Meet Our Tutors
Tutor Biographies
Writing Consultants
Claire Becker is a PhD student in the History Department. Their research focuses on the history of early modern Spain and the Iberian Atlantic, but they also love reading theory and have a background in Visual and Cultural Studies. Claire’s strengths lie in the humanities, but they are open to working with writers in any discipline and at any stage in the writing process.
They/She
Tessa Brunnenmeyer is a PhD student in the Philosophy department and is interested in the history of Early Modern Philosophy and historical methodology. She loves tutoring because she gets to learn about so many different disciplines and ideas from her tutees. She specializes in argumentative writing but is happy to help in any discipline, at any stage of the writing process. Her overarching goal is to help tutees find more confidence in their writing that they can take with them into the future.
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Jacob Carter is a PhD student in Visual and Cultural Studies who focuses on film and media studies. He specializes in first-year writing, argumentative writing, and visual analysis but enjoys helping writers from any discipline. He likes the collaborative aspects of tutoring and looks forward to working with tutees to clarify and develop their ideas.
He/Him/His
Claire Corbeaux is a PhD student in the English Department. Although she studies English, she minored in physics as an undergraduate and hopes to be able to use her interdisciplinary training to assist students in their writing across disciplines. Claire enjoys working with writers and feels happiest when reflecting on the growth that she and the writers she works with have made through the tutoring process.
She/her/hers
Caitlin Davie studies Mental Health Counseling at the Warner School of Education. She graduated from the University of Rochester, where she was a Writing Fellow and worked as a writing studies research assistant. In her sessions, Caitlin hopes to help students learn the communication skills that will help them in the long-term, in addition to having an improved short-term assignment. She feels happiest when writers walk away with the tools and knowledge to make informed future writing decisions with confidence.
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Erin Francisco has a background in Environmental Humanities and 20th-Century American Literature. She loves talking about persuasive writing and classical rhetoric. She especially enjoys helping writers working on personal statements and application essays for graduate school, internships, and fellowship programs.
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Laura Jones has a professional background in career development and is currently pursuing her EdD in Higher Education at the Warner School. She also serves as the lead instructor of the WRTG 27X courses at the U of R. She enjoys helping writers with professional writing, as well as personal statements and other kinds of application materials for graduate school, research programs, and internships.
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Emily Lowman is a PhD student in the English Department. Her background is in English and Psychology and she teaches rhetoric-based courses for the WSAP. She enjoys working with students from all disciplines, and specializes in argumentative papers and humanities-based writing.
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Onesmo Mushi is a PhD student in Curriculum and Teaching. His research interest is in multilingual writers’ academic publishing. He has a background in TESOL and enjoys working with writers from different cultural and disciplinary backgrounds. He believes in writing as a process of becoming, thus approaching tutoring sessions as an opportunity for the writer and the tutor to learn and grow.
He/His/Him
McKayla Okoniewski is a professional tutor and the Writing and Speaking Center Assistant. She has a background in Writing and Rhetoric and Medieval European Studies. McKayla is deeply invested in the process of writing and how it is individual for each writer. While she is most comfortable with humanities and application genres, she loves to learn new things and work with students from all backgrounds.
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Liz Phinney is a chemistry PhD student who most enjoys working with students on scientific writing, but she also has fun working through/discussing other types of writing. Her hope is that by mentoring others she will in turn become a better mentor herself.
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Xinyue Wang is a doctoral student in the Ed.D. in Counseling program at the Warner School. She has backgrounds in Communication Studies, English, and Educational Psychology. She has been mainly working with international students since her undergrad. She is interested in understanding international students' experiences and fostering the development, well-being, and sense of belonging for the student population in higher education settings. She loves writing and working with people from diverse backgrounds. Being a writing consultant, she enjoys exchanging ideas and generating new ideas, as well as learning and growing with other writers.
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Micah Williams is a PhD student in the English Department. His interests are in African American literature, 20th and 21st-century American literature…rather any literature associated with social justice, particularly those that intersect race, gender, and sexuality. Micah has tutored for two years at his previous institution, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and hopes to continue assisting students at the U of R with articulating their thoughts and developing their unique voices in inclusive, interdisciplinary ways. He appreciates working and learning with all students on many types of writing, but his favorite projects to tutor include argumentative essays, personal statements, and narrative writing.
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Alice Wynd is a history PhD student who studies the early modern Atlantic and public history. She is interested in how archaeology and museum exhibit design can tell the stories of people not recorded in the archive and bring history to a wider audience. As a tutor, she enjoys reading pieces from other disciplines and learning new things about writing from the students she works with.
