Our Staff
Josh Brackett , Senior — English/Journalism
Joshua Brackett is a senior at the University of Connecticut majoring in English and Journalism. He is returning to the writing center for his second year of tutoring, and sincerely enjoys working with all students, with a special passion for assisting ESL individuals. When he isn’t at the writing center, Josh can be found playing basketball at the gym or reading on a random campus bench.
In addition to tutoring at UConn, Josh is a member of the writing center’s community outreach program. Last year, he helped found a writing center at East Hartford High School, and he looks forward to a similar challenge this year at Bolton High School. He also participates in the Snapshots program, which offers freshman English students a glimpse of older students’ writing.
Next year, Josh hopes to travel to New Orleans to participate in the Teach for America program or to pursue a graduate degree.
Shan-Estelle Brown , graduate-PhD — Anthropology
Shan-Estelle is a medical anthropologist and has worked as a tutor at the Writing Center for 2 years. What she loves most about her experiences both as a tutor and a teacher of Anthropology is witnessing "the light bulb moment” for students with whom she works. She enthusiastically promotes the Writing Center in classrooms on campus and in her home department. She is currently collaborating on the project “Everyday Prejudices in Student Writing” with fellow graduate tutor Mandy Suhr-Sytsma to improve tutoring experiences and advance Writing Center work.
Born in Connecticut, Shan-Estelle has lived all over the U.S. before returning to Connecticut to attend Yale University where she earned her B.A. in Humanities. She also has an M.A. in English with an Emphasis in Professional Writing. She is currently working on her PhD in Anthropology, a field of study that incorporates her interests in both science and liberal arts and provides the opportunity to pursue her love of languages, travel, writing, and working with diverse populations. For her dissertation, she is researching perceptions of genetic services for sickle cell disease in Guadeloupe, France. Her favorite hobby is dancing, which she does whenever and wherever she can.
Olivia Cowenhoven , Junior — Environmental Geoscience
Olivia Cowenhoven is a New Hampshire native and fifth-semester Environmental Geoscience major with hobbies that vary from ice hockey to choral singing. If anything can be said about her passions, it is that when something strikes her interest she throws herself wholeheartedly into her new undertaking. As a young girl she was enamored with horses, and took lessons and learned the discipline for eleven years until she and her horse won the 2005 Championship in a New Hampshire horse show series. She started learning Spanish in high school, doggedly pursuing it until she became fluent and made her first trip to Barcelona, Spain.
The same dedication applies to Olivia’s writing. By the end of high school, Olivia thought she would be an English major at UConn. It wasn’t until the summer after graduation, when she got a job canvassing for a lobbyist organization called Environment New Hampshire, that she realized her ardor for environmental conservation. When asked what she would like to accomplish in life, she grins and says, “to save the world!”
Though environmentalism reigns supreme on Olivia’s list of priorities, her other passions cannot be ignored. “As an Environmental Science major, it’s difficult to take as many writing classes as I would like,” she says. Tutoring at the Writing Center will come as a pleasant counterpoint to the hard sciences, and a much-needed supplement of literature in her enterprising schedule this year.
Jason Crowley , Senior — Math/Chemistry
Jason Crowley is a senior at UConn majoring in chemistry and mathematics returning for his second year as a tutor at the Writing Center. Although he is a self-proclaimed “science nerd” and writes mostly technical scientific documents, he is still well equipped to tutor writers in a variety of disciplines. “Making a point clearly and convincingly is the same no matter what you're writing about,” he notes.
Jason plans to attend graduate school to pursue a PhD in chemistry after completing his degree at UConn. His long-term career goals are slightly less focused and consist largely of hoping someone will pay him to do science.
Outside the Writing Center, Jason is an avid golfer, often joking that golf is “more of an addiction than a hobby.” He also enjoys cycling, pool, and tinkering with computers. In keeping with the nerd theme, Jason reads classic science fiction and watches terrible B-movies. He loves music, listening to anything from Beethoven to BB King to Billy Joel. Jason is a third-generation die-hard Boston Red Sox fan and is absolutely running out of things to say about himself. He also just let it slip that he is writing about himself in the third person . . . (George likes his chicken spicy!). For any non-geeks, Jason also enjoys watching reruns of Seinfeld
Lauren Cunningham , Junior — Physiology and Neurobioloby
Lauren is a junior working towards a double major in Physiology and
Neurobiology and Psychology. She always wanted to be a scientist as a
child—the precise logic and empirical nature of science entranced her—but
had difficulty reconciling this with an enthusiasm for writing more than
lab reports. She now plans on minoring in English and is considering a
career in scientific journalism or publishing, where she will be able to
have the best of both worlds.
When she’s not in the lab or penning a short story, Lauren can be found
reading books from nearly any genre, playing video games, or hiking. She
tutored at a high school Writing Center set up by her local National Honor
Society chapter. She found the work so rewarding and fun that she wanted
to continue aiding the writing development of her peers.
Kaylee Czajka , Graduate — Education
Kaylee Czajka is retiring to the Writing Center for her second year of tutoring. She is a graduate student in the Neag School of Education pursuing a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She completed her undergraduate career at Uconn with dual degrees in English and Education. Kaylee successfully completed her student teaching placement in an eleventh grade English class at Bulkeley High School in Hartford where she taught several of her favorite texts, including Huckleberry Finn, Lord of the Flies, and short story and poetry units. Kaylee is currently completing an internship at Windham High School in Willimantic working with at-risk students in an intervention room.
