Hello! My name is Emelia, and I am in my fourth year (and final semester!) at Southwestern. I am an English major with music and data analytics minors. Apart from the writing center, I am a member of Alpha Phi Omega, Delta Omicron, and the Band of Pirates (SU’s beloved pep band).

I have always loved reading but really became interested in analyzing and discussing what I read in my high school English classes, ultimately leading to my decision to study English on a higher level. Working as a writing consultant feels like an extension of this passion: applying an analytic gaze to a text and having interesting discussions dissecting what’s going on. As a chronic procrastinator and a very busy person, I really understand the frustrations that come with academic writing, and will do my best to help at any stage in the writing process!

I am most versed in the humanities (especially English), but can help with any paper you bring in. I especially love working on film/media papers, as I am always looking for an excuse to talk about movies!

Hi, my name is Mia Figueroa, and I am a senior. I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in Neuroscience. I wanted to be a writing consultant because years of world-building, character creation, and storytelling made me fall in love with creative writing. This passion has extended to academic writing, particularly scientific papers. Working with students through the writing process is such an amazing and rewarding journey, so I am excited to work with you if you choose me as your writing consultant!

Hi! My name is Jessie, and I am a senior majoring in biology and minoring in animal studies. I am the head captain of our cheerleading squad here at Southwestern, a proud member of our EQUIP scholars, and have recently studied abroad in Australia.

I grew up in a small, traditional town in Southern Illinois. As a female, I found it difficult to express myself, my opinions, and even factual information in a way that people would hear, notice, and consider because of the old-fashioned mindset that most citizens in my hometown have, including many of my family members. Throughout my academic career, writing became an outlet where I could express myself clearly, and in an impactful way. Writing has opened many doors for me, and I know it will continue to.

In the future, I hope to become a zoological veterinarian, perform research, report my findings, and possibly change people’s perceptions of zoos for the better. These ambitions require clear writing and communication, which I aim to continue improving while working with all of you.

I’m sure many of you reading this have also struggled with expressing yourself at some point and aspire to better your writing the same way that I do. I am excited to help all of you write more clearly to convey your unique ideas and perspectives to the world around you.

Hi! My name is Addy, and I’m a junior here at SU. I’m a double major in English and Communication Studies. My biggest hobby is definitely reading, especially fantasy and science fiction novels. I love to analyze different aspects of novels so I’m able to understand what the author was aiming to accomplish with the story, and it’s one of my favorite things to dive into in papers! I also enjoy talking about all of the different ways that we as a society work together to communicate and how our different cultures can affect that communication. Outside of literature and communication studies, I’m involved in Greek Life on campus!

Hi! My name is Grace Coan, and I’m a senior here at Southwestern. I’m majoring in English and minoring in Communication Studies, so writing papers is nothing new to me. I also work as a SHARP (Students Helping the Admissions Recruitment Process) Coordinator in our Office of Admissions here on campus.

Coming to Southwestern, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew I loved to read, but I wasn’t sure how to turn that into a major. I was undecided until I took my first English class (Intro to Film, highly recommend) where I discovered that not only do I love to write, but I’m also pretty good at it. From then on, I’ve taken various courses (including but not limited to Creative Writing, Godly Ethics, Shakespeare, Banned Books, etc.) that have helped me develop a passion for this skill, and I would love to share what I’ve learned with you!

Hello, I’m Ava. I am a junior majoring in Theatre and English with a minor in Spanish. I am also involved with many organizations in campus such as Alpha Xi Delta, Pom Squad, and LatinXcel.

Reading has always been my favorite form of escapism throughout my childhood. Being able to dive into worlds and forget the qualms of day to day life was how I spent most of my free time growing up. My junior year of high school was when I discovered my love for writing. It started out with academic papers but also turned into a love for creative writing, specifically poetry. I was in dual credit classes so I was able to learn what kind of writing was expected in college-level courses and with that I was able to find my formula for writing papers. Although that formula has changed throughout the years, that early start gave me a good foundation to continue to strengthen my writing. When I was in high school, I would always get my older siblings to read and review my papers before submitting them and now it’s my goal to be an extra pair of eyes for you and help relieve worries regarding your writing and the process.

Hello everyone! My name is Chandha, and I am a junior majoring in Molecular Biology and minoring in Neuroscience and Health Studies.

Aside from working in the DEWC, I’m a proud ZTA service chair (ZLAM!), an animal care technician in the rat lab, and the student engagement coordinator for the biology department. But don’t let my strongly STEM centered academics fool you! My heart lies with liberal arts, my love for writing, and the study of behavior. As a published academic author of the anthropological article Navigating Desi American Cultural Identity, I’ve slowly but surely become obsessed with people - how they think, form bonds, develop identities, and everything and anything in between. This infatuation with the research and writing process is what drew me to the DEWC my freshman year.

While I can consume books at an absurd pace, organizing the thoughts in my head into coherent writing is something that’s taken time and practice for me. My hope is that as your writing consultant, I can offer some insight into this process for you! Regardless of where you are in your writing journey, we can traverse that path together. I look forward to seeing you in the writing center!

Hi, my name is Iva Irabor-Ighedosa. I am a senior majoring in Biology with a minor in Neuroscience. I really enjoy writing creatively and love diving into complex adult fantasy worlds like The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang or Jade City by Fobda Lee.

I joined the DEWC team as a writing consultant because I understand the anxiety many people feel during any part of the writing process, and I want to support students through it. In addition to this role, I work at the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) as a student associate and serve as the president of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) and the Global Students’ Organization (GSO). I look forward to helping you strengthen your writing and build confidence in your work.

