Grad develops online peer tutoring platform during time at ASU

Editor's note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2021 graduates.

Michael Wang discovered his passion for revolutionizing tutoring during his time at Arizona State University through his venture, PeerSquared.

While in high school, he spent many nights frustrated with homework and studying with little to no help. In attending ASU, he discovered more resources and support, but saw his younger brother struggle with the same frustrations he did. Using his brother's stress from studying AP Biology late at night and leveraging resources at ASU, PeerSquared was created in 2018. PeerSquared is an online peer tutoring platform to connect students and tutors to their individual studying needs while providing volunteer opportunities for students. 

Wang graduates this May with a Bachelor of Science in finance and computer information systems through the W. P. Carey School of Business. The Barrett, The Honors College student received the New American University President's Award as well as the School of Transborder Studies PULSE (People-Power Undergoing Life Sustaining Education) Scholarship.

For developing PeerSquared, he earned over $10,000 through the Venture Devils program run by the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at ASU. He hails from Chandler, Arizona. Learn more about Wang in this Q&A below.

Question: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?

Answer: While at ASU, I learned just how impactful the learning environment can be to motivation and success. If ASU did not hold events and opportunities for students to learn and explore, such as the Startup Summit or the Sunhacks Hackathon, I don't know what I'd be doing right now with my life. I am very thankful for the continuous development of the wide variety of low-risk learning opportunities ASU offers because they gave me many chances to try new things, ask questions and ultimately find something that motivated me to not only do more for my own interests but also for the interest of others' success.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: After graduation, I plan to keep working on PeerSquared. My goal is to be in every Arizona public school district with a high school within five years. Aside from PeerSquared, I am considering a master's program to further my leadership abilities.

Q: What problem does PeerSquared solve?

A: We believe all K–12 students should always have accessible, effective and relatable academic support. However, COVID has made it more evident that such a thing does not exist. That's why PeerSquared helps K–12 schools build peer tutoring programs, so students can always have access to free and relatable help whenever they need it. Unlike other tutoring solutions, we work closely with schools to establish peer tutoring as a core resource within the school community to boost both student grades and engagement.