In addition to tutoring for the Writing Center, Kaylee is the graduate assistant for the Writing Center’s Community Outreach Program. As the Outreach Coordinator, Kaylee organizes a group of Writing Center tutors who work with local high schools to establish new Writing Centers for the students. This year, the Uconn tutors are helping create Writing Centers at Windham High School and Bolton High School.
When Kaylee is not tutoring, teaching, or taking classes, she enjoys playing golf and exercising. She loves reading and enjoys all genres, but admits to having a weakness for Harry Potter, Twilight and The Lord of the Rings. She hopes to publish a young adult novel after graduating, but refuses to reveal the plot until her masterpiece is completed. The way to Kaylee’s heart is through food, and she loves to eat. However, she admits to a strong dislike for onions. Kaylee also enjoys traveling to warm, sunny beaches and takes several trips to Florida every year.
Tom Deans , Director, Writing Center
Professor Tom Deans is the Director of the University Writing Center. He teaches a range of undergraduate courses (Freshman English, Introduction to Literary Studies, Shakespeare, Prose Style) and graduate seminars (Writing Across and Beyond the Curriculum, Rhetorics and Poetics). His published work includes articles on the teaching writing, service-learning, John Dewey, Shakespeare, and pragmatist philosophy, as well as three books: Writing Partnerships: Service-Learning in Composition, Writing and Community Action, and Writing and Community Engagement. Before coming to UConn he was a professor at Kansas State University and at Haverford College, where he directed an interdisciplinary writing program. He holds a BA and MA from Georgetown University and a Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts. Every year he marvels at the energy and talent of the UConn’s Writing Center tutors.
Molly Doub , Graduate — History
Molly Doub is graduate student in the history department and is excited
by the opportunity to combine her interest in writing across the
curriculum with discipline specific approaches. Although this is her
first year as a graduate student, Molly spent four years as a UCONN
undergraduate. During that time, she took courses in a plethora of
disciplines, ultimately graduating with a B.A. of history, a B.S. in
mathematics (with an emphasis on theory) and a minor in philosophy. Thus
while Molly is pleased to be able to focus on her historical research
interests, which include issues of gender and identity in Modern Britain,
gaining depth in one field necessitates sacrificing breadth of study
across the liberal arts. However, working at the Writing Center
represents a special way to continue her exploration of different
disciplines and scholarly approaches. To this end, Molly is involved
with the Writing Fellows Program, which pairs a writing tutor with a
course in their field.
When Molly isn’t studying, she enjoys distance running and poker (an
alternate career path in case graduate school doesn’t work out). She is
training to run her first half-marathon this October and finds that her
morning runs often generate scholarly insights as well as a renewed sense
of calm. Come visit Molly to discuss ideas for a paper, polishing prose,
or research questions!
Courtenay Dunn-Lewis , Graduate — Kinesiology
As a doctoral student in the Department of Kinesiology, Courtenay’s primary interest is helping people to optimize their lives. She believes that the physiological process of improving fitness operates as an ideal metaphor for success in every aspect of life. She currently spends much of her time engaged in scientific research related to biochemical, neurological, and endocrine responses to exercise.
Her publication history has spanned from newspapers to academic journals on Pub Med. She has served as an academic reviewer and on the editorial staff of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. She is interested in legislative efforts related to community-centered health initiatives and improvements in the efficacy of health programs in schools.
Courtenay attended Saratoga Springs High School in New York, Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore (where she majored in Public Health) and earned her master’s in kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. In a former life, Courtenay worked as a yoga instructor, a personal trainer, an assistant manager at various fitness facilities, and an entrepreneur. She has held positions of leadership on the Dean’s Advisory Board and the record-breaking Senior Class Gift Campaign at Johns Hopkins, as well as serving as a Student Senator in the Adirondacks.
In her personal life, Courtenay loves spending time around water. She loves boats, stopping at the lake at the end of a workout, or simply enjoying a campfire by the shore. She also loves the clank of the weights in the weight room, singing to the radio, and the soothing sense of relaxation that follows a hard yoga class. She grew up in Bangkok, Thailand and Jakarta, Indonesia, and has traveled all over the world. She now owns a home near campus and enjoys building memories with tenants from all over the US.
Gordon Fraser , Graduate — English
Gordon is an English graduate student and, starting this year, assistant director of the Writing Center. He helps to coordinate the center’s efforts with the First Year Experience program, but also works as a tutor himself. Gordon has taught both of UConn’s first-year writing seminars, English 1010 and 1011, and had worked as a professional journalist for three years before coming to grad school. He even got a chance to cover the Obama campaign in New Hampshire for The Eagle-Tribune, a 60,000-circulation daily newspaper in North Andover, MA.
Gordon loves writing, but probably loves talking about writing even more. Talking’s easier. So if you ever find him buried in a book or staring dourly at a keyboard, feel free to interrupt. He’ll appreciate it.
Caitlin Garzi , Senior — English
Caitlin is a seventh semester senior majoring in English. Surprisingly, she loves to read. She will pick up a book in any genre; however, science fiction and fantasy novels are her favorite. She believes there is nothing quite like a good story, and is always on the hunt for a new exciting novel. She also loves to write, and once again will try any genre. She particularly likes writing essays and sonnets.
