Undergraduate Tutors |
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Alec
English and Tagalog speaker Senior Political Science and Human Rights Growing up in the Philippines, Alec embarks on his UConn journey through a multicultural lens. He immerses himself in academic and extracurricular activities that involve learning about new cultures and countries. As an aspiring international lawyer, Alec always finds ways to incorporate his cultural background into his academic papers and discussions, further broadening his understanding of what it means to be a Filipino in the humanities and social sciences field. He loves to engage in impromptu speaking and writing as it allows him to think of ideas and concepts creatively. You can also find Alec in the UConn Leadership Certificate Series as a Co-Facilitator! |
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AJ
English and Tagalog speaker Sophomore Accounting Originally from the Philippines, AJ is fluent in English and Tagalog. He hopes to obtain his CPA first, then go on to attend Law School. In addition to academic pursuits, AJ likes to read self-help books, watch movies, and work out at the gym. I hope that every time you come into the Writing Center I will have created an environment for you where your ideas are encouraged and you leave with greater confidence in your ability to write. |
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Asfandyar
Junior Political Science To Asfandyar, "mundane" is the name of the game. Hailing from Eastern Connecticut, lingering in every factor of his day—be it small or large—is something that he often reckons with. When it comes to the slower pace of life, be it journaling, creating beat tapes, or doing the daily commute, he finds it necessary to slow down. In a world of rigid demands and unwaveringly rigorous commitments and deadlines, Asfandyar's writing mission is to take the ordinary, and make it extraordinary. Feel free to catch Asfandyar at the library to talk about socio-political issues, any kind of music you can think of... or really anything at all! |
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Cassidy
Senior
English Ready to recommend or praise any UConn English class, Cassidy has enjoyed her time in the major discovering her special interests in writing and composition studies, as well as publishing. She is an active member of the UConn chapter of Her Campus, where she writes articles about her favorite music and shares tips for eating gluten-free. Cassidy enjoys discovering new music, improving her golf game, and watching bad reality TV. She is passionate about helping others learn to love writing, regardless of experience and area of study, and is looking forward to learning from, and with, fellow writers this year at the Writing Center. |
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Elvin Elvin has always been interested in learning about people, their experiences, and the stories that shape who they are. Her interest in psychology has grown from this curiosity, and she especially enjoys reading about human behavior, psychology, and true crime. This interest has also led her to become involved in the CAPS Research Scholar Program, where she works in the Shook Lab and has the opportunity to explore psychology through research. She is also on the pre-medical track and hopes to eventually become an OB-GYN. As a first-generation college student whose family is from Turkey, Elvin knows how meaningful it can be to have people around you who make you feel comfortable and supported. That is something she hopes to bring to the Writing Center. Outside of school, Elvin loves traveling, trying new coffee shops, spending time with her friends, and learning about different cultures. She is excited to meet new people and get to know the different communities that make up UConn! |
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Enid Hi, I'm Enid! I'm a junior majoring in Analytics and Information with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation, originally from Ghana. When I'm not crunching data or working through a problem set, you can usually find me curled up with a good book or writing whether that's journaling, working on my own writing, or just playing with words for fun. I plan to become a data analyst after graduation, and I'm excited to join the Writing Center this year. I'm looking forward to sharpening my own communication and feedback skills alongside helping fellow writers strengthen their pieces, big or small. I look forward to meeting all of you and being a part of many lives on campus! |
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Hope
Junior Classics and Molecular & Cell Biology Aspiring to pursue a career in medicine and research, Hope is eager to explore new disciplines and perspectives. Her passion for literature stemmed from an early age, sparking her interests in different fields and cultures. She loves learning about different countries (she was in Turkey for a summer to do so!) and her involvement in cross-cultural clubs on campus has allowed her more opportunities to learn about others’ experiences. When not reading, she devotes her time to running, listening to music, or spending time with her family and friends. She is excited to serve as a tutor this year and help students cultivate their writing voices! |
