Receptionists |
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Jayannie Hi! My name is Jayannie Santos, I am a a first generation PoliSci major and gender studies minor. I hope to go into the social work program and help families, women and children. I enjoy reading, music, sad and scary movies (only!), spending time with my friends and family back home and helping others. I am Dominican and also fluent in Spanish!
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Joshlyn Hi there :)! My name is Joshlyn and I’m a junior majoring in History and minoring in Anthropology! While I’m still exploring future careers, I intend to focus on women’s history and the personal lives of women in their respective societies. In the future, I hope to travel and immerse myself in as many different cultures as possible. My hobbies include drawing/painting, spending time with my dog (shoutout to Teddy) + family, playing Minecraft, curating my Pinterest feed, going on long walks, and reading the news.
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Krista Hii! My name is Krista Bamfo, and I am a freshman majoring in biological sciences. I want to become a Physician assistant and specialize more in surgery. I love to watch tv shows and movies, hangout with friends and family, and do makeup in my free time. I try and give a big smile to everyone I see, and will continue to do this with everyone who comes into the center 🙂
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Shannon Hi my name is Shannon Leahy, and I am a sophomore majoring in Nursing! I am from Long Island, NY and love spending my time on all the amazing beaches. I love to read, hang out with my family and pets, and go for walks in my free time. I also love to travel as much as I can and my favorite place I’ve been is Switzerland! I hope that in my future I will be a pediatric traveling nurse. |
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Natali Natali is a first-generation student who enjoys reading and is passionate about child development. She is the secretary for the Mexican Student Association at UConn and a PRLACC METAS mentor. Natali usually spends her days in the library studying with friends and sipping on an iced vanilla chai latte. In her free time, she can be found napping, scrolling endlessly through TikTok, or binge-watching a new show on Netflix. She can also gladly assist anyone speaking Spanish! |
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Noemy Hola a todos! My name is Noemy (No-emi), and I have been a receptionist at the Writing Center since my Sophomore year. This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to intern as a Finacial Management Analyst in NYC at Bank of America. I also traveled to Europe this summer (Spain, France, and Portugal). I am a player and treasurer on the UConn Women’s Rugby Team. Outside of rugby, I love going out with friends, hiking, trying new food, and blasting music I love in my car. I am of Ecuadorian descent and proud to say I will be the first in my family to graduate college. |
Undergraduate Tutors |
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Ali English & Urdu speaker Senior Linguistics/Psychology With a fond interest in learning about the building blocks of language and literature, Ali is eager to help fellow students improve their writing, and hopefully his own along the way. Alongside a minor in HDFS, Ali studies linguistics and psychology to understand how people develop language from infancy through adulthood. He splits his time with the Cognition, Action, and Psychophysiology Lab (CAP Lab) at UConn as a research assistant that aids in studying infant brain waves, and he hopes to continue work in research after graduation. In his free time, you’ll find him drawing, playing a story-driven video game, or taking unnecessarily long naps just for fun. |
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Anthony English & French speaker Senior Computer Science and Engineering Anthony is a Senior at UConn Storrs studying Computer Science and Engineering. In his 3 years of undergrad, he’s learned that with thoughtful reflection and the right combination of words, anything can be achieved. During his leisure time, he enjoys going out and trying new foods with his siblings or going on trips with his friends. While he is proficient in speaking English, Anthony can communicate in French and is happy to assist French speakers the best that he can.