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Yue Zhang is a PhD student in the department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Her research focuses on eye movements and visual perception. She specializes in scientific writing, but is happy to help in any discipline. She enjoys having intellectual conversations and brainstorming with writers on their writing projects. She is also happy to help with personal statements and application essays.
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Writing Fellows
Keerthi Banothu - English and Anthropology
During my academic career, I have written many argumentative essays and rhetorical-analysis based pieces alongside more unconventional modes such as blog posts.
What I enjoy most about tutoring is working with students at all stages of the writing process. As a Writing Fellow, nothing is more fulfilling than seeing my peers walk out of a tutoring session feeling more confident and inspired to write than when they first walked in.
She/her/hers
Fluent in Telugu
Katie Broun - Biomedical Engineering; Minor in Optics
Writing in different styles is something that used to scare me, but viewing writing as a process and breaking it down into smaller parts makes it feel more manageable. I now enjoy this growth as a tutor and student alike; I find it rewarding to help students with all kinds of writing, no matter what stage of the process they are in and help them to see writing through a new lens.
She/her/hers
Evan Coleman - English: Language, Media, & Communication and Business; Minor in Legal Studies
Programming Coordinator
Writing, to me, has always been the easiest way to translate the thoughts I have into something tangible. What I enjoy the most about tutoring is diving into that gray area that exists within writing with my tutee. By doing this, we are able to evolve a piece and push it towards the best possible direction.
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Winifred Dorlean - Chemistry
Writing was never of interest to me until my last two years of high school. During this time, I enrolled in heavy rhetoric-based writing classes, and I was also exposed to different types of literature. During these formative/transitional years, I was inclined to engage in writing more frequently; when I got to the U of R, I was excited to become a Writing Fellow, so I could help others perfect their craft and become successful writers! One part I enjoy about tutoring is helping a tutee create their action plan! After an hour of tutoring, it can be difficult to know "what's next" and I enjoy playing a role in clearing up that uncertainty!
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Jerry Dulluog - Health, Behavior, and Society
I'm experienced with both creative writing and argumentative essays. I enjoy helping my peers express their ideas through writing.
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Megan Emery - History and Linguistics; Minor in French
President
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." -Benjamin Franklin
I relish tutoring because there is no greater feeling than accompanying a student through the learning process. As a peer tutor, I want to encourage students to feel confident taking control of their own educations, and interact with them to cultivate an environment of mutual growth.
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Fluent in French
Elizabeth Garijo-Garde - Music and Public Health
I've always loved writing and expressing myself through writing, so getting to collaborate with peers on their pieces and watching their ideas come to life is incredibly rewarding!
She/her/hers
Conversational in Spanish
Anisha (Ani) Goorha - Biochemistry and BCSC
I’ve always loved writing and reading. I think that writing is a great way to express yourself in whatever form that you like. I love to work with others to learn about how they best express themselves through writing. I am always excited to meet new people and to chat about stressful writing assignments or to help brainstorm ideas!
She/her/hers
Geneva Hinkson - Politics, Philosophy, and Economics; Minor in Sustainability Studies
I swim in analytical and argumentative circles most days—philosophy, economic theory, political philosophy, law, history. For me, writing is a fight for courage and for clarity. It is a daunting project to externalize an idea on the page. As a writing fellow, I enjoy helping my peers in their versions of this fight.
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Abby Johnson - Creative Writing and Psychology
I love working on brainstorming and organization! Figuring out the best way to get your point across is so satisfying. I value a conversational tutoring style, and I find that getting away from the page and the pressure of writing can make it easier to come up with ideas.
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Eric Kukenberger - Economics and Political Science
Writing can be the perfect medium to express our deepest, most critical, and important thoughts to the world. This is also what makes it such a scary and daunting process! I love turning the jumbled mess of ideas in my head into a structured, impactful, and compelling piece of writing that will make my readers think. Much of my experience is with argumentative research papers, particularly in the social sciences, but I am eager to work with writers of any discipline get their ideas out in a positive and comforting space where all ideas are welcome.
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Grace Lee - Microbiology; Minor in Health Policy
One thing I love about writing is its ability to communicate identity through voice. It's so rewarding to be let in on that process with my peers, and I hope to encourage others to grow as communicators through writing.
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Ruchita Makhun - Financial Economics
From a young age, I devoured books, exploring numerous realms outside the real world. This sparked a passion for creative writing, making me want to become a Writing Fellow. I love being able to help others pour their thoughts on paper to battle writer's block and feel confident in doing so. Writing is all about expressing yourself and I wish to let others know that too!
