Hello! My name is Mia Figueroa and I am a junior. I am majoring in psychology and minoring in neuroscience.

I began to write in middle school, and this is where I was often my happiest. Fantasy and sci-fi have always had a special place in my heart which has carried on to influence my adult life. Some of my favorite writing is creative writing, and I enjoy character creation and plot building. I have been doing creative writing as a hobby for over twelve years and hope to one day publish a novel that I am working on. My love for the writing process only solidified when I began doing academic writing. Working at the writing center was a natural extension of my love of these things.

Writing outside of a hobby can prove difficult. The writing process of academic papers can be very intimidating. As a perfectionist, I understand that sentence structures, grammar, and the flow of writing are all things that can make it seem impossible to know where to start. However, at the writing center, our aim is that we can make these tasks more manageable and build your confidence in writing. I believe that writing can be a vessel of personality, thoughts, and feelings. I hope that the writing center can cultivate your own voice where your important thoughts and feelings can shine through your work! I am excited to engage in academic discussions and be able to learn from your own writing talents. I look forward to meeting whoever might come for a consultation.

Hi! My name is Emma and I’m a senior here at Southwestern, majoring in Anthropology with a minor in Art History and English.

I have a special relationship with writing, one that involves both awe and overthinking. I know what it’s like to love writing but doubt the quality of your work. This conundrum is what initially drew me to the Debby Ellis Writing Center. Getting someone else’s thoughts on my work helps me to feel confident in my writing and better manage my weak spots. I enjoy writing both creatively and academically and understand how sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. I hope to help you at any stage of your writing process and look forward to seeing you!

Hi! My name is Lauren and I am a senior this year at Southwestern. I am a communication major with a double minor in business and political science. I also am a member of other organizations such as The SU Megaphone and AXID.

I think writing is a beautiful form of expression. I appreciate the art of writing in many forms as I consider myself both a cinephile and somewhat of a literarian. I’ve always used it as a way to be fully honest with myself and process my own thoughts and feelings. Part of me also has considered a career using that appreciation to create my own art. That being said, I consider myself a perfectionist when it comes to my own writing. If I feel it isn’t up to my own expectations I keep it hidden out of fear of criticism or rejection. It can be disheartening when you feel proud of something and someone picks it apart like it’s nothing. It’s been a struggle to work through my own issues with that, so I understand the hesitance of having a stranger read your work.

My job here is to help you communicate your voice in what you write. Think of me as an extension of yourself in this process. This is not a place of interrogation and judgment, and as a consultant I want to do whatever I can to help you feel comfortable and capable. Academic writing can be very subjective. It is difficult to know how to articulate your voice through the chaos of it all, but rest assured that the writing center will do our best to help you navigate through your college writing career. After all, at the end of the day we are also just students and we’re all experiencing this together.

Hi! My name is Allie, and I’m a senior Biology major with a double minor in Spanish and health studies. I’ve always loved reading and writing since I was a kid. I love the ability to learn about different perspectives and worlds in different voices other than my own. I also enjoy the ability to convey my own stories and ideas through different writing outlets whether it’s a more formal academic paper or a creative story written in my free time.

Being primarily in STEM, I’ve felt anxious about trying to convey facts discovered through research in ways that are both professional as well as interesting for someone to read. It’s overwhelming at first to see all of the aspects of an academic paper and try to figure out where to start. However, I’ve discovered that writing these reports can be simpler than they seem at first glance when you break the report into parts and focus on reporting the results you’ve worked hard to find. I’ve also gotten the chance to take classes in English and environmental studies that have let me develop my voice in my writing and put together works I’m proud of. As a consultant, I want to help people feel more confident in their writing and realize that writing can be a great way to express themselves!

Hello! My name is Emelia, and I am in my third year 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, Band of Pirates, and The Megaphone.

I have always loved literature, but I became interested in writing about what I read in my middle school English classes. I learned to analyze the choices made by authors and their effect on readers, and loved discussing that with my classmates. I became an English major in order to (hopefully) do that for the rest of my life.