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Brian Junior English/Communications From volunteering at the Mansfield food pantry to making your beef burrito, helping others has always been what gives me joy. And pairing this with a passion for writing, it’s a tandem like no other (spare maybe Belichick and Brady)! Previously at UConn, I’ve worked as an Orientation Leader and an ELL Student Teacher. During my free time, you’ll catch me listening intently to indie, journaling in the Union, and cheering loudly in Gampel. I can’t wait to see you here! |
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Bridget Senior Animal Science Bridget is a dedicated pre-vet major with a passion for animals, literature, and science. Her love for cooking, reading, and spending time with her tail-less orange cat, Chowder, adds a warm balance to her busy life. Out of the writing center, Bridget also works at UConn’s CVMDL, occasionally takes care of the gentle giants and their babies housed in UConn’s Kellogg Dairy Center, and serves as a technician at an equine clinic. When she’s not working or studying, she enjoys discovering small coffee shops and taking breathtaking hikes to beautiful views. |
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Cawley
Junior Political Science/Pre-Law Cawley is a second-year tutor at the Writing Center with a passion for writing political theory and social commentary. Eventually, she hopes to put her skills to use in the field of law. When not helping others refine their writing, Cawley enjoys exploring music, movies, her camera, and any crafty projects she can get her hands on. Cawley is ecstatic to continue supporting fellow writers and sharing their love for the written word in the Writing Center this year. |
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Christina
English, Spanish, & Malayalam speaker Sophomore Computer Science Yes, that’s right— at this moment, Christina is likely making a deal with the devil to speed up her computer program. As the world’s leading expert on inane footnotes (she finds it unfortunate she can’t use any in this bio), and award-winning artist and author, she’ll be wildly switching between her left and right brain all year. When she runs out of creative and academic energy, you’ll find her Googling the lyrics to reggaeton songs (don’t do that in public), apologizing to her houseplants, or getting a little heartbroken over niche Tumblr posts. Christina speaks Spanish, is learning Japanese, and understands Malayalam (her family’s native language). She’s determined to become a true polyglot… if only she could keep up her Duolingo streak. |
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Donal
Junior
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology A lover of learning in every subject, Donal was drawn to tutoring at the Writing Center to balance and improve his work in biology. He has since added an English minor and taken numerous creative writing classes, which have changed his approach to scientific writing. When not at the Writing Center, you can find Donal in the climbing center (working or climbing), enjoying nature, or reading a book. |
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Elena
Junior
Mechanical Engineering Hello! My name is Elena, and aside from literature, I love learning more about health/fitness, doing crafts, and trying out new recipes. Although I am pursuing a career in aerospace, I love writing and value the importance it holds in all manner of fields. I am also a huge fan of hiking with my dog (ask me about her😊) and reading. Lately I have been on a historical fiction and dystopian kick, but I am always looking for something new! |
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Erin
Junior
English and Human Rights Hey huskies! This is my second year as a tutor here, and I can’t wait to welcome you to the W Center (a.k.a. the best part of Babbidge). My whole life, I have been an avid reader and a thorough writer. I am happy to be of assistance for all your writing-related needs, and I have a special knack for editing and organizing essays. Proficient in French and two semesters deep into my Spanish-learning journey, I love languages and plan to use French and Spanish in a future career in immigration law! In my spare time you can find me sewing a quilt, playing flute, Irish dancing, and frequenting Dunkin for iced coffee.