During the summer months, Caitlin is a camp counselor for three and four year olds at the YMCA. Having just completed her fifth consecutive summer, she can safely say she loves children. She is working with the Jumpstart program this year, where she will tutor one on one with an elementary school student and volunteer in the classroom.
Although Caitlin was born and raised in Connecticut, she loves warmer climates. She will take any excuse to vacation somewhere hot, and has currently been several places in South America and Mexico. The Storrs winter for Caitlin is a deadly battle between the wind, snow, and ice and her numerous scarves and hats.
Xia Gauthier , Junior — Communication Sciences
This will be Xia’s first year tutoring at the writing center and second semester as a student at the University of Connecticut, transferring from the University of Georgia. Drawing on her experiences as a team player; not only on the field but also in the classroom, allows for Xia to work with students as a team. Xia is a long time resident of Connecticut, engaging in many sports and academic endeavors while enrolled in school here.
Xia is a member of both the business fraternity; Alpha Kappa Psi and the honors fraternity; Alpha Lambda Delta. Xia is a proud recipient of the 100 Black Men of Stamford Academic Achievement Scholarship as well as an Academic Achievement Scholarship awarded from the University of Georgia. Xia is currently studying Communication Sciences and Human Rights and hopes to either enlist for the Peace Corps or enter into graduate law studies immediately after college. She anticipates securing a profession within the Human Resources department of a company dedicated to renewable fuel sources or working within a non-profit organization.
She hopes to be a resource to students by utilizing her creativity and her ability to think out of the box. Moreover, she finds that her greatest talents are inspiring and motivating students to produce an original piece of writing. As an avid reader, she is equipped with a vivid imagination that never fails to provide a fresh outlook on a variety of subjects. Xia enjoys rock climbing in the summertime and skiing in the wintertime. Additionally, she enjoys travelling around the world, immersing herself in different cultures and local traditions.
Alfonso Giansanti , Junior — English
Alfonso is a sixth-semester junior majoring in English. He good-naturedly says he has no idea what to do with his life, although he knows whatever he ends up doing will include teaching in some context. While he has a self-acknowledged talent for planning, he claims to be better at applying that skill to other people than to himself, which makes him an ideal team player. He is excited to be working at the Writing Center this year, and he looks forward to having the opportunity to combine his planning abilities with his interest in tutoring. With his welcoming smile and good attitude, he is sure to be a valuable addition to the Writing Center.
Although Alfonso has never been out of the country, he enjoys traveling and looks forward to visiting London to soak up the city's literary history, possibly taking in a play at the reconstructed Globe Theater. He is currently interested in dramatic literature and the human condition, as well as enjoying film and theater. He wants nothing more than to be captivated by an interesting plot, and he says, "I just love a good story." In addition to his many other interests, Alfonso also enjoys guessing the time without consulting a clock. In fact, he is correct surprisingly often.
Brenna Harvey , Senior — English/Sociology
Brenna Harvey is a 7th-semester honors English and Sociology double major. She cares about art, literature, and self-expression of all kinds, which frequently leads to an unhealthy rate of comic book ingestion and unwitting participation in a lot of bad community theater productions. Brenna is extremely excited about the upcoming semester, because she is taking nothing but English, Sociology, and Women’s Studies courses. This means she gets to read a lot, analyze the world, and complain loudly using phrases like “hegemonic masculinity,” “intersecting axes of oppression,” and “heteropatriarchy.”
After graduation, Brenna hopes to go to graduate school and earn her PhD in Sociology, with a concentration in gender studies. She hopes to eventually become a professor so she can teach and do research on gender socialization. In the meantime, she better buckle down and start working on that senior thesis. In addition to working at the Writing Center, Brenna works at the UConn Women’s Center as a project assistant for the Violence Against Women Prevention Program, and helps run an improv comedy group called Horse Lincoln. She hopes that in her future life and career she will continually promote the value of self-expression and art as a tool for social change.
Samantha Jones , Senior — Music Theory/Cognitive Science
Sam is returning for her second year as a tutor in the Writing Center. A senior pursuing degrees in both Music Theory (B.M.) and Cognitive Science (B.A.), Sam enjoys being a writing tutor because it allows her access to other fields through a common thread. She believes it is important to give back to the community, and tutoring is her way of doing just that. Sam is very involved in the field of education as a substitute teacher in two of her local school districts; she also teaches the Drama/Music class at the Non-Profit Dream Camp in Hartford (based at Trinity College). Her work with the youth of Hartford and in various subbing capacities is leading her to pursue a career in Special Education.
While at UCONN, Sam assists in Dr. Roger Chaffin’s Music Psychology Lab. Her interests in the field recently brought her to Finland for the 2009 European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music Conference. In the Music Department Sam performs on Clarinet with the University Wind Ensemble and is a founding member of the After Five Woodwind Quintet; she is also a member of a piano trio. Besides academia, Sam enjoys knitting, running and eating sushi.
Joseph Keller , Junior — Biological Sciences
Joe comes to the writing center hoping to share both his passion for biology and his love of writing. Over his career as an Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major, he has become more and more in awe of the beauty and complexity of life. Nothing makes him happier than to watch life in action, either by taking a hike through the woods or by sitting down to watch a quality nature documentary.