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Grace
Senior
Secondary English Education and English A Senior with Secondary English Education and English majors, Grace is beyond excited to spend time helping writers with their craft. On campus she volunteers with Big Brothers and Big Sisters, is on the E-board of LID, and is a Women’s Ministry Leader in Cru. After receiving the UConn Idea Grant, Grace spent last year composing a novel about college students and friendships, First Year Here (feel free to ask her about it!). In her free time, you can find her crocheting, working out at the Rec, reading a variety of novels, and planning her next scuba diving trip! |
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Kaitlin
Junior English and History Kaitlin is an art history lover and longtime story enthusiast juggling far too many favorite characters. She has always enjoyed connecting with others over writing and spends a lot of time in the comments of her friends' essays and novel chapters. Kaitlin also works on the staff of UConn’s literary magazine, Long River Review, and is currently its fiction editor. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her learning her favorite OSTs on the piano, trying out new recipes in her kitchen, or rewatching Ghibli movies. She is thrilled to be supporting fellow students at the Writing Center and learning more about their interests. |
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Kamila Kamila is an international student from the Dominican Republic who aspires to become a researcher in the medical field. Whether it's classic or Latin-American literature, a research paper, or a good magical realism novel, writing is always around her. She enjoys reading, writing and editing in both Spanish and English, and her main goal at the Writing Center is to empower students to find their voices, allowing them to create their own change in the world through it. |
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Liam Liam is an English and Creative Writing student at UConn, a degree path that solidified his view of writing as a vital form of human connection. He never goes anywhere without a collection of James Tate’s poetry to feed his frequent and existential whimsy. Working with students at the Writing Center has uncovered a fascination with the writing process; he is committed to finding the best approach for the needs of each writer. Liam also serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief for Long River Review, a Contributing Editor at VOLTA Magazine, and a student manager for the UConn Cafes. Otherwise, he is with friends, or working on his book, or attempting latte art, or all three at once. |
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Lucy Hello! My name is Lucy Homer and I'm a senior at UConn pursuing a dual degree in Biomedical Engineering & Molecular and Cell Biology. As a STEM student, I have a passion for science communication and helping others improve their technical writing. In addition to my role as a writing tutor, I work as a teaching assistant for Biomechanics and as co-founder of the UConn-Willimantic Young Scientist Program with my sister. I am currently writing and illustrating a children's book promoting an interest in microbiology amongst young readers, a creation funded by the UConn IDEA Grant. Outside of school, I love to hike, linocut, and travel anywhere andeverywhere I can! |
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Madelyn Hi! I’m Madelyn, and I love to talk. I love to chat about a juicy piece of gossip, I love to discuss the latest and most impactful headlines, and I love to discuss why you think this about that. I’m a firm believer that the only way out is through and communicating about ideas and writing and opinions helps get humans through life together. As we get deeper into our talks, you’ll probably hear me share about my aspirations to go to law school and about being a team member in UConn Mock Trial Society. Outside of school, I love to go on walks, listen to music (usually the Strokes or any Glee cover!), cook, and watch TV (Veep and Hacks are my ride-or-dies). |
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Mason When Mason is not battling his way through a heavy metal moshpit or immersed in a good Red Sox game, he usually can be found relaxing in his hometown of Tolland, CT. An avid consumer of international politics and political theory, Mason enjoys writing case studies, argumentative pieces, and op-eds on a myriad of topics, and delights in campus life via helping fellow students at the Writing Center, as well as acting as Vice President for Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) on campus. After his senior year comes to a close, Mason hopes to invest himself in state politics, working on campaigns across Connecticut and advocating policy reform. Aside from writing and politics, he is constantly looking for new bands to listen to, a group to toss a baseball with, a shred-able mountain to snowboard, or more tattoo ideas for his expanding catalogue. |