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Eunice English & Korean speaker Senior Psychological Sciences and Asian American Studies Eunice’s love for literature began in her childhood, rotting away in the children’s section of Barnes & Nobles. Now entering her third year at the W Center, she’s a veteran tutor who finds psychology to be the perfect blend of science, reading, and writing. After graduating, she hopes to pursue a career in clinical developmental psychology, focusing on marginalized youth mental health and identity. A true Gemini, Eunice juggles many roles outside of the W Center: Program Coordinator of the Asian/Asian American Mentoring Program, RA in the BAND and BADCO Labs, President of the Hus-Keys a cappella group, and campus portrait artist. When she’s not running around, you’ll find her chatting to her plants, ranting on Goodreads, defending Central Jersey, or obsessing over Snoopy. Eunice believes in the power of multilingual writing! She is able to speak Korean and Spanish and welcomes using these languages during her sessions. 유니스는 한국말로도 편하게 개인교사를 할수있습니다. También, Eunice puede hablar algo de español y ella anima a otros a usar el idioma durante sus clases particulares. |
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Gaby English, German, & Spanish speaker Junior Anthropology, Linguistics/Psychology, & German In her second year at the Writing Center, Gaby is excited to continue helping students from all majors and backgrounds, se habla Español und auch Deutsch! No matter what language the session takes place in, Gaby aims to help each student feel more confident in their writing by the end of their appointment with her. When she’s not at the Writing Center you can probably find Gaby reading, crafting, or soaking up the sun with friends on the lawn in front of the Student Union so feel free to say hi if you spot her! |
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Grace Sophomore Pre-Teaching and English A sophomore with Pre-Teaching and English majors and a minor in Marine Science, Grace is beyond excited to spend time helping writers with their craft. On campus she volunteers with Big Brothers and Big Sisters, is a member of LID, and is a student leader in Cru. After receiving the UConn Idea Grant, Grace spends most of her free time composing a novel about college students and friendships, currently titled First Year Here. With any other time, you can find her crocheting, running or climbing, reading a variety of novels, and planning her next scuba diving trip. |
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Hannah
Junior
English Hannah is a Vietnamese American writer who aspires to release books of her own one day and is excited to meet other aspiring writers. Poet at heart, Hannah’s enamor for all things writing has blossomed ever since she was a kid, and now, she is studying to pursue her dream of a career in publishing. Academic endeavors and career prospects aside, Hannah is a mentor at UConn’s Asian Mentoring Program and frequents general body meetings held by the Vietnamese Student Association as well as other cultural organizations. Since she was a first-year student, she has also worked as a blog moderator for the Disability & Access Collective Blog. If she is not writing or burying her nose in a novel, Hannah loves to binge anime and manga, consume healthy doses of rock and heavy metal music, dabble in art and filmmaking, and snuggle with her pet bunnies. |
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Jack
Senior Economics, minor in Mathematics A Connecticut native, Jack is a passionate writer and a voracious reader. While economics and math are not typically associated with creativity, Jack believes that every subject, no matter how dry it may seem, harbors a creative thread woven deep into its fabric. Although he specializes in the more academic side of writing, he will always be happy to help with any creative pursuits you may have. If you see him outside of the Writing Center (and not studying in the library), you may see him hiking, playing D&D with his friends, or writing poetry around campus. |
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Jenna
Junior English and History Jenna is from Durham, Connecticut, where they take care of a growing number of plants, frequently daydream, and haunt their local library. They have published short stories, audio fiction, and poetry, and they plan on pursuing a career in Library Science. With a love for all things stories, she is always tracking down a good book to read, trying to crack a new idea, or geeking out about archives. She is the President of the UConn Historical Society and Vice President of the Rubik’s Cube Club (but don’t ask her to solve one for you, she’s still learning). Jenna looks forward to working with writers on anything they bring to the Writing Center! |
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Liam
Junior English What makes writing so interesting to me is that it helps me understand myself and others. Biographies have always been my favorite genre, I recently read Draft #4 by John McPhee, which details his years of profile journalism for New Yorker Magazine. My ideal career makes use of my affinity towards profile journalism, as I hope to specialize in profiling musicians. In a nutshell, I would learn about their writing process and their goals, ultimately creating something that presents them to their audience on a more personal level; and I hope to do the same for any project the Writing Center brings my way! When I want to learn more about myself, I play guitar with my friends, and (attempt) to write song lyrics. Otherwise, you can find me talking incessantly about my favorite musicians (probably Elliott Smith) and getting Student Union wings with my friends. |