When he’s not watching Meerkat Manor on Animal Planet, Joe loves to keep up with Lost and frequently laughs his way through 30 Rock and The Office. He also spends much of his free time dabbling in graphic design. While he is certainly no expert in the field, he has created several professional designs, including logos for a restaurant, a zoo, and an iPhone application. His logos have also been featured in online design galleries.
A first-time tutor, Joe can’t wait to begin his work at the writing center. With his easy-going, patient attitude, he hopes to make every session both comfortable and productive.
Briana Massey , Senior — Sociology
Briana is a senior who is majoring in English and working on a minor in
Sociology. She was drawn to tutoring because of her love for writing but
also her interest in human connection and her realization of how important
it truly is. Briana is very much a “people person” who works well in
one-on-one situations and is excited about meeting new people. In her
first year at the writing center, Briana looks forward to being a
“personal trampoline” in which writers can bounce their ideas off of.
Having grown up in an underprivileged household, Briana would like to join
Teach For America after graduating and help young adults like her find a
way to overcome their obstacles through education. Eventually, Briana
would love to be a High School English teacher wherever and whenever she
decides to settle down. She describes herself as a good listener and is
independent and out going. She loves music and hot chocolate and is
currently learning how to play the drums.
Regina McCarthy , undergraduate — Chemical Engineering
An English minor is not the easiest thing to achieve when one's major is in a rigorous engineering program. Yet, Reggie is no stranger to this self-described "no boundaries" way of living. She kayaks, hikes, ice skates in both winter and summer, and plays myriad sports including basketball and soccer. She loves to travel. Still, she found time for an internship this summer working in patent law for a laser company, while keeping regularly active in her campus involvements here in Connecticut.
A common thread throughout Reggie's life is her love for helping people. When she is not working as a Certified Medical Response Technician, she is participating in one of many community outreach programs through UCONN and its School of Engineering. She is secretary for the school's chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, an organization focused on helping to find and foster female support throughout the engineering community. And she is no stranger to tutoring. In fact, one of her most recent experiences with tutoring occurred this summer in which taught Physics to incoming UCONN Freshmen for the School of Engineering's Bridge program. Tutoring writing may seem like a long way off from the more calculation-based subjects she is used to. "While English is not the subject of my general concentration, it is an interest that I have always wanted to focus on," she says. "I have always tutored math and science but I want to diversify and experience all that I can." Reggie envisions her goal as a tutor to not only improve other students' writing but also to improve herself as a writer. When asked about her dream job she says, "Even though the specifics of my dream job are continually changing, I have always known that I want to do something where I am able to help others. The Writer Center just seemed to fit."
Crystal Molina , Senior — Agriculture and Society/Latin Studies
Through an individualized major, Crystal seeks to understand the effect of the agricultural sector on American societies. Her diversified major incorporates courses in economics, geography, anthropology, and history. However, she believes her best academic writing was for a recent course on Mexican and Chicano art and spends much of her free time reading about race, class, and gender. As such, she is familiar with writing on many subjects.
She is excited for her upcoming job at the writing center because she has a deep admiration for teaching. This is her first job for which the interview wasn't along the lines of "well, you look sturdy enough. Grab that bale!" as her employment history includes working on five farms in eastern Connecticut. She intends to balance this job with school and her ongoing milking position at a goat dairy in Lebanon. She was born and raised in southern California, has traveled across western Europe three times –while visiting her step-father's native Germany– and frequents B.C. México to visit her extended family. These experiences have given her an international and local perspective and revealed the involuntary flexibility of her accent.
James Morganti , Sophomore — Art History
Whether they are taken in for a warm home in a novel or cast out into the dark alleys of the Internet, splayed on a titanic billboard or tagged on the side of a derelict building, muttered solemnly over a dinner table or barked over bullhorn, words have inspired in James a prodding curiosity since he first began to recognize them. As the years passed and a budding curiosity evolved into deep-seated passion, he found himself dwindling in the desolate world of the writer and itching to consummate his ardor by a more productive means. Acting on a hunch, James approached the head of the Writing Center at UConn’s Greater Hartford branch in regards to an open tutoring position. A semester of essays later (the proof in the pudding), he found himself seated across from his first student and consecutively forced out of his role as admirer from afar: he had unwittingly begun what was to be a serious relationship with the English language.
As the youngest acting member of the Writing Center, James faced the inevitable skepticism from the older students he tutored. Seeing this merely as another opportunity to earn his stripes, he moved to co-author a blog for the center that would provide a unique blend of insight and empathy from those intimately involved with both sides of the writing process. When the second semester came to a close and a position to tutor and TA in an intensive six-week program for promising first-generation college students was offered to him, James jumped at the opportunity and, for the remainder of the summer, juggled responsibilities in this job and an education internship at the New Britain Museum of American Art. In both, he pushed his earnest belief in the need for vigorous self-awareness and analysis of the process in learning, an attitude he is anxious to continue in his new place at the Storrs campus.
James’s intellectual interests run to all perimeters of the arts, foremost independent music and filmmaking, folk art and outsider literature, but extend to other areas such as philosophy, psychology, foundations of morality and “the unknown.” His more basic interests include the obsolescent art of the high-five, Ultimate Frisbee and awful ‘80s horror movies.
