.D.

PASS Coordinator, Instructional Faculty

liu38yx@jmu.edu
Contact Info

Yang Liu is the Coordinator of Peer Assisted Study Sessions and an Assistant Professor in Psychology. She received her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Texas Tech University. Her research interests include risk and resilience factors on the academic success of college students, socioemotional development in childhood and adolescence, and the effectiveness of educational technology. She is passionate about supporting student success both academically and emotionally. Outside of work, she enjoys playing educational and psychological games with her husband and three children.

Becca Bailey (She/Her)

Becca is a second-year graduate student in the MA/Ed.S. School Psychology program. She graduated from Randolph-Macon College with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, complemented by double minors in Behavioral Neuroscience and Music. Becca aspires to work as a school psychologist in a public school setting, where she aims to be an advocate for equitable educational opportunities for all students. In her free time, Becca enjoys adventuring with her dog, hiking, music, and creating art.

Jack Gallagher

Jack is a senior biology major with a pre-PA minor from Fairfax, VA. This is his second year on the leadership team for PASS and he has been a PASS leader since his sophmore year. Some of his interests include basketball, backpacking, playing guitar, and all things Marvel and Star Wars. He is also involved in BBB, Intervarsity, and Alzheimer’s Buddies at JMU.  

Jaimin Ashra

Jaimin is a senior chemistry major from Charlottesville, VA. This is his first year on the leadership team and his third semester as a PASS leader. During his free time, I like hiking, playing video games, and listening to music. 

Maverick Shiflett

BIO 140 - Doyle

Hello all! My name is Maverick and I am a junior Biology major with a Pre-Dental minor! I am a first generation student from Waynesoro, VA! I also have been a dental assistant for about three and a half years in pediatric and general dentistry. I am very passionate about the biological sciences (as well as dentistry) so I am super excited to expand my horizion from a biology 140 teaching assistant and pre staff to a PASS leader! I myself attended almost every session, formed many great connections, as well as learned and practiced  the fundamental biology principles for all my future courses with my peers. I am excited to meet you all!  

Ryan Sauer

BIO 140 - Halsell

Hi! I’m a Junior biology major with minors in Human Resources Development and pre-law from Virginia Beach, VA. This is my fourth semester as a PASS leader for BIO140 with Dr. Halsell. Beyond PASS, I serve as a tour guide in Student Ambassadors, 2024 Orientation Peer Advisor, and hobbyist photographer. 

Kimberly Kehlenbach

BIO 140 - Jaira Vasconcellos

Hi! I am a Junior Biology major with a Pre-Veterinary minor from Crozet, Virginia. This is my first experience as a PASS leader, but I was a TA for the BIO 140 lab for two semesters. Outside of JMU I volunteer at the Harrisonburg SPCA, and shadow at a local veterinary hospital. In my free time, I enjoy crocheting and thrifting.

Tyler Goldstein

BIO 140 - Terrie Rife

Hi!! I’m a senior biology major from Manalapan, NJ. This is my third semester as a PASS leader with Dr. Rife. I also volunteer at the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad and am a crisis counselor with the Crisis Text Line! Outside of PASS, I enjoy going outdoors, whether that be surfing, hiking, or running! I'm so excited to meet all of you! 

Koya Chandler

BIO 140 - Liz Doyle

Hi! My name is Koya Chandler and I’m a senior from southern Virginia. I’m majoring in Health Sciences with a minor in Pre-dental. I love hanging out with my friends and being outdoors. Please feel free to come to any sessions, even if you do not have Dr. Doyle as a professor and ask me literally anything. I am so excited for this semester and to meet all of you! 

Charlie Gully

BIO 150 - Rosario Marroquin Flores

Hey everyone! I’m a junior biology major with a minor in pre-med. I grew up in England but moved to Northern Virginia 7 years ago. This will be my second semester doing PASS. Outside of school, I enjoy playing rugby, piano, hanging out with friends, and I love going snowboarding whenever I can in the winter! I’m excited to meet everyone this semester! 