In a consultation, we will have these discussions about your own writing. College writing allows for a depth of analysis that most students have not encountered before, and I want to help put that to paper. I am very comfortable with humanities papers, but I can help with whatever you bring in. I love discussing new and interesting ideas, and will enthusiastically do so at any point in your writing process! 

Hello, I’m Ava. I am a sophomore 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 sophomore 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 Maeve, and I am a junior 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!

Howdy, my name is Alexander! Or Alex, if you’d prefer, I’m not picky. I’m a junior English major, and for as long as I can remember I’ve had a particular passion for storytelling. Film, literature, poetry, music, anything with words I’ve taken an interest in. I think of myself as a creative writer, and writing is how I spend most of my time.

For the longest time, I thought I hated academic writing. No one has ever enjoyed reading or writing an academic paper… until last year, when I realized that writing about something you love doesn’t have to be dry and boring. It can be exciting, passionate, and fun! That’s my mission in everything, to turn the dull into the intriguing and the mundane into the life-changing. And at the DEWC, it has become my mission to help you accomplish the same.

Hi there! My name is Matthew, and I’m a junior this year at Southwestern. I’m majoring in Music Education and am a member of the co-ed Music fraternity Delta Omicron. I also serve as the Vice President of the Coalition of Chronic Illness.

My initial relationship with academic writing was not a positive one. Although I loved to read and often expressed ideas through creative writing, discovering my voice in an academic setting was very difficult. My experience writing for classes in the Religion department seemed completely irrelevant when it came to researching and writing about the arias and symphonies I was assigned to study. It wasn’t until I found a framework for academic writing that I was able to feel comfortable with writing assignments. 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 what step of the process you find yourself in.

Hi! My name is Jessie, and I am a junior 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.

Hey! My name is Eliana and I’m a junior this year. I am a Biology major on a pre-med track. I’m also double minoring in Spanish and Race & Ethnicity Studies.

Despite my STEM-focused education, I’ve always loved my English classes and the deep analysis it required. Entering college meant an initial pause to this style of writing as I had to fill my time with chemistry, biology, and their respective labs. Lab reports were a struggle during my first semester, but after years of practice and getting to know different professors’ preferences, I can easily work my way through them. I know how stressful it can be due to the vast number of rules scientific writing requires. I am more than happy to help anyone develop their lab report writing skills!

Aside from STEM focused writing, I also have experience and take enjoyment from writing in other disciplines. After now having finished my Spanish minor, I can say with full confidence that anyone in Spanish I, II, or III may come to me for any assistance in the various writing assignments those classes ask for. Additionally, my Race & Ethnicity Studies minor has exposed me to a number of Philosophy classes. Writing in philosophy was initially my greatest weakness. Learning how to articulate intricate ideas in a limited amount of pages is more difficult than I thought it would be. These papers were often frustrating and stressful as essays make up most of the grade. I am here to share the tips and tricks I’ve learned so far with you!

Writing while stressed out isn’t a fun experience, and I want to be by your side as you develop your writing skills. That’s why I came to the DEWC! I’m excited to get to meet you!

Hi!

My name is Ashten. I am a senior majoring in Psychology B.S. and minoring in Health Studies. Although I am a STEM consultant, I am also a writing consultant for other disciplines due to the structure of DEWS. I have taken a broad range of humanity courses that are writing intensive, so I’m very familiar with those types of essays.

I haven’t always been proficient in writing, and I’m aware of the struggles and anxiety towards creating a paper. In light of this, I found that because of my struggles, I have gained insight into breaking through writer’s block and finding motivation for a paper. Instead of overthinking every word on the page, it can be more of a creative process. This allows you to express yourself in the papers you write. Most of the time papers don’t happen all at once. You may need to sketch it out first, put some simple brush strokes down, knock out most of the big picture, and then go in with details to clean it up. In the end, writing is a creative process regardless of discipline.

In the writing center, my job is to give you the steps and guidance towards helping you create the best picture of your knowledge in a subject. No matter where you are in the writing process, I’m here to help! Who knows? Maybe, after a couple of visits writing could even start feeling fun.

Looking forward to seeing you in the center!