Beata Moskal , Graduate — Linguistics
Beata Moskal started her academic career in English Language and Culture at Leiden University (the Netherlands) but soon became increasingly intrigued by (English) linguistics. The application of a strongly rational angle to language, which ultimately serves communicative needs and is a social phenomenon, appeals strongly to her. “The combination of rigid, almost mathematical tools and the ever-surprising diversity and creativity of natural languages is fascinating,” she says, “It is hard to believe that languages that seem so different from each other still can be captured in one and the same model.”
Words have always held a special place in her heart; she started writing at high school and got into the finals of the BBC Young Writers and Public Speaking Awards with a short story on TV broadcasting. Although she never helped people with their writing professionally, she has been peer reviewing papers from high school onwards. At university she got a job as a translator and developed a particular interest in second language acquisition, mainly English as a second language.
Beata is interested in the interaction between cultures, which has only been strengthened by her semester abroad at Edinburgh University (Scotland, UK). She is looking forward to offer her expertise to UConn students and hopes they might take over her enthusiasm for writing.
Bryan Murphy , Senior — Economics
Bryan Murphy is a senior majoring in economics at the University of Connecticut. It was a major which he selected primarily because he knew nothing about it, except that it reminded him of his glory days crunching numbers during high school in order to come up with the perfect way to play Diablo II.
Despite its inauspicious beginnings, the whole major thing didn’t turn out too badly, and Bryan has recently had an article he co-wrote on the approximate subject of his soon-to-be senior thesis published in the in "The Connecticut Economy," a quarterly magazine published by the UConn College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
The common thread through Bryan’s life is arguably the lack of one, and he therefore brings a breadth of experiences and knowledge to his tutoring at the Writing Center. The child of two psychologists and professors, Bryan was a predestined social sciences geek, and he splits his studies among as many of them as he can.
In the time that’s left, Bryan worked at the Writing Center all of last year, and currently serves as a columnist and copyeditor for the Opinion section of the Daily Campus, a position which has given him experience in catering to genre-specific audiences and parsing for formal grammar.
However, Bryan credits most of his education to his rather limited attention span and incongruous obsession with detail, rather than any classroom or workplace experiences. These attributes has led him from the U.S. to Australia to Asia and back again, and from creative writing to journalism to photography to homebrewing and then, sometimes, a little bit of econometric analysis.
Candice Pelligra , Senior — Chemical Engineering
Candice is a senior Chemical Engineering student who enjoys combining two of her passions: science and writing. She comes to the Writing Center as a self-proclaimed nerd who is happy to help people without having to wear a lab coat. Although Candice began her college career at Fairfield University, she has quickly found her place at the University of Connecticut and appreciates all of the opportunities it affords. She spent her summer at GE Consumer & Industrial headquarters which provided her with a wholly new experience in the world of supply chain management. Other experiences have fit a little more into the scope of her major with a quality assurance internship and several research experiences here at UConn in the Chemistry department. Throughout all, she has learned how to thrive in a team and fully appreciate all members.
Whether she is crocheting, reading the classics, or teaching area students about the fun of materials science, Candice brings a positive attitude to everything she does. She fully embraces diversity in all aspects of the University and loves meeting people of all cultures and learning about their customs, especially those regarding food! Candice encourages diverse writing styles and her ultimate goal during a tutoring session is to help writers embrace their own style while growing their organizational and structural sensibilities. While she has tutored all of her life, working at the writing center has provided her the ideal opportunity to learn and help others to learn at the same time!
Christiane Pimentel , Junior — Biology
Christiane Pimentel is a junior in The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences majoring in biology. She is excited to enter her first semester at UConn Storrs. Before joining the Storrs Writing Center staff, she tutored at the Waterbury UConn Writing Center. Christiane has had experience instructing in many different fields. In high school she tutored Chemistry as well as Algebra II. For four years, she has been a Catechist (Sunday School instructor) to seventh and eighth graders at her parish. Before transferring, she also tutored a seventh grade student with special needs. Christiane has also joined the Writing Fellow Program where she will be working with one section of Freshman English on Fridays.
Christiane can be easily identified on campus running with her twin brother. She enjoys playing sports. Her favorite part about tutoring is seeing a writer flourish and enjoy his or her own writing. She greatly appreciates the tutoring position and sees it as an opportunity to learn about a variety of subjects that she has not had the luxury to take.
Adam Reyes , undergraduate — Biological Sciences
Adam brings a unique pair of assets to the Writing Center: a genuine desire to help others coupled with a unique story of personal success that will inspire any student. Growing up in urban Hartford, Adam excelled in academics while working to support his family. His diligence was rewarded on both fronts: Adam graduated third in his class and was awarded the prestigious Nutmeg Scholarship while his family recently realized their efforts to purchase their first home. However, his own remarkable achievements have not made Adam boastful, rather, they instilled in him a determination to help others. Adam modestly describes himself as a "people-person," while discussing his work at an integrated overnight camp for children with disabilities. This past summer, he continued his service minded efforts by participating in a program to construct a school and work with local children in the Dominican Republic. Adam plans to attend medical school and continue helping others professionally.
Meanwhile, Adam balances his serious pursuits with more whimsical activities. Initially and art major concentrating on illustrations, Adam continues to draw in his leisure hours. He might also he can be found ballroom dancing or playing a game of basketball at the gym. One of the founders of Lambda Alpha Upsilon, a Latino oriented fraternity on campus, Adam is devoted to enriching life on campus. His time at the Writing Center will provide yet another opportunity for Adam to be a positive participant in others' lives.