She/her/hers
Fluent in Mauritian Creole, French; Business Proficient in Hindi
Annie Maloney - Physics and Astronomy; Minors in Creative Writing and Math
I’m an avid reader and writer of pretty much all things. I’ve written a lot of research and analytical essays, lab reports, and creative fiction, and absolutely love the practice of writing as a mode of communication, a device of discovery, and a tool of exploration. My favorite part of tutoring is helping to build a writer's excitement and confidence with their work, and express their ideas the way they want!
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Emma Marder - Psychology; Minors in Brain & Cognitive Science and French
My favorite part of sessions, and of writing in general, is watching a whole piece grow and evolve from an idea, so being able to collaborate with tutees on this process is such a joy. I also adore diction, as finding the perfect word or phrase to convey exactly what you're trying to say is one of the most satisfying feelings language can give us.
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Eleyna Maves - English; Minor in Japanese
Writing is one of my oldest passions and one of the ways I’m most comfortable expressing myself. I’m interested in any writing that breaks the rules of format and convention to test the limits of the medium. My favorite part of tutoring is getting to talk through the writing process with another person and collaboratively workshopping their piece.
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Kendall Miller - Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; Minor in Anthropology
I love being a Writing Fellow because writing has always been a way for me to fully express myself and I love the opportunity to help others do the same through tutoring. I enjoy meeting so many new people with really fascinating ideas and talking through your writing! And there is nothing more satisfying than your final piece coming together and seeing your voice and ideas come through!
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Katie O’Leary - Biology and East Asian Studies
Vice President
For me, tutoring is so rewarding because I love helping writers walk out of the session more confident and feeling better about their writing. I strive to help writers find their voice, while helping them enjoy the process.
She/her/hers
Hannah Ott - Political Science and Philosophy
I've always found that writing is the best way for me to express myself and get my voice out, and I want to be able to help other people utilize that. I think that peer tutoring is a great way to take some of the pressure off of writing, and just be able to have a conversation with someone from an outside perspective!
She/her/hers
Emily Peters - Computer Science
My favorite part of tutoring is acting as an audience for the writer. It can often be hard to imagine someone responding to your work when writing alone, and I enjoy being able to help writers see their pieces as a conversation within a larger community.
She/her/hers
Quynh Anh (Angie) Pham - Digital Media Studies & Computer Science
Advertising Coordinator
Writing is hard - and that's okay! Let's talk it out! I view tutoring as accompanying a fellow student on a journey to take control of their writing process, become more confident, and come to their own voice.
She/they
Fluent in Vietnamese
Mahnoor Raza - English Literature, Political Science
My favorite thing about tutoring is seeing writers realize the value of their work while also gaining an understanding of how it has the potential to evolve. I hope to be a useful resource for fellow students and create a safe space for them to be vulnerable, experimental, and confident in their writing.
She/her/hers
Fluent in Urdu
Nora Rooney - Brain and Cognitive Sciences; Minor in History
One of my favorite feelings while writing is that moment everything suddenly clicks. The writing process can be difficult, but I think that these kinds of realizations make the challenge worth it. As a Writing Fellow, I love watching other writers have their own epiphanies with their work, as all of the pieces start to fall into place. It reminds me why I love writing so much.
She/her/hers
James Sheinbaum - Psychology
Writing is, for me, both a fantastic way to be introspective and communicative. I can learn about myself as I write, and I can also express a point. I think that there is a lot of personal power in being able to express yourself and develop your arguments.
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Michelle Shuai - Philosophy and Health Policy
As someone who enjoys writing, I hope to make writing more accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of what they study. Although writing can be hard, it is an ultimately rewarding experience!
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Lillian Stolberg - Mathematics and Business; Minor in Statistics
What I enjoy most about tutoring is the way both of us will learn something new from each session. I love playing around with organization and testing flow - I'm consistently amazed by the way switching two parts of a piece of writing can completely change its meaning.
She/her/hers
An Vo - Biochemistry
What I enjoy most about tutoring is that I get to learn so much about other disciplines and their people through reading the pieces of writing that fellow students bring to me. I hope to just have conversations with students about what they're writing and accompany them through the writing process from brainstorming through the final draft.
