We envision a world where you can thrive academically and mentally.
Yet, we know that it more often feels overwhelming.
Today, students face unprecedented levels of stress.
Academic pressures, social challenges, and the expectations of balancing life and study lead to overwhelming anxiety for many.
of students reported leaving college to address their mental health challenges.
(The Wiley Network, 2023)
of undergraduates reported struggling to stay engaged and interested in their classes.
(The Wiley Network, 2023)
of undergraduates reported symptoms of depression.
(The Healthy Minds Network, 2022)
Like you, we’ve been there.
DAN
Homesick: Missed the comfort of home while lost in a new world
Socially Anxious: Navigating friendships was like a cat on roller skates
Unsure of My Place: Felt like the odd sock in the laundry
Wrong Major: Stuck studying a subject as exciting as drying paint
Academic Struggles: Drowning in jargon from courses that never sparked any interest
MELISSA
First-Gen Student: Charted new territory without a map
Far From Home: Tackling college life 1200 miles from mom’s care
Roommate Drama: Sharing space felt like sharing a battle arena
Major Hopping: Juggling majors like an academic acrobat
College Transfers: Playing college hopscotch across private, community, and state schools.
These experiences have not only shaped our understanding but fueled our passion.
2002
Melissa
2002-2004 @ University of South Florida
Recognizing the different impacts of test formats on learning sparked my interest in understanding individualized study methods.
Dan
2002-2005 @ Syracuse University
Observing how students approached studying in a million different ways led me to study the psychology of successful learning.
2005
Melissa
2005-2011 @ University of Pittsburgh
To better explain how students could help each other through peer assessment, I explored theories describing how some learners independently manage and control their own learning process.
Dan
2007-2012 @ University of Pittsburgh
Inspired to land a really cool job as a professor, I studied learning, problem-solving, and motivation in grad school.
2010
Lost
We tackled the mysteries of the last season of Lost together.
2011
Melissa
2011-2012 @ University of Antwerp
I conducted a super interesting eye-tracking study that helped me see how errors affected the way students implemented feedback.
2012-2015 @ University of Pittsburgh
Working with kindergarteners to help them “coach” each other while learning to write revealed how even the youngest learners can manage and control their own learning processes.
Dan
2012-2014 @ Carnegie Mellon University
Did a post-doc to learn more about how to build research-based educational technologies.
2014
Dan
2014-2022 @ Pearson
While helping to create learning materials at Pearson, I wondered how students could be given additional instruction or support on how to use them to learn more effectively.
2022 @ Outlier
At Outlier.org, I saw how some students struggle to create routines and fall behind by midterms, while others were able to follow the recommendation to pace themselves weekly and succeeding.
Melissa
2015-2016 @ Georgia State University
Observing preschoolers thrive with immediate feedback through mobile technology highlighted the power of interactive platforms to enhance learning experiences.
2016-2024 @ West Virginia University
To support struggling students, I developed and taught a study skills course that helped over 1400 students.
“Why isn’t there an app for this?”
Reconnecting years after graduating from the same Ph.D program, we discussed our mutual interest and passion for helping more students learn how to learn. With Melissa’s experience in developing and teaching student success courses and Dan’s experience using educational research to build impactful EdTech, we embarked on a collaborative effort to build the solution we both wish already existed.
We’re working hard to develop innovative, user-friendly tools and resources that empower you to take control of your learning and promote mental wellness.
At ZenStudy, our values are the bedrock of our vision and mission. They guide our every action and decision, ensuring that we not only achieve our goals but do so in a way that respects and uplifts everyone involved.
We stand by:
Building a Caring Community
We are committed to building a caring community for learners where everyone feels welcome. Knowing that every voice matters, we encourage everyone to share their thoughts and ideas. By working together, we can learn from each other’s perspectives and knowledge, fostering innovative problem-solving. Our words and actions are genuine and considerate, even if they may not always be perceived as pleasant or agreeable. This collaborative spirit ensures that we can achieve outcomes far beyond what could be accomplished individually.
Ensuring Fairness for All
Fairness is fundamental to our mission. We strive to treat everyone with the same high level of respect and provide equal opportunities for success. Our goal is to eliminate obstacles that hinder access to education, making it available to all. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where each person is seen, heard, and understood. By committing to equity, we ensure that our community is a place where everyone can thrive.
Make a Difference
Our commitment to making a difference drives us to transform cutting-edge research into practical, effective strategies that empower learners to achieve their goals. We also support original research that contributes to the science of how successful learners learn. We prioritize data by using feedback and analytics to make improvements. When we find new and better ways to do things, we are quick to update our methods and resources.
Growing Every Day
We celebrate learning as a daily journey of personal growth and improvement. This commitment to growth not only enhances our capabilities but also boosts our confidence, especially when facing new challenges or opportunities. We embrace mistakes as learning opportunities, believing that each misstep brings us closer to our goals. As we grow, we expand our abilities to pursue what we love and achieve our aspirations.
Whether you are engaging with our app, participating in our community, or providing feedback, you are experiencing the embodiment of these values.