Hi! I’m Tabitha. I am a junior majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Feminist Studies on the Pre-Law track. I am also a research assistant in the Political Science department, a member of Tri-Delta’s philanthropy committee benefitting St. Jude, and love to pop in to various JEDI center meetings when I have the chance. Growing up, reading and writing were a consistent passion and outlet as I formed an understanding of the world around me. Writing is also an important art form in feminist and activist spaces, which I heavily involve myself in. Arriving at college, my love for writing expanded to research and learning how to strengthen arguments and form new opinions. All of this drew me to the DEWC, so that I can use my passion and interest to support my peers and learn more about the Southwestern community. I look forward to meeting you all in the Writing Center!

Hi! My name is Julia, and I’m a junior majoring in Psychology and International Studies with a minor in Chinese.

I’m a Ukrainian-American polyglot with a passion for all things reading, writing, and language learning and have both a creative and critical eye! I’m proficient in both Psychology APA research writing as well as the detail-oriented formal analysis style in Art History. I have always loved the expression of creative writing and from the age of 10, I was convinced I wanted to be a published author: a goal I’m still working on to this day! When I started my psychology classes at Southwestern, I worried about the research essays I would have to craft and dreaded how difficult the process would be. But once I started, I realized there was a beauty in that kind of writing too, and once the key to that outline was unlocked, there was no reason to be scared.

I hope to be able to see you at any point in your writing process, whether research or reflection oriented, and become your support system to help you reach your writing goals!

Hi! My name is Maeve, and I am a senior studying music and philosophy. I am involved in many musical ensembles on campus and in Delta Omicron.

I have always struggled with putting my thoughts into words and even more so with putting them on paper. Writing has always felt daunting so when I began to write about music I felt so overwhelmed. It was a completely different way of writing I had never experienced before.

I have always loved helping people in any way I can. I have learned so much more about writing for music and in general and I cannot wait to help you!

I am a huge reader of fantasy and classical literature. I love to indulge in DND and Magic the Gathering when I am free from playing my guitar. I also love baking sweets during finals week to give out to people and de stress from studying!

Hey there! I’m Mack, a senior studying Music Education here at Southwestern. On campus, I serve as Co-President for the Coalition of Chronic Illness. I’m also involved in the music fraternity, Delta Omicron, and currently serve as Director of Music Activities.

Speaking from personal experience, struggling with your writing can be deeply frustrating. Whether you’re feeling like you can’t do it at all, like you’re so close but need that one final push, or that you’ve finally crested the hilltop and just need someone to look over your work, the Writing Center is the place to go for help. I love helping students strengthen their “writer’s voice,” brainstorm research papers, and put together outlines, among various other writing activities! I’ve completed both the Music Theory series of classes and the Music Literature series of classes and am happy to help in those areas as well.

I believe that writing, when made clear and accessible – which looks different for everyone – can be achievable for anyone. Whether you’re in the middle of writing a persuasive paper, attempting to brainstorm a convincing thesis, just need another set of eyes on an almost-finished product, or anywhere in between, I’m here to support you in your journey. My goal as a consultant is to help you find confidence in your writing, regardless of which step of the process you’re on.

Hey, Howdy Hey! My name is Alyssa, and I’m a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Special Education.

I’m an older student. I served ten years in the United States Air Force, where I met my husband. We have two children who are my inspiration and motivation for pursuing a career as a special educator. My hobbies are reading, watching movies and TV shows. I’m also a HUGE sports fan, basketball is my favorite, but I love talking football and baseball too.

Ever since I toured the DEWC last year in my AES class, I knew I wanted to join this fantastic team. Although I’m an older student, I view myself as someone who is constantly learning and growing from the people around me, which is why I wanted to become a writing consultant. While I enjoy helping others, I love learning from those I help even more because I value others’ cultural backgrounds, values and beliefs, and personal experiences (if you choose to share them, of course).

I believe that everyone’s voice is strong and worthy of being heard. Still, I know that putting it into words can be difficult, frustrating, and at times overwhelming or intimidating. As a consultant, I put you as a person first and your assignment a close second. Doing this for myself has helped me improve as a writer because it has allowed me to capture my voice more easily and smoothly. For example, drawing from my personal experiences as a parent has allowed me to brainstorm ideas that help me draw connections to the course material while also looking at that experience through a different lens.

While this doesn’t make me a writing expert by any means, I use this holistic approach as a way to help with any assignments that just don’t seem to click. During our sessions, I make your needs and learning styles my top priority so I can help you reach your goals. Overall, my goal as a consultant is to help you find or empower your voice, which in turn builds and strengthens your confidence as a writer.

Hi! I’m Eliana Solis, class of ’26. I’m excited to work with you all as both a Writing Consultant and the Intro to Statistics tutor! I am a biology major on a pre-med track, minoring in Spanish and Race & Ethnicity Studies. With that being said, I have a lot of experience writing in different disciplines. My background is in:

-Anthropology

-Biology

-Chemistry

-Philosophy

-Psychology

-Spanish

But feel free to book me for any discipline your writing is in!

As mentioned, I am also the Introduction to Statistics tutor. If any of my hours do not work with your schedule, please email me at solise@southwestern.edu to see if I can accommodate :).

Remember, everyone needs help or guidance. “Common sense” isn’t universal; no one is born knowing everything. I am delighted to be by your side in your academic journey!