She/her/hers
Fluent in Vietnamese
Nghi Vo - Business: Finance & Business Analytics
Hi everyone! I'm Nghi, a Junior majoring in Business: Finance and Business Analytics tracks. I enjoy tutoring as a way to be there for my fellow students who might be needing any additional support, and I gain an immense sense of joy in learning about my learners' perspectives through their writing. I cannot wait to see everyone, and really look forward to a productive semester ahead!
She/her/hers
Evan Volkin - Economics and Business Analytics
TA/Recruitment Chair
An individual journey, the writing process is different for everyone. I love helping students with all stages of the writing process, from brainstorming ideas to honing final drafts, in a collaborative and welcoming environment.
He/him/his
Jack White - Neuroscience; Minor in Chinese and Clinical Psychology
One of my favorite things about tutoring is being able to facilitate the writing process for students from all kinds of backgrounds here. I love being able to share that there's so much more to understand and learn from writing if you put your mind to it!
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Kathy Yan - Business Analytics; Minor in Chinese and Anthropology
Writing can be difficult. Trust me, we've all been stuck somewhere in the writing process, unable to produce a single ounce of writing. Sometimes you just need someone to look at your work, to test out different methods. I'm here to offer a space for kind, non-judgemental feedback on work from any discipline :)
She/her/hers
Fluent in Mandarin Chinese
Speaking Fellows
Sonali Bello - American Sign Language and Psychology; Minor in Brain and Cognitive Sciences
I love confidence and helping people learn how to feel it, being a Speaking Fellow puts me in a unique position to provide the tools to people to teach themselves how to become their most articulate and confident selves.
She/her/hers
Charlotte Irwin - Neuroscience and Psychology
I became a Speaking Fellow because I wanted to help people build confidence and find their unique public speaking voices.
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Garrett Briggs - Political Science
I love connecting to others through listening to what they are passionate about, and being a Speaking Fellow is a great way to do that. I also enjoy helping out with otherwise intimidating things like interview preparation or public speeches. Watching someone build confidence or improve in other ways is a really rewarding process to be apart of.
He/him/his
Ariel Hirschhorn - Computer Science; Minor in Film
I am a computer science major and film minor, as well as a part of the Take 5 program, where I'll be studying studio art and gender studies. What I enjoy most about tutoring is learning from my tutees about new topics and helping them build confidence in their knowledge!
They/them/theirs
Juju Montes - Music Cognitive Science
I have always been a performer and used to be involved in several singing competitions that sometimes included singing songs in languages I did not fully understand, like Latin, Swahili, and German. This made it harder for me to fully express what the song was about through my singing because I did not have enough time to learn exactly how those languages were sang or spoken. I was able to overcome this challenge by using my body movements to express what songs were saying when singing wasn't fully able to express the song alone. I was only able to learn how to achieve this by reaching out to my peers for help and opening myself up to constructive feedback, the same way I did when learning how to become a speaking fellow because I am passionate about helping my peers achieve their goals too :)
She/they/he
Fluent in Spanish
Christin Napierkowski - Mathematics
I am an undergraduate sophomore working towards degrees in mathematics and teaching & curriculum. Even though I am a STEM major, I have always been passionate about language and communication, especially since I intend to pursue a career in education. I love being a tutor because I enjoy helping others in any way I can, especially with something as vital and interesting as the spoken word.
She/her/hers
Charles Ndlovu - Business and Finance
Hi, it's your boy Charles! I am a business major with a keen interest in Investment banking. When tutoring, I love watching the progression from beginning to end of the session. Comparing where someone starts with a project or presentation to the progress they make by the end of the session is so fulfilling. It reminds me that if you put in an effort, change or improvement can happen without you even realizing it.
He/him/his
Fluent in Ndebele, Zulu
Ha Nguyen (An) - Business Information System and Political Science
My background in Political Science and Business Information System means I have to learn to communicate complex ideas, maybe a political ideology or an algorithm, in an accessible and engaging manner. That's why I have become fascinated by the power of words, especially as we engage and exchange ideas. So I hope through tutoring, I can empower students to also effectively advance their ideas, whether it's through a speech, a presentation or a conversation.
She/her/hers
Fluent in Vietnamese
Jacob Walters - Political Scienceand Psychology
I absolutely love being a speaking fellow. I've always found practice to be the key to public speaking. Everyone can benefit from practicing in front of a low-pressure audience and I love being that audience for others.
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Karla Zendejas - Economics
Speaking Fellows President
I love being a speaking fellow because I used to really struggle with public speaking. Being a speaking fellow I get to help others overcome a lot of the same issues I had and see my tutees grow!
She/her/hers
Fluent in Spanish