Cody Lamb

BIO 150 -Abby Goszka

Hi! I am a sophomore majoring in Psychology and pre-medicine. I’m from King George, Virginia and also work on-campus as an RA at Paul Jennings Hall. I volunteer with FCSS, and outside of academics I enjoy reading self-published books as a reviewer and drawing! I’m looking forward to meeting with all of you and to heres a great semester!  

Elizabeth Wilson

BIO 150 - Oliver Hyman

Hi! I’m Leeza and I am a Junior Psych major with minors in Biology, Honors, and Pre-PA. This is my second semester as a PASS leader and I am so excited for what this year brings! Outside of class, I am a member of a sorority on campus as well as Club Tennis. I look forward to meeting everyone this year!  

Gabriel Padilla

BIO 245 - Morgan Steffen

Hi! I am a Senior Biology major with a microbiology concentration. This is my fourth semester teaching pass and I’m very excited to jump into this course with you all. Outside of PASS I am an active member of JMU ski and snowboard team. I look forward to working with you all! 

TBD

BIO 245 - Kristen Yoshimura

Ella Harman

BIO 270 - TJ Hynd

Hi! I am a senior kinesiology major with minors in Pre-PT and Pre-AT. This is my third semester with Dr. Hynd, and I absolutely love the class! Outside of PASS, I am in Saferides and the Pre-PT Society. I am looking forward to a great semester with everyone!  

Asiedua Adu-Gyamfi

BIO 290 - Bryan Cage

Hello, I am Asiedua. I am a sophomore Nursing major from Centreville, Virginia. This is my first time being a PASS leader, and I am excited to be a part of this team. Besides being a PASS leader, I am a Mosaic Ambassador for the Center of Multicultural Student Services. I am also the event coordinator for African Student Organization. I am excited for a great semester! 

Kylie Conway

BIO 290 - TBD

Hi! I am a sophomore Nursing major and I’m from Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. This is my first time as a PASS leader for Dr. Walker,  and I’m so excited to meet everyone! Besides PASS, I am on the women’s club basketball team, and I’m in the Nursing Student Association. 

Lauren Maringola

BIO 290 - Walker

Hi everyone! My name is Lauren, and I’m a senior Health Sciences major on the Pre-Physician Assistant track from Cheshire, Connecticut. This is my first semester serving as a PASS Leader, and I’m really looking forward to getting to know you all! Outside of PASS, I’m a member of Alpha Omega Epsilon, a sorority for women in STEM, and I also participate in the Pre-Physician Assistant Club. I’m excited for the semester ahead and can’t wait to work with you! 

Ava Wehr

CHEM 120 - Trost

Hi everyone, I’m Ava, a senior biotechnology major! This is my 4th semester as a PASS leader, and I'm excited to lead for Professor Trost’s CHEM 120 this semester and meet you all. Besides academics, I am also a part of InterVarsity, the MRDs (on piccolo), and AOE!

 Elizabeth Foster

CHEM 120 - Trost

Hi everyone, I’m Elizabeth. I’m a sophomore biotechnology major. This is my second semester as a PASS leader, and I’m so excited to  meet you all! Outside of school, I enjoy lifting weights and spending time with my family and friends! 

Jaimin Ashra

CHEM 131 - Wilson

I’m a senior chemistry major from Charlottesville, VA. This is my third semester as a PASS leader, and I’m excited to work with all of you. During my free time, I like hiking, playing video games, and listening to music.   

Erin Garvert

CHEM 131 - Gilhula

Hi! My name is Erin Garvert, and I am a senior Health Sciences major with Pre-Medicine and Pre-Dentistry minors. I’m from Vienna, VA, and I love playing and watching sports, spending time with my family and friends, and going to the beach. This is my fifth semester as a PASS leader, and I’m excited for a great semester with everyone! 