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Meredith Meredith’s love for writing is apparent in many aspects of her life, whether it’s her enthusiasm for books, screenplays, and musical theater, or the way she lights up at a new essay assignment. Here at UConn, she’s a contributing writer for Her Campus, where she shares her pop culture knowledge, and The Daily Campus, where her work can be found in the sports section. In her free time, Meredith likes to draw, play basketball, and learn about wildlife and environmental sustainability. At the Writing Center, she loves to collaborate and exchange ideas, learn from others, and inspire writing confidence! |
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Minerva ¡Hola! As a future Spanish teacher, I love working with multilingual material. During my time as a tutor, I have sought to promote the Writing Center for writers of multiple languages, especially those who are writing in Spanish. This year I am excited to continue making our space a more linguistically diverse area on campus! When outside of the Writing Center, you are most likely to find me on a side quest to the nearest Dunkin’. |
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Miraya Passionate about writing, advocacy, and policy, Miraya is excited to help students develop confidence in their writing and discover their own voices! She plans to complete UConn’s fast-track Public Policy program before attending law school in the future. Her love for reading and writing began at a young age and has continued to shape her academic and personal interests throughout her life. Outside of the Writing Center, she also works as a coach at the Academic Achievement Center and is on the Executive Board of the Law Society. In her free time, she loves traveling and learning about different places, listening to music, spending time with her family and friends, and going to the gym. She is excited to be a tutor this year and get to know everyone! |
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Olivia R. Hi everyone! I’m Olivia, and I’m so excited to return to the Writing Center this year. Lately, I’ve been super into traveling and exploring new parts of the world. I’ve been to 9 countries this year, and I absolutely love the thrill of discovering new places and learning about people’s stories from different corners of the world. For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with storytelling and creative writing. Additionally, with hopes of one day entering a career in Law, I enjoy indulging in persuasive and analytical writing. I truly believe that anyone can write well, and I am eager to help others find their confidence and clarity on the page. Outside of school, I am a huge fan of reading murder mysteries and horror. In my free time, you can catch me listening to music (like all the time), playing piano, baking, doing arts and crafts, or spending quality time with friends and family. |
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Olivia S. Hailing from Jackson, New Jersey, Olivia’s passion for literature came from writing and illustrating her own stories and reading books to her younger brother. As a double STEM major, artist, and writer, she is constantly balancing her time between different creative projects, from coding to crafting. Olivia is a writer for Her Campus and participates in undergraduate chemistry research, hoping to pursue a PhD in computational chemistry after graduation. When she’s not hunched over a textbook or laptop, she’s playing music in the UConn Marching Band Front Ensemble, Winter Percussion, and UC Chamber groups. She is also a brother of Kappa Kappa Psi, a fraternity for honorary band members. In her free time, she likes to play Minecraft, draw, make kandi bracelets and Perler beads, shop at Hot Topic, and write songs. |
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Rafi
English, Portuguese, and Spanish Speaker Sophomore Molecular and Cell Biology Exposure to literature from a very young age has guided Rafaela to fall in love with writing. Additionally, one of her greatest passions is advocacy. Outside of writing, her hopes are to foster connections between individuals and promote diversity and self-expression. Ensuring everyone feels safe, valued, and heard is key to helping writers build confidence and find their voice. She believes that writing can create meaningful connections, encourage understanding, and give people the space to share their unique perspectives. Through her work, Rafaela hopes to help others feel empowered to express themselves authentically! |
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Tomas
Senior Political Science and Sociology Tomas is a fourth year pursuing a double major in Political Science and Sociology. As a writer, his background is mostly in journalism and argumentative writing for a public audience. He is always interested in looking systemically at issues within society and breaking away from the status quo to change them. For those interested in political theory, community organizing, and imagining possible futures, Tomas is the person to talk to! But life isn't just work, and so he also spends time training Muay Thai or playing jazz piano with his band. |
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Weiyi Li
English and Mandarin Chinese Speaker
Sophomore
