Administrative Staff:
Dr. Carolyn Wisniewski, Director (she/her)
As an administrator, teacher, and scholar, I’m committed to the learning that takes place during the one-to-one teaching of writing. Before joining the Workshop as its Director in 2015, I worked in four university writing centers, an athletic tutoring center, and a non-profit community literacy center. I have taught undergraduate and graduate courses in persuasive writing, public writing, writing research methods, composition theory and pedagogy, and writing center theory, research, and practice. My recent research focuses on two areas: (1) response to student writing and (2) modes of writing center tutorials. My work examining how language ideologies affect TAs’ and tutors’ values and practices for responding to student writing has appeared in publications like Research in the Teaching of English and Journal of Response to Writing. My co-authored research (with a team of writing center consultants) comparing face-to-face and synchronous online tutorials has appeared in The Writing Center Journal, and I have begun a follow-up study comparing experiences across in-person, live online, and asynchronous online tutorial modes (currently under review). Language(s): English
Kim S., Office Support Specialist (she/her)
I am here to welcome you to the Writers Workshop! I am available to answer questions, help schedule appointments, and direct you to resources to help you with your writing. If there’s something you want to know more about, I will find the answer!
I work for the Center for Writing Studies and the Writers Workshop providing marketing and management support as they help the entire campus with various writing-related needs. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management (with a minor in Entrepreneurship) from Eastern Illinois University, and an Associate’s degree in Business Administration from Lake Land College. I’ve held previous positions in banking, retail, and even a haunted house (despite this, I still move through them as quickly as possible!).
I have little free time due to my many roles as mom, wife, home manager, and parishioner. When I do have time to relax, I find myself catching up on my ever-growing YouTube “Watch Later” list or pursuing creative outlets including writing, reading, graphic design, and organizing spaces in my home. Language(s): English
Megan Cole, Associate Director (she/her)
I have been teaching and working with student writers here at UIUC for 9 years, first as a PhD student in the Literature program and now as a Lecturer in the English Department. I especially enjoy helping writers discover their unique voice, experiment with different genres, and develop writing habits and values. My literature research focuses on gender and sexuality in eighteenth-century British literature, and I have also been a part of research projects studying composition courses and library instructional resources here at UIUC. When not talking about writing and reading, I enjoy watching sports, working jigsaw puzzles, and planning my next big travel adventure. Language(s): English
Antonio H., Assistant Director (he/him)
Emily M., Assistant Director (she/her) Communication
I am a doctoral candidate in Communication and delighted to be an assistant director at the Writers Workshop. My research is concerned with topics relevant to interpersonal communication, health, and mediated communication technologies. My published work can be found in avenues such as Communication Research, New Media & Society, and Health Communication. I am also a co-managing editor for the Sex and Psychology blog and podcast, where we focus on making sex-related research accessible. At the Writers Workshop, I strive to find ways to best support writers and writing consultants through understanding what kinds of messages best support them and their work. Language(s): English
Keira B., Office Assistant (she/her)
Hi! My name is Keira, and I am a sophomore I-Health major on the pre-PT track. In my free time, I love reading, staying active, watching movies with friends, and trying out different coffee shops. I’m so excited to collaborate with the Writers Workshop and meet our writers this semester! Language(s): English
Mariah C., Office Assistant (she/her)
Hi! My name is Mariah and I am a junior on the pre-law track. I’m majoring in History with minors in Legal Studies and Political Science. In my free time I love to read, watch new movies, and spend time in the sun! Language(s): English
Martha S., Office Assistant (she/her)
I’m a political science major with a minor in classics. I love reading, thrifting, and spending time at the beach! In the future, I hope to work in the public health sector as a policy analyst. Language(s): English
Ryann I., Office Assistant (she/her)