Ralph Riello , undergraduate — Individual Major: Biochemical Epistemology
A second year tutor, Ralph was initially drawn to both writing and peer tutoring by the influence of his high school English teacher: Robert Irwin. An alumnus of the UConn Writing Center himself, Irwin, suggested that Ralph apply his passion for learning and highly social demeanor to peer tutoring.
Ralph's major is just as dynamic as he. Among Writing Center staff, it is a source of humor to remark his studies simply as “science-stuff”. However, an independent research project he performed this past summer on genetic musculature diseases have indeed focused his plan of study. Ralph’s thesis paper and abstract on the matter, as well as two other works he wrote, are all used as exemplar works in future sections of MCB 3841W.
Though science is endemic to Ralph’s interests, he believes that writing across all disciplines is essential because it encompasses the ongoing conversations between learned individuals. And while Ralph may be enthusiastic for both writing and his studies, he does not deny himself social enterprise. Ralph is a founding member of Alpha Delta Phi, a UConn chapter of a national social and literary fraternity and also serves on its executive board. As if this were not enough for one undergraduate, Ralph is quite skilled when armed with an acoustic guitar and is also a member of the UConn Wrestling Team: a sport which he boasts All-American honors. Athletic venture, social endeavor, and scholastic prowess are the defining characteristics of this veteran tutor: truly, Ralph is the renaissance man of the Writing Center.
Lisa Ruohoniemi , Sophomore — Pharmacy
A sophomore in the Honors Program, Lisa is excited to join the Writing
Center staff this year. Though new to the center, Lisa is no stranger to
writing. From a young age, she enjoyed composing stories and essays; this
hobby grew to cement itself as a continuing passion in various forms,
ranging from creative writing to analytical essays to research papers.
After a long debate between a pre-pharmacy and an English major, Lisa
settled on pharmacy due to her interests in the sciences and humanitarian
work. She recognizes writing is an important and often overlooked skill in
the science and math professions where the need to communicate ideas with
clarity is crucial.
Lisa enjoys challenges that come with communicating across barriers. Both
at home in Blacksburg, Virginia and at UConn, Lisa also volunteers
regularly in programs to improve the English of the foreign-born. Having
accidentally discovered ESL programs, she finds the work to be both
fulfilling and humbling.
She has played ice hockey for fifteen years and is an active member of
UConn’s women’s club team as a player and webmaster. The interest doesn’t
stop at ice hockey, however; she embraces an active lifestyle also by
running and playing soccer. She hopes to ensure these remain a part of her
life post-graduation. Meanwhile, however, Lisa is glad of the opportunity
to help others through the Writing Center.
Annette Russell , Senior — EEB
Annette is returning to the Writing Center this year for her third year of tutoring. Although in the past she has also taken on roles of Snapshots presenter and Freshman English Fellow, her packed Fall 2009 schedule has forced her to suspend the extra time commitments and return to the role she loves the most: tutoring. She loves the one-on-one environment and the fresh perspectives that come with every new person that walks through the door. Her appointments are characterized by change- her dislike of the ‘routine’ makes her constantly try new ways of structuring her time, and keeping each session interesting.
After spending last semester living with a Chechen family in Denmark, Annette is still adjusting to comparably quiet life in Storrs, CT. When not in the Writing Center, Annette can often be found in the greenhouses on top of the Bio/Physics building working on experiments for her honors thesis. She also enjoys swimming, kayaking and rock climbing, as well as really anything outdoors, and continues to have absolutely no idea what to do with her life as graduation looms closer.
Greg Salber , Senior — Physiology and Neurobioloby
Greg Salber has two goals in this life: to become a doctor and own Red Sox season tickets. As a senior in the Honors program and mid-cycle medical school applicant, he is happily along the way to achieving success at former of those goals.
Although naturally predisposed to the hard sciences, Greg enjoys writing and literature as an expressive counterpoint to the objective and rational material that usually comprises his studies. His talented resume includes making sparse entries on a desolate sports blog, penning a single page in a never completed novel, writing an outline for a long since abandoned screenplay concept, and getting published in a professional scientific journal.
Greg can most often be found in the laboratory slicing mouse brains, but is an active rock climber, runner, skier, and camper when time allows. He is often only too willing to break into discussion about the zombie-preparedness of the current room and has musical tastes entirely unsuitable for this generation, but if you’ll let him, Greg would gladly work with you with any subject.
Timothy Semenza , Sophomore — English
Timmy is a sophomore in his third semester as an English major. With a plan to become a high school English teacher, he’s pretty much set on what he wants to do post-college. This penchant for instruction will give him an advantage on the tutoring front, and he eagerly looks forward to his first year at the Writing Center. His experience writing book and movie reviews in his blog reflects his passion for literary analysis and criticism. It’s also no surprise that he is an avid reader, mainly of classic literature and contemporary literary fiction.
You’d be hard-pressed to find Timmy not doing one of the following in his spare time: hanging out with his girlfriend Caitlin, reading, playing video games, or any combination of the three. He’s also got a head full of grossly useless trivia: ask him the birth year of any famous actor or actress. There is a 95% chance he’s right.