Economics Hi! You can call me Viola as my English name! I come from Hebei province in China, so if you have any questions in writing related to Chinese or ECON, feel free to discuss with me! If you want, we can also communicate in Chinese! I like writing, I believe writing is exchanging ideas between the writer and the reader, so our meeting will be more like a conversation between a reader and an author instead of a “stressful” workshop. My dream is to become a lawyer, so in my spare time, besides jotting down some novel ideas and enriching the characters I have created, I also prepare for the LSAT. Looking forward to seeing you at the Writing center! ^^ |
Graduate Tutors |
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Anh Originally from Hanoi, Vietnam, my family and I moved halfway across the globe to the dense mazes of New York City, where I grew my love of learning and passion for creativity. Those passions not only became more fervent, but also real and rewarding, when I entered my graduate program and discovered my love for teaching. Likewise, I see our session as an opportunity to learn, create, and collaborate. The excitement in crafting a piece that you are proud of, one that powerfully represents who you are, is something that we achieve together. There is immense joy in being able to create a supportive, constructive, and fun atmosphere: not only are ideas being exchanged, but also, your confidence in writing will rise. |
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Emery Emery grew up an hour from Yellowstone Park in the mountains near Bozeman, Montana. He taught first-year writing courses at Montana State University, where he earned both his BA and MA in English Literature. Now a third-year doctoral student in the Neag School of Education, Emery’s research focuses on the intersection of post-secondary reading education, collaborative writing, neurodiverse literacies, and disability studies. Outside of academics, Emery enjoys hiking, biking, and spending time in the outdoors. |
Graduate Assistants |
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Baaqeyah Assistant Director for Graduate Writing Support Ph.D. Candidate, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Baaqeyah is a Ph.D. candidate in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department. Her research interests include developmental biology, vertebrate evolution, molecular biology, and genome evolution. Baaqeyah currently explores the phenotypic effects of genome evolution in salamanders. She is passionate about intersectional feminism, equity in education, and justice. An explorer at heart, Baaqeyah is always looking for the next adventure. In her free time, you can find her reading, traveling, visiting museums, and playing with animals. |
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Kelly GA M.A., Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Kelly is a first-generation graduate student and plans to become a medical speech-language pathologist. In her free time, she enjoys scrapbooking, baking, and listening to music. Last year, she graduated with her BA in SLHS and Psychology from UConn. Kelly is a research assistant in Butler Lab, where she studies how sensory, motor, and neural patterns affect communication in nonverbal/minimally speaking autistic individuals. She was also a resident assistant for Global House learning community, where she worked closely with first-year international students. She is excited to support students throughout the writing process and learn more about their interests. |
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Mariah Mariah is a first-generation graduate student from Plainville, Massachusetts, studying Rhetoric and Composition. Her research interests include pedagogy, literacy, political rhetoric, and linguistic justice. Mariah received her MA from University of Massachusetts Boston and has taught courses in composition, communications, and special topics across humanities disciplines. |
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Tristan Tristan was a TA for MCB 2000 for six semesters and hopes to become a professor after receiving his doctorate. His research involves studying the architecture of the bacterial ribosome and its protein partners. He spends most of his time building 3D molecular models in an aspiration to make biology beautiful and accessible to everyone. Tristan’s current hobbies include finding obscure topics on Wikipedia, and eating an absurd amount of green beans. |
Receptionists |
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Alexa Hi!! My name is Alexa Correa. I am a sophomore at UConn, and I am currently double majoring in psychology and human development and family sciences. I would love to be a child psychologist. Some of my favorite things to do are watch movies, shows, spend time with my family and friends, exploring new places and trying new foods. I speak English and Spanish. I will be working at the Writing Center as a receptionist. As I am excited to be part of the team and be able to give my good energy to everyone that comes into the center and value this experience. |
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Eva Hi! My name is Eva Alonzo. I am a freshman at UConn, and I am majoring in Speech Language and Hearing Sciences. My goal is to be a pediatric speech language pathologist. Some of my favorite things to do are go on walks, shop, and go to the rec. I speak English and Spanish. One of my biggest dreams is to study abroad, hopefully in a Spanish speaking country! I can’t wait to see you here at the Writing Center! |