Hi! My name is Ryann, and I am a senior studying Psychology on a pre-law track. In my free time, I like to read books, watch movies, and hang out with friends! Language(s): English
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Consultants:
Alex T. (she/her) Clinical Psychology & Creative Writing
Arianna G. (she/her) English & Advertising
August H. (they/them) Anthropology and American Indian Studies
August is a PhD Candidate in Anthropology. Their ethnographic work examines multispecies communities at wild animal sanctuaries, and the ethics of captivity and interspecies care. August holds BAs in Philosophy and Sociology and a Graduate Minor in American Indian and Indigenous Studies. Their writing practice is highly interdisciplinary, drawing from literary criticism, ethology, zoology and other natural sciences. Prior to graduate study, they worked in the labor movement and nonprofit world, which also gave them experience in technical and grant writing. August particularly enjoys consulting with, and learning from, writers with disabilities and neurodivergent writers. Language(s): English, Spanish (academic)
Bailey J. (she/her) English major with minors in Computer Science and Music
Hi! I am a sophomore English major with minors in Computer Science and Music. I’m most familiar with humanities and fine arts writing, but my interdisciplinary background has given me experience with research-based and technical writing as well. I enjoy helping students of all disciplines, and my goal is to help you develop your unique voice and confidence as a writer. Whether you’re brainstorming, drafting, or revising, I look forward to helping you throughout the writing process and achieving your goals! Language(s): English
Bill S. (they/them) Psychology PhD, major in Social and minor in Cognitive and Quantitative
I have a BA in Psychology and Interdisciplinary Studies (concentrations in Multicultural and Gender Studies) with a minor in Creative Writing and a MS in Psychology. I have four years of cumulative writing tutoring experience and have taught Social Psychology, Psychology of Prejudice & Discrimination, Research Methods, and Capstone/Thesis. I have reviewed manuscripts for Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, Psychology of Women Quarterly, and Fat Studies. I enjoy tutoring APA papers, quantitative research articles, and statements of purpose as well as fiction and grad school research statements. Language(s): English, Spanish (conversational)
Casey R. (she/her) Civil & Environmental Engineering and Computer Science
I am a 4th year PhD Candidate in Civil & Environmental Engineering and a Masters student in Computer Science! Between my undergrad at Purdue University and grad school, I have worked on many engineering journal papers, conference papers, technical reports, class projects, research presentations, and research posters. I’ve also been a TA for several engineering courses and have experience with data analysis and visualization and preparing application materials, such as fellowship & personal statements, resumes, cv’s, and cover letters. STEM writing is my specialty, but I’m happy to help writers from all disciplines! Language(s): English
Daniel R. (he/him) History
I have over five years of experience as a teaching assistant in the history department, where I have overseen students of all academic levels in both small and large class sizes. In addition to being a teaching assistant, I have worked as a tutor for both high school and college ESL students, helping them navigate the challenges of academic writing. I also have experience writing grants in my capacity as a union organizer. Language(s): English, Spanish
Darby E. (she/her) Political Science & Spanish
Eda Y. (she/her) MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL)
I have three years of experience supporting international students in ESL writing, with my own research focusing on identity (re)construction and immigration. I enjoy working with students on essay structure, sentence clarity, and overall unity and coherence. I can also provide guidance on specific types of writing, such as argumentative essays, problem analysis essays, annotated bibliographies, compare/contrast essays, and rhetoric and argumentation. Language(s): English, Turkish
Ekangika M. (she/her) Neuroscience and Political Science
I am a junior majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Political Science. I have experience with research-based writing in the sciences and the humanities and enjoy engaging with diverse genres and disciplines. I’m eager to work with you at any stage of the writing process. Whether you’re drafting a personal statement, developing a research paper, or exploring a new idea, I am always happy to listen and look forward to helping you achieve your writing goals! Language(s): English
Gabriella H. (they/them) English, MFA in Creative Writing