Jessica Silber , Senior — French
As a lover of history as much as of literature, Jess Silber has an enormous fondness for the written word. That’s why, sometime in middle school, she undertook her first piece of fiction with another friend who had a passion for history – a story that became a 300 page saga of what life was like in colonial New England. It was the legacy of the written word, in the form of John Locke’s treatises, Rousseau’s essays, and the U.S. Constitution, that drew her to choose Political Science as her first major; and writing also had a hand in choosing French as her second major in the form of both the beautiful French language and Hemingway’s promise that studying abroad in Paris would treat her to “a moveable feast.” And it’s this attachment to the written word that drives Jess to want to share her enthusiasm with others as a tutor at the Writing Center.
Predictably, when she isn’t writing or studying either of her majors, Jess likes to try and experience the things she’s read about by traveling to historical landmarks – spring breaks touring Civil War battlefields are pretty typical – and indulging in attempts at cooking and attempts at art, though both usually end with her sitting on the couch watching shows like "It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia."
Lauren Silber , Senior — English/Economics-minor
As Lauren approaches her final semester at UConn she is thrilled to be working at the Writing Center. Now a seasoned staffer, Lauren plans on working both at the Writing Center locations and within a specific class. Lauren is on her way to graduating with a degree in English and a minor in Economics. Although Lauren is often busy with her academic interests, she has found time to be involved in other campus activities. Lauren is a member of A Minor, a co-ed a cappella group on campus, and will be acting as the Musical Director for the group. She also devotes time to the free, non-judgmental safe ride program GUARD Dogs (Giving UConn A Responsible Driver) as an active member. Lauren has also been found on stage performing in V-Day’s “A Monologue, A Memory, A Rant, and A Prayer”.
Despite her busy schedule, Lauren is always energetic and excited about her work at the Writing Center. As an avid conversationalist, Lauren enjoys discussing the process of composition and the details of writing with students. "When writing is shared and worked on collaboratively, both individuals have the ability to grow as writers," Lauren says. After a busy yet fulfilling semester, Lauren plans to return home to the Jersey shore to soak up the sounds of the ocean while wiggling her toes in the sand.
Mandy Suhr-Sytsma , graduate-PhD — English
Originally hailing from a dairy farm in Minnesota, Mandy lived in Michigan and Japan before coming to Connecticut. She’s currently working on an English PhD with interests in contemporary American Indian literatures and writing studies. She thinks everyone needs to read the novels Last Standing Woman by Winona LaDuke and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. She and her Writing Center colleague Shan-Estelle also hope that everyone will soon be able to read a published version of their research on addressing everyday prejudices with student writers.
As the Writing Center Snapshots coordinator, Mandy recruits and trains the undergraduate Writing Center tutors who bring “Snapshots” of themselves as UConn writers to Freshman English classes. She also promotes the program to Freshman English instructors. This semester, in addition to working at the Writing Center, Mandy is teaching her own section of Freshman English designed especially for students in UConn’s Community Service Learning Community. She enjoys reflecting on writing as well as service with her students.
Off campus, Mandy likes exploring her current hometown, New Haven, with her husband. Her favorite Saturdays include a hike at Sleeping Giant State Park followed by dinner at Thai Taste and a movie directed by Hayao Miyazaki or Mira Nair. And when she feels too far from her farm girl roots, she heads over to the Wooster Square farmer’s market for fresh veggies, fruit, and, most importantly, milk!
Oksana Tarasenkova , Graduate — Linguistics
Oksana is excited to be back to the Writing Center team of tutors after a time off. Currently she is a graduate student at Linguistics department hoping to graduate in December. Her Ph.D. dissertation discusses how children cope with a complicated task of acquiring a language. In order to collect the data, Oksana worked with little children in a kindergarten over two summers since her own son was already beyond the critical period of learning the relevant language grammar she was interested in. By the time her dissertation is ready to be defended, Oksana will have grown her own language acquisition subject: her daughter is now 2 years old.
Besides doing Linguistic research and raising children, Oksana has thirteen years of experience in teaching English to speakers of other languages. She has worked with international students whose level of English varies from null to advanced. ESL writers seeking support in the Writing Center are welcome to discuss their papers, assignments and other written works with Oksana.
Asheton Terrell , undergraduate — English/Economics-minor
Asheton first unearthed her passion for writing her freshman year of high school, when her unique take on one assignment caught her teacher's eye and bought her the freedom to be creative. She has since attended the 2006 Young Writer's Conference and settled on a major in English. She finds herself better able to communicate through writing than through speaking, and is looking forward to helping others develop their own confidence in writing.
She hopes to unleash her potential to be a "really cool English teacher" through her experiences in the Writing Center. Asheton’s first year of tutoring was very rewarding, and she’s looking forward to another exciting semester. She is also working with Freshman English as a writing fellow, which hopefully won’t take too much time away from gaming, napping, sushi and buffalo wings.
Yoo Mi Thompson , undergraduate — International Business
A tutor of various topics for nearly the past six years, Yoo Mi returns to her second year at the Writing Center. As an International Business student, entering her third year at UConn, she is filling her last two years with academic and extra-curricular passions.