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Ignacio I am Ignacio, a freshman at UConn, currently in ACES. I aim to get into the school of Engineering to study Civil Engineering. I speak English and Spanish. |
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Joshlyn Hellooo :)! My name is Joshlyn, and I’m a senior majoring in History and minoring in Anthropology! This year, I’ll be focused on narrowing down my plans for my future career and refining my grad school application (spooky!). Recently, I’ve been strongly considering becoming a history professor, entering archival/museum work, or possibly looking into journalism. In the future, I hope to travel, immerse myself in as many different cultures as possible, and become a lifelong learner. My hobbies include drawing/painting, spending time with my dog (shoutout to my perfect Teddy) + family, playing Minecraft, curating my Pinterest feed, going on long walks for sweet treats, reading (and sharing) the news, and perusing photography archive pages on Instagram (I especially love pictures from the ‘70s). |
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Karen Hi! My name is Karen Martinez! I am a sophomore majoring in Marketing. I am bilingual in English, and Spanish. Some fun facts about me are that I love picking up new hobbies, hanging out with friends, and getting Playa Bowls. I’m so excited to be working at the Writing Center as a receptionist! |
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Krista Hii!! I'm so excited to start my second year at the center! In studying biological sciences I hope to pursue a career as a Physician assistant and specialize more in surgery. I love to watch tv shows and movies, hangout with friends and family, dance, and do makeup in my free time. I am also apart of the African Student Association e-board, and the Afrobina dance team on campus, so when I'm not at the center or studying, I'll probably be doing something that has to do with those. I love working at the center, so I try and give a big smile and good energy to everyone I see, and will continue to do this with everyone who comes into the center 🙂 |
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Lasang Hi, my name is Lasang Subba! I am a sophomore majoring in physiology and neurobiology! My plan for the near future is to go to graduate school for research. I’m not too sure what I’ll be going into yet, but my options are between medical and research. My dream is to get an apartment in the city, get a kitten, and live my life as a city girl! I can speak Nepali and English, I also understand Hindi! I always enjoy some down time because college keeps me busy, listening to music and taking a nap are always the way to go! I’m so excited to work at the Writing Center as a receptionist! |
Administrative Staff |
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Heon Jeon Associate Director, Writing Center I am an associate professor in residence from English department and just joined UConn Writing Center as an associate director. I majored in multilingual education for all my degrees (both undergraduate and graduate), and with that background, I have worked as a Second Language Writing specialist in UConn First Year Writing (FYW) Program since 2019. In this program, I have been teaching FYW courses, and my research interest is all about Second Language Writing. My work in this field has been highlighted through prestigious journals (RELC & Journal of Response to Writing) and conferences (Symposium on Second Language Writing, AAAL, and TESOL Convention). I am a multilingual speaker and writer in Korean and English. When I have free time, I enjoy running and playing with LEGO. |
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Sheryl John is an assistant director for the writing center. Her work includes developing writing support initiatives, undergraduate and graduate student programming, and cross-campus partnerships that strengthen student learning and engagement. Sheryl previously served as a GA in the Writing Center, focusing on partnerships with CISS and FYE as well as some of the cultural centers. She has a Master's Degree in Public Health from the University of Connecticut. Her interests involve multilingual education, science and writing initiatives, graduate student support, and institutional change. She is passionate about building partnerships that expand access to higher education and create more inclusive learning environments. |
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Tom Deans I divide my time between the Writing Center the English Department, where I teach undergrad and grad courses in writing studies. Before coming to UConn in 2005, I was founding director of an interdisciplinary writing program at Haverford College, and before that was on the faculty at Kansas State. I co-edit the Oxford Brief Guides to Writing in the Disciplines and have published academic books and articles on a variety of topics, including community-based writing, writing across the curriculum, writing centers, science writing, prose style, early modern literature, and representations of literacy in sacred texts. Lately I've also been thinking about AI and its consequences for teaching and writing. I collaborate with colleagues across UConn to improve how writing gets valued and taught here, and I've worked with Ugandan universities on building writing programs there. |