Payton Stavalone

CHEM 131 - Funck

Hi everyone, I’m Payton. I am a senior psychology major with a pre-medicine minor. This is my first semester as a PASS leader. I am from New Jersey, and I enjoy working out, spending time with my family and friends, and journaling. I am excited to get to know you

Angelina Morrow

CHEM 131 - Hughey

Hi, my name is Angelina Morrow, and I am from Center Valley, PA! I am a junior Health Science major and pre–Physician Assistant minor! This is my first semester as a PASS leader for Dr. Hughey’s Chem 131 section. I am so excited to be working with you all this semester!  

Gavin Short

CHEM 131 - Zheng

Hi everyone! My name is Gavin, and I am a Psychology Major with a minor in Biology and Pre-Medicine. I am very excited as I will be a first time PASS Leader for Chem 131 with Dr. Zhang.  I also do research in the Psychology department as well as volunteer at Harrisonburg Rescue Squad. I look forward to seeing everyone this semester! 

Taylor Newman

CHEM 131 - Tam 

Hello, my name is Taylor Newman, and I am a senior Chemistry major and Honors minor from Doylestown, PA. This is my third semester as a PASS leader for Dr. Tam. Beyond PASS, I am a chemistry tutor in the SMLC, and I am a student ambassador. I look forward to working with you all this semester.  

Jackson Vickers (He/Him)

CHEM 132 - Blumling

Hi everyone, my name is Jackson (He/Him), and I am a biology major with minors in biochemistry/molecular bio and pre-medicine. This is my fourth semester as a PASS leader for CHEM 132 with Dr. Blumling. I love holding these study sessions, and I find that the students I work with think they’re quite helpful! Some more about me: I love music and reading, I’m in an ornithology (birds) research lab, and I am the president of BBB, our school’s Biology Honors Society. 

Jack Gallagher

CHEM 132 - Liu

Hi there, I’m a biology major with a pre-PA minor in my last year here at JMU! I’m from Fairfax, VA and some of my interests include basketball, backpacking, playing guitar, and all things Marvel and Star Wars. I’m also involved in BBB, Intervarsity, and Alzheimer’s Buddies at JMU. I’ve been working as a PASS leader since I was a sophomore, and it’s always been an absolute highlight of my semester. Looking forward to another year of this amazing program! 

Lauren Vaughan

CHEM 242 - Hollinsed

Hi! I’m Lauren from Roanoke, VA, and I am a biology major with a pre-dental minor. My dream is to work with special needs children and have an inclusive practice, so everyone can feel confident in their smile. This will be my senior year, and I was a LA last year. This is my first time working as a PASS leader and I am super excited for this opportunity!

Kayla Asgari

CHEM 241 - Hollinsed

Hello everybody! My name is Kayla Asgari; it is lovely to meet you all! I am a Senior Health Science major, pre-dentistry and honors minor. I am pumped to be a PASS leader this semester for Dr. Hollinsed’s CHEM 241 class! I participate in research with Dr. Hollinsed as well, which has been such an amazing experience. I hope to support you and make all of you super successful! 

Daisy Anderson

CHEM 241 - Lewis

Hi! I’m a Senior biology major from Vienna, VA. This is my first semester as a PASS leader for CHEM 241 with Dr. Lewis. Beyond PASS, I serve as Vice President of Scholarship on the Panhellenic Executive Board and am a member of JMU’s Biology Honor Society (Tri Beta). I enjoy running, reading, and spending time with friends. I hope to support you and make all of you very successful this semester! 

James Whitted

CHEM 241 - Caran and Mohler

Hello! My name is James Whitted and this is my first semester as a PASS leader. Outside of studying chemistry, I enjoy hiking, playing golf, and watching movies. I’m excited to work closely with students and further their organic chemistry knowledge.   

Aaron Ringer

COB 291 - Atef-Yekta

Hello everyone! My name is Aaron Ringer. I am excited to help with PASS this year and I will do my best to help you. I am an accounting major, with a minor in Honors. I am also currently working as an RA. COB 291 is a difficult class, but you can do it. Dr. Hoda is a great teacher to have for this class. Dr. Hoda and I will work together to make this class educational and enjoyable. 