Returning to the United States from a summer studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea, Yoo Mi has added an International Studies minor to supplement her interest in economic development at an international level. In addition to time spent in classes at the Business school, Yoo Mi commits to mentoring a fifth-grader through Big Brothers Big Sisters and UConn Freshman as an FYE mentor- a new endeavor for the year. She is also proud to be the Chief of Staff for the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) even though she, surprisingly, has absolutely no interest in entering public office.
Within these varied roles of involvement, Yoo Mi values personal approaches to learning and uses dialogue to challenge writers to uncover their own original ideas. With this, she emphasizes the reflection process of writing and inspires unique pieces of writing. As a writing associate for the Writing Center, Yoo Mi uses these strengths to facilitate the transformation of thoughts into words on paper.
In her spare time, Yoo Mi enjoys Korean cooking, riding her bike (even across the country circa Summer 2006), and going to concerts in New York City, where she hopes to one day live.
Neda Todorovic , Graduate — Linguistics
Neda Todorovic is a PhD student at the department of Linguistics. She graduated at University of Novi Sad in Serbia at the department of English language and literature. Although Serbia is extraordinarily far away, the desire to explore the world’s language systems has made her decide to come to University of Connecticut.
Neda’s decision to pursue a career in linguistics originates from her interest in the anomalies in languages that do not fit the expected language patterns. Equally fascinating is the way language structures are generated in our brain, providing us with the most sophisticated communication tool that has ever existed.
Nevertheless, in order for communication to be successful, it is inevitable that structures are not only produced, but, as ideas, organized accordingly. It might sound fairly easy, but creating a coherent whole out of a stream of ideas and communicating it to the other speaker or to a reader is one of the most challenging tasks. Frequently, extremely good ideas are not comprehended as such because they are not communicated in an adequate manner.
Fortunately, such a problem is not unsolvable. With constant practice, everyone can learn to argument their own ideas and organize them in a logical order. In Neda’s own experience, learning to provide arguments for her essays helped her coherently express the perception of the world in everyday life.
It is undeniable that Neda’s cultural background is fairly different from the cultural patterns that many students are accustomed to. However, she is eager to explore various cultures. What Neda aims at is teaching students how to use a general pattern of organizing ideas but add an element of their cultural heritage as an individual stamp in their assignments. Hopefully, her ambitions are achievable and will result in a fruitful contribution to students’ studying.
Kathleen Tonry , Associate Director, Writing Center
I joined UConn’s faculty and the Writing Center in the autumn of 2005 after earning my doctorate at the University of Notre Dame. My dissertation, on early print and late-late medieval literature, continues to inform my teaching and research in the English Department. My passion for very old books is only half my story, however.
On the way to my graduate degree I taught English at the University of Central Bohemia, worked in Ireland herding goats, and on the editorial staff at HarperCollins in New York. When I did arrive at graduate school to study medieval literature, I also found myself drawn to the work going on in writing programs, and particularly in Writing Centers. In the room that housed the Writing Center at Notre Dame I discovered a rush of interesting conversations all going on at once – from philosophy to history to physics – and all somehow related to writing. I realized I had found a kind of secret that was trying not to be a secret: Writing Centers are these wonderfully intellectual, interdisciplinary spaces, sometimes hushed, sometimes raucous, always engaging, and I was hooked. I spent the last year of my degree finishing my dissertation and working on a Writing Center project that fostered a high-school/university partnership in South Bend. I feel fortunate to be a “free-range” medievalist, with opportunities to think about the role of writing across the full breadth of the curriculum. I primarily focus on our undergraduate staff and tutoring services – precisely the place where I first heard the buzz of ideas that turned out to be about students and writing. I hope you’ll come in with your own questions, ideas and writing: we’ll talk.
Quynh Tran , undergraduate — International Relations/Human Rights
From the young age of 2, Quynh's life-changing experience, "moving from her native country of Vietnam to the United States" jumpstarted her love for a variety of cultures and languages. Fluent in Vietnamese and English, her passion for language is a driving force for all aspects of her well-involved college life.
Quynh's passion for languages and cultures kindled an incessant curiosity that ultimately created her unique double individualized major: a study in International Relations with a concentration in Asian Studies, and Human Rights with a minor in Spanish. The creation of this elastic dual major exemplifies Quynh's ability to maintain a worldly perspective while remaining sensitive to the needs of individuals. Her active involvement in the Vietnamese Students Association, International Relations Association and Amnesty International epitomizes her interest in global affairs. Quynh then localizes this interest through her role as a mentor for the Asian American Cultural Center. This past summer, Quynh staffed a Model UN conference (UNA-USA) in New York City where she met Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon of the United Nations: an experience that represents her cultured character.
While initially turned-off to writing, Quynh has always felt proud of what she has written. She believes that writing is difficult, but a socially-rooted experience which needs to happen with human interaction, including feedback. With an emphasis on the developing stages of writing, Quynh has confidence that over time, writing can be stronger than verbal expression.
Jeffrey Wickersham , Graduate — Communication Sciences/Women's Studies
Jeffrey is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in Communication Sciences. He holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from Southwestern University and a M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Maine. His academic research addresses the broad relationships between gender, culture, and communication, with a particular focus on the role communication plays in constructing beliefs about gender and identity. Jeffrey has extensive experience with quantitative research design and applied statistics. In addition to his tutoring work, Jeffrey serves as the Writing Center statistician, providing program assessment and evaluation to the Director.