I am an MFA candidate in Creative Writing, specializing in fiction. I have previous experience supporting writers and researchers as a teacher of RHET 105, CW 104, and CW 200 here at UIUC. My writing experience involves not only creative work, but also extensive work with multimodal forms, application materials, and academic writing of all kinds, although I am most familiar with the humanities. I believe writing is a process, and I’m here to help you at any step along the way! Language(s): English
Graciela B. (she/her) History and Latina/o Studies with a minor in Spanish
Hannah C. (she/her) English/Literary Studies
I am a Ph.D. student in Literary Studies, and I am also pursuing an Asian American Studies minor. My research areas surround Asian American Literature and Poetry as well as Disability Studies. I have previous experience tutoring, teaching Rhetoric 105, and working as a teaching assistant for Intro to Asian American Studies. I am familiar with personal statements, resumes, and papers in the humanities. I can also help with revising creative works, such as poems and nonfiction pieces. As a tutor, I aim to help writers during any part of their writing process and to discover their writerly voice. Language(s): English
Hector I. (he/him) Major: Aerospace Engineering, Minor: Materials Science and Engineering
Hilary M. (she/they) Ethnomusicology, School of Music
Hilary is a Ph.D. candidate in ethnomusicology who specializes in writing about music and sound. She enjoys all stages of the research and writing process and has years of experience tutoring STEM students in writing in the humanities. As a tutor, teacher, and learner, Hilary is especially interested in understanding and utilizing diverse learning processes, especially for students with cognitive disabilities. Language(s): English, French, Tibetan
Kirsten J. (she/her) Library and Information Science
Hello! I am a second-year student in the Master of Library and Information Science program, and previously completed my B.A. in English here at Illinois. I am now in my third year as a tutor at the Writers Workshop. I’m familiar with many different types of writing, especially in humanities and social sciences, but personal statements and application materials are some of my favorite things to work on. I’m looking forward to helping you become more confident in your writing skills! Language(s): English
Laurel M. (she/her) Intradisciplinary Psychology
Hello! I am a junior majoring in Intradisciplinary Psychology and minoring in both English and Criminology, Law, & Society. Since high school, I have had multiple tutoring and mentoring experiences including SAT tutoring, English tutoring, and being an LAS James Scholar Peer Mentor. I typically work with papers from either the humanities or social sciences, but I am happy to help writers with any discipline! Particularly, I enjoy revising essays, presentations, and creative works. In general, I enjoy working with writers to hep them overcome challenges and present their best possible work. Language(s): English
Lydia O. (she/her) Dual degree in Speech and Hearing Science (AHS) and Spanish (LAS)
Hello! I am an undergraduate writer and researcher pursuing a dual degree in Speech and Hearing Science as well as Spanish. I have extensive experience tutoring English composition for both native and non-native writers. I’d be more than happy to assist with research, argumentative, and expository writing, from brainstorming to final drafts. I also enjoy working with application materials, including personal statements, ICT transfer essays, and study abroad applications. I am open to writers from all disciplines and love working with ESL writers! Language(s): English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, a little Mandarin (but not much)
Lyric R. (she/her) Major: Journalism, Minors: Political Science and Studio Art
Hi, I’m Lyric! I’m a sophomore majoring in Journalism with minors in Political Science and Studio Art. In high school, I worked as a writing center tutor, supporting students with everything from personal statements to creative writing. As a consultant at the Writers Workshop, I have experience helping writers with ICT applications, personal statements, class papers, presentations, and more. No matter where you are in your writing process, I’m eager to work with you to develop your ideas and bring them to life! Language(s): English
MacKenzie G. (she/her/ella) PhD Student – Comparative and World Literature; Music
I have worked at several Writing Centers at different universities across my time as a university student, and I love helping writers feel confident in structure, argument, and style of their writing. While I am prepared to offer support across disciplines and writing tasks, as a PhD student in Comparative Literature, I am best-equipped to provide feedback on writing in the humanities and social sciences. Language(s): English, Spanish