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Raaga From Acton, Massachusetts, Raaga is driven by her passion for medicine and research and constantly seeks to expand her knowledge across different disciplines. On campus, she’s actively involved in organizations including Camp Kesem, Telugu Student Association, and UConn Sanskriti. Whether she’s studying in the library or enjoying the outdoors, you’ll often find Raaga with a Dunkin’ iced coffee in hand and her headphones on. At the Writing Center, she hopes to continue pursuing her interests in scientific and creative writing, and to share this passion with her fellow students. |
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Ramsey
Sophomore Piano Performance and Molecular/Cell Biology Hello! I’m Ramsey, and I am so excited to begin my first year as a tutor for the Writing Center. While I define myself primarily as a musician in this stage of my life, I am on the premed track in hopes of becoming an endocrinologist. I’d love to work with students on any style of writing that they’re passionate about and I look forward to engaging in everything from poetry to lab reports. Writing is a cathartic outlet for me, and I hope to be able to impart my love for the discipline to others! My favorite study spots on campus are the Beanery and the Family Studies building after hours (keep this one a secret!). Can’t wait to work with you! |
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Sky Senior English and Psychology Hello Writers! My name is Sky and I’m super excited to be a tutor at the Writing Center. I currently work on campus as the Magazine Editor for Nutmeg Publishing and will be the acting Editor in Chief of the Long River Review in the spring! Suffice to say, I love working with writing as a discipline and a form of expression, and I’m eager to help other students find their voice. I fell in love with Writing Studies here at UConn and hope to continue studying it beyond my undergraduate years. I enjoy integrating insights from different fields, such as English, Psychology, Communication, and History, to contribute to discourses in Rhetoric and Composition, especially those relating to higher education. Outside of school, I love books, horror movies, organizing things, pesto pasta, card games (ask me how to play Maui!), otters, and copyediting essays for my friends. |
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Thomas Senior Political Science Thomas can usually be found attempting to hold conversations with trees (they have not responded, yet). When not wandering in the woods, Thomas writes and plays music with his band, Ruby Leftstep, and reads political news. He hopes to become an environmental lawyer and to be able to protect his leafy friends with language. |
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Vashonti Senior Secondary Education/English You can usually find Vashonti on campus reading a novel, drawing, or waiting for her coffee in the crowded Student Union Dunkin. As a senior in Neag’s Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s program, she is always thinking about ways to help students become confident writers. English has always been her favorite subject, and she plans on sharing her love for literature and writing with her future students. |
Graduate Tutors |
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Anh Graduate Student Ph.D. Student, English Originally from Vietnam, my family and I moved halfway across the globe to the brimming concrete mazes of New York City. However, I feel most at home amidst the lush greenery and tranquility of New England. I enjoy learning jazz and contemporary fusion dance, listening to Taylor Swift’s new album, and catching a gentle breeze on a morning run. Cooking nourishing foods to eat with loved ones fills me with joy, as well. I’m grateful for the diversity of voices, languages, and experiences that you all bring to the Writing Center and am excited to be a part of your unique journey. |
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Baaqeyah 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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Emmanuel An avid lover of poetry, jazz, and coffee, Emmanuel finds inspiration in the rhythms and complexities of language, music, and culture. Their passion for English literature stems from a desire to understand how culture, politics, and language intertwine to shape human experience. Emmanuel’s research focuses on the interplay of culture, politics, and language in postcolonial and multiethnic literature, with a particular interest in how cultural histories shape worldviews and narrative styles. They envision a classroom where students feel empowered to share their unique experiences and perspectives, fostering a rich and inclusive learning environment. |
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Mckenzie Mckenzie is a graduate student in the English department studying the Gothic novel. She also works with the First-Year Writing program and has a lot of experience working with students in FYW classes. She is from Saratoga Springs NY, and has lived in Burlington, Vermont and New York City. She loves reading, especially spooky stories and fantasy novels, and is training for a 10K. |
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Rebecca As a life-long lover of learning, Rebecca is pursuing a career in secondary English education where she hopes to impart a love of reading and writing onto her future students. Originally from Danbury, CT, Rebecca found a home at UConn during her time as an undergrad and is continuing her UConn experience through the Neag Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s program. When she’s not helping writers, she is likely sipping on coconut coffee, listening to 80s music, or reading anything by James Baldwin. |