Chloe Le

COB 291 - Hassani

Hi! My name is Chloe. I am from Hanoi, Vietnam. I am a Senior Computer Information System major. This is my first semester doing PASS Leader for COB291 with Professor Hoda and Hassani. Beyond PASS Leader, you can find me at UREC in Pilates and pickleball sessions. I am excited to meet and work with all of you to make progress in this course.  

Sarah Fila

COB 291 - Novoa

Hi! My name is Sarah, and I am a Junior CIS major from Northern Virginia. This is my first semester as a PASS leader. Outside of PASS, I’m involved in the Madison Consulting Club and Sigma Kappa Sorority. I’m super excited to meet everyone and be a great resource for this course.  

Harrison Graham

COB 291 - TBD

Hannah Porter

COB 291 - TBD

Hello! My name is Hannah, and I am a senior Accounting major from Northern Virginia. This is my first semester as a PASS leader with professors Lamsal and Hassani. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone and exploring the world of business analytics. Outside of school, I love being outdoors, cooking, and spending time with friends. 

Ava DeWald

MATH 110 - Willingham

Hello everyone! My name is Ava DeWald, and I am from Haymarket, VA. I am a Junior Elementary Education Major with a Minor in TESOL. I am a first-time PASS leader for Professor Willingham’s Math 110 course. That said, I am very excited to meet with you all this semester! Outside of PASS, I work as a private tutor and am a member of Kappa Delta Pi and TEACH ambassadors. Get ready for a fun and productive semester. Roll Dukes!  

Rebecca Stout

MATH 110 - Alexis Stevens

Hi! My name is Becca and I am from Winchester, Virginia. I am a sophomore Elementary Education Major with a double minor in Mathematics for Elementary and Middle Grades Teachers and TESOL. This is my first semester as a PASS leader for MATH 110 with Professor Stevens. In my free time, I enjoy being outside and spending time with my pets! I am so excited for a great semester! 

Kiersten Coleman

MATH 110 - Gibson

Hi! My name is Kiersten and I am a sophomore from King George, VA. I have an Elementary Education major and a Coaching Education minor. This is my first year  leading PASS and I am doing it for MATH 110 with Prof. Jenny Gibson. MATH 110 was one of my favorite classes so I am super excited. 

Michelle Lyons

MATH 155 - Koch

My name is Michelle Lyons, and this is my fifth semester as a PASS leader. I am a senior finance major/math minor from Herndon, VA. I’ve always enjoyed PASS and helping students strengthen their quantitative skills. Outside of work, I enjoy fitness, cooking, and videography. 

Kaitlyn Salyer

NUR 353 - Mason & Herron

Hi, my name is Kaitlyn, and I am a senior Nursing major and a Chronic Illness minor in my 3rd semester of the nursing program. I am from Winchester, VA and this will be my first semester leading NPASS for Pathophysiology and Pharmacology with Dr. Mason and Dr. Herron. I believe that pharmacology is an essential skill for new nursing students, and I hope that I can help assist in their transition to nursing school! I am looking forward to a great semester! 

Sabrina Yap

NUR 356 - Landes & Beckler

Hi, my name is Sabrina, and I am a 3rd semester senior nursing student. I am from Northern Virginia, and this is my first semester teaching NPASS for NSG 356 with Dr. Landes and Professor Beckler. I LOVE this class and its objectives as they start to build on what you learned in this program. Outside of this class, I love going to the gym, cooking, hanging out with my friends, and watching shows. I hope I can help reinforce topics from this class and aid you in your education to becoming a nurse! 

Allyanna Pearson

NUR 452 - Weeks & Childers

Hello! My name is Ally Pearson. I am a 4th semester nursing student from Culpeper, VA. I look forward to being your NPASS leader for NSG 452. Outside of nursing school, I work at UREC Adventure Center and am a volunteer with A Moment of Magic. I enjoy hiking, trying out new hobbies, and playing Monopoly Deal. I hope to see you all in my sessions!