Name: Derik Suria
Age: 20
Graduating Year: 2006
Years at Tutor Time: 6
Schools attended after Tutor Time:
– Canadian International School (2006 – 2007)
– German Swiss International School (2007 – 2008)
– Chinese International School (2008 – 2019)
– Claremont Mckenna College (2019 – Present)
Tell us a little about yourself
Hello! I’m Derik and I am a rising sophomore at Claremont Mckenna College studying Economics and Data Science. Currently, I am taking a gap year and pursuing my passion for coffee (as a barista) while gaining experience in marketing and data analytics through a separate internship.
When did you graduate from or leave Tutor Time? Which schools did you go to after Tutor Time?
I graduated K3 at Tutor Time in 2005. After that, I went to CDNIS for a year, GSIS for another year, and finally settling in at CIS until I graduated in 2019.
What are your hobbies and passions?
As you’ve probably guessed from my barista position – I love coffee! Aside from its ability to give you that much-needed jolt on a torturous Monday morning, I am mesmerized by the variety of flavors and qualities that reflect the terroir of each region. When I’m not busy tinkering with a new brew method or experimental bean, I am typically playing basketball, bouldering, or hiking with friends.
What do you aspire to be in the future?
To be honest, in the near future I have no idea what I want to do but ultimately I want to somehow be involved in the coffee industry. People often preach something along the lines of “follow your passions” but I think that I should instead do what’s valuable. In the past decades, global warming has been jeopardizing green coffee production and supply – we may see a future without readily available coffee. Because of this, I aspire to be a coffee roaster and shop owner that focuses on fair trade and sustainability.
What are some of your proudest achievements?
I am most proud of my admission into Claremont Mckenna College. I love Economics and as a tight-knit, academically inclined school (in LA) specializing in Economics, CMC was a natural fit. I guess it’s also tied to surviving the IB (International Baccalaureate) program at CIS. But it was something I had been working towards for over 5 years and I had finally made it.
What are your fondest memories from Tutor Time?
It has to be during break time playing with my childhood friend, Keisuke in the huge playground at Red Hill campus.
Is there anything you want to say to our Tutor Time students and teachers?
Although it was sad to see the Tutor Time Red Hill campus close, I am extremely grateful for the lifelong friends and fond memories that I made. Special shoutout to Ms. Shakira who showed me the brutal, competitive side of Uno!
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