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Tristan Tristan is a TA for MCB 2000 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 slowly reading the works of Kurt Vonnegut. Occasionally, he will attempt to bake/cook something that is far too difficult for him. |
Graduate Administrative Staff |
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David Evans David Evans is a doctoral candidate at the University of Connecticut where he studies the history of human rights, US foreign relations, and agricultural policy. His dissertation “Hunger for Rights: Establishing the Human Right to Food, 1930 – 1988” explores how politicians, internationalists, and activists envisioned the human right to food, first within the discourse of international economic development, and then as a point of contention between advocates for social justice and supporters of deregulatory market policies. David taught history courses over seven semesters while at UConn, five of which were designated “writing intensive.” In this capacity, he has worked with and advised multilingual and international students and others from diverse social, cultural, and economic backgrounds. David is a husband and father to two children. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Before pursuing his academic career, David served eight and a half years in the United States Marine Corps. |
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Emery Roberts Emery grew up an hour from Yellowstone Park in the mountains around Bozeman, Montana. He taught first-year writing courses at Montana State University where he earned his BA and MA in English Literature. Currently, Emery is a second-year doctoral student in the Neag school of Education. His current research is on the intersection of post-secondary reading education, environmental education, alternative literacies, and disability studies. He is additionally involved with the Disability & Access Collective Blog project at UConn and is thrilled to be organizing the writing center’s Secondary School Outreach Conference again this year. When not on campus, Emery is typically out hiking, biking, or otherwise enjoying the outdoors. |
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Sheryl John Sheryl is a first-generation immigrant from India who is an UConn alum (2022). She is back at UConn pursuing her Master’s in Public Health (MPH) to learn more about the healthcare system and how she can better help her future patients as a doctor. In her undergraduate years, Sheryl was an FYE mentor and an SRA and loves to support students of all ages and backgrounds in their time here at UConn. Sheryl is excited to be part of the Writing Center and expand her skillset to help students be more confident in their writing abilities. During her free time, Sheryl loves to travel, workout (Muay Thai and pickleball), hang out with her friends, and learn about new cultures and languages. |
Administrative Staff |
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Alex Menrisky Associate Director, Writing Center In addition to working with the Writing Center, I’m an Assistant Professor in the Department of English, where I teach undergraduate courses and graduate seminars in environmental rhetoric, literary environmentalism, and writing. Previously I taught first-year and advanced research-based writing at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and tutored in the writing center at the University of Kentucky (where I also taught multimodal and community-based writing). Before (and while) I pursued my MA and PhD in English, I worked as a journalist and copywriter for several small-town newspapers, trade magazines, and even the federal government. Since then, I’ve published books and journal articles on a variety of topics, including US environmentalism, identity, psychoanalysis, local food, and more. In all cases, one of my goals—for my own writing and also my teaching—is bridging the gap between academic and general audiences, “translating” complex ideas and arguments for a wider readership. In many ways, that’s what a writing center is all about: figuring out, together, how to best communicate ideas with a variety of different people! |
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Kathleen Tonry 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. |
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Margaret Bugingo Margaret Bugingo is a rhetorician with 9 years of experience teaching first year writing and technical communication. Her most recent work includes a 9-month Fulbright ETA award, where she built and directed the first documented writing center in Rwanda, which later evolved into a multi-year collaboration that included a community book project. Bugingo previously worked in writing center administration at Boise State University and in the fall of 2022 began working as the educational program coordinator for the writing center at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Bugingo earned her MA in rhetoric and composition from Arizona State University in 2012 and her BA from the University of Connecticut in 2009. Bugingo is passionate about writing center work as well as international collaborations. She has a TESOL Certificate and has worked with multilingual students from South Sudan, Bosnia, El Salvador, Bangladesh, and more. In her free time, she has served on committees for Neighbors’ United: Adult Refugee Collaborative of Boise, The International Visitor Leadership Program, an educational international exchange organized by the U.S. Department of State, and ran the YALI, Mandela Washington Fellowship Program. Bugingo is an aspiring multilingual— she is actively learning Spanish and Kinyarwanda, and in her free time, she dances salsa, kizomba, and zouk. |
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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 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. |