Macy H. (she/her) Psychology, Brain & Cognitive Neuroscience, Integrative Biology & Music
I have experience as an editor in many genres, but primarily in academic research and journalism. I am the Editor-in-Chief the Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal, which focuses on IB, MCB, Bioengineering, and Psychology research writing. As a consultant, I am open to all disciplines and genres, but particularly developing research, syntheses, and literature reviews. I like working with citations, flow, organization, and style/formatting conventions. Language(s): English, American Sign Language
Maris D. (she/her) Veterinary Medicine/Program in Ecology, Evolution, Conservation Biology
Michael G. (he/him) Sociology with minor in Political Science and Criminology, Law, and Society
Hi! I have two years of experience serving as a chief editor of undergraduate legal publications and a semester-worth of experience as chief editor of a creative writing journal. My major in Sociology and minor in Political Science give me a breadth of knowledge about the social sciences, and my experience as an editor gives me a good amount of skill to help identify what your instructors are looking for in your assignments. Additionally, I have personal experience with and a good understanding of personal statements for applications and would be happy to look over yours! Languages: English
Omar H. (he/him) Sociocultural Anthropology with minor in LLS
I currently work as an academic coach with student-athletes here at UIUC, and I have experience working with students at a variety of different stages of their academic journey and across different disciplines as a TA in the anthropology department. I’m most familiar with writing genres that are common in the Social Sciences and Ethnic Studies, and my training as an anthropologist has given me ample experience with Ethnographic writing in particular. Languages: English, Spanish
Peizhen W. (she/her) English
I (she/her) am a Ph.D. student in English Literature focusing on Digital Humanities (Literature + Programming), Science Fiction/Fantasy, Fan Studies, etc.. I hold a B.A. in English Literature from Tsinghua University. I have tutored in academic writing for five years, and have taught 100 and 200 level courses in writing and literary studies at UIUC. My research fields are highly interdisciplinary, and I am happy to work with students from humanities, STEM, fine arts, and other areas. Language(s): English, Mandarin Chinese
Sarah O. (she/her) Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience
My name is Sarah and I am a fifth year PhD student in the Cognitive Neuroscience program! I have 4 years of experience working with students on their writing, including second language writing. I especially enjoy working on research proposals, application pieces (e.g., personal statements, CVs), and manuscripts. One of my strengths is helping students emphasize the most important points in their writing. I am excited to work with writers in any specialty! Language(s): English
Serena N. (she/her) English with minors in Political Science and Legal Studies
Hi! I’m a junior undergraduate student majoring in English with minors in political science and legal studies. This is my third semester as a consultant for the Writers Workshop. I have experience assisting with all parts of the writing process for course papers, application essays, and more. I especially enjoy assisting with brainstorming ideas. However, whether you’re outlining or making final edits, I look forward to helping you feel confident and supported throughout your writing journey! Language(s): English
Stephanie F. (she/her) English & Psychology with minor in Legal Studies
Hi! I am a sophomore majoring in English and Psychology. I have experience on the Undergraduate Law Review as a full-year writer, where I published a law note on Moody v. NetChoice. I enjoy helping students with the structure of their papers and the clarity of their reasoning. My favorite types of writing include personal statements and argumentative essays. I am fluent in Bulgarian and have an intermediate level of Spanish, so I am also very passionate about helping non-native speakers feel confident in their writing skills. I look forward to working with you! Language(s): English, Bulgarian (proficient), Spanish (intermediate)
Taylor B. (he/him) Studio Art with a minor in English
Hi! I’m a senior undergrad majoring in Studio Art and minoring in English. My favorite topics to write and read about are comics and medieval Europe, and I like to draw, crochet, and watch video essays in my free time. The writing genres that I’m most familiar with are art history, social studies, and speeches/presentations, but I’ll try my best to help with whatever you bring in! 🙂 Language(s): English
Valerie R. (she/her) Curriculum and Instruction