Staff
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Director:
Celeste DelRusso
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Assistant Director:
Cate Romano is a former Rowan Writing Center tutor turned Interim Assistant Director. An alum of Rowan's Masters in Writing / Teaching Experience Program, she is now a lecturer in the Writing Arts department, where she teaches courses in the First Year Writing program and in the Writing Arts major. Her teaching and tutoring practices are rooted in intersectional feminist and antiracist philosophies of pedagogy.
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Fall 2018 Staff
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Donna Mehalchick-OpalDonna Mehalchick-Opal is a graduate student in Rowan University's MA in Writing program and a Teaching Experience Program (TEP) Instructor in the First Year Writing Program. She is also the English Language Specialist Tutor and Tutor Coordinator at the Rowan Writing Center. Donna earned her Bachelor's degree in Writing at Rowan University and Associate's degrees in Psychology and Communications from Rowan at Gloucester County College. Donna's Experience includes tutoring English Language Learners one on one and in small groups in a variety of settings, including college, adult basic education and corporate settings, teaching English for specific purposes, business writing, TOEIC and TOEFL writing classes. Donna’s areas of interest are writing instruction for English Language Learners (ELLs) and students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
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Morgan DouglasHi, I'm Morgan. I have been a tutor at RWC for the past two years, and the STEM coordinator for the last year. I specialize in scientific, medical and technological writing, and creative writing. My undergraduate area of research is in R-STM, primarily focusing ion how as a tutor I can better my undergraduate and graduate clients' writing practices and experiences in both the STEM and STEAM areas of study. I have experience in working with clients preparing for the MCAT and GRE, writing conference abstracts and proposals, data collection and interpretation, graduate school applications, and helping I/CC1 and CC2 students revise their portfolios for end of the semester submission just to name a few. I have taken several specific WA and BIO classes primary to my interest, including: Honors Medical Writing and Rhetoric, SP TP Communication Biology, Biometry, CWI & CWII, Poetry, and I'm currently in Special Topics Rhetoric in Science, Technology, and Medicine. Additionally, I have tons of experience with CSE, APA, & Chicago. So, feel free to make an appointment with me and let's work on your writing together! I can't wait to meet you! (pronouns: she/her/hers)
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Carmen GrassoHi, I’m Carmen. I completed my undergrad majoring in both Writing and Radio/Television/Film. I am currently a 2nd year graduate student working towards my Masters in Writing. Fall 2019 will be my first semester working at the RWC, but I also have experience teaching FYW classes here at Rowan. I like to tutor students who are passionate about their topics. I also would love to see any multimodal writing projects or RTF writing projects. Some Writing Intensive or specialty writing classes I’ve taken are American English Grammar, Film Scenario Writing, TV Program Packaging, and Film Research and Criticism. I have goals to be published both creatively and scholarly, and I want to eventually teach some creative writing classes. I like to write analyses, script/video/visual based writing, short stories, jokes, and new projects/activities for my classes. My favorite book is The Comic Book Story of Professional Wrestling (highly recommend if you’re at all interested in wrestling), and I am currently binging/watching Impractical Jokers, Naruto, and various wrestling shows/ppvs.
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Dominick MarconiHi Guys! I’m Dom and I’m a Masters of Writing student and I am working at the Rowan Writing Center for what is now my fourth year. I enjoy helping tutees with anything and everything and I especially love getting to learn new things through my tutees’ papers—the stranger the better! My specialty is creative writing, particularly poetry and fiction. At Rowan, I’ve taken Creative Writing 1+2, Writing Fiction, Writing Poetry, Screenwriting 1+2, and Fundamentals of Playwriting as well as The Writer’s Mind and Writing, Research + Technology.
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Laura KincaidI am a 2nd year MA in Writing student, with my undergraduate in Writing Arts with a Creative Writing Minor and New Media/Publishing Concentration. I have 4 semesters of tutoring experience. I’ve taken Writing Intensive courses like How Writers Read, Writer’s Mind, and Writing, Research, & Technology. As an honors student, I took courses outside my major like Religions in America and Exploring Social Issues Through Theatre & Dance. I’m familiar with both MLA and APA. I’ve been a part of both Rowan’s undergraduate and graduate literary magazines. I hope to be a published author one day! I love being a tutor because I love to help others succeed, and often learn something myself along the way. In my free time, I love to read books, listen to podcasts, and watch cartoons.
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Genna GaskillI am a fifth year undergraduate student majoring in Elementary Education and Liberal Studies with my sequences in Writing Arts and English. This will be my fourth year at the Rowan Writing Center and I have taken a number of courses involving tutoring writing. I am very knowledgeable in APA and MLA format. I hope to one day have one or more of my short stories published. What I love most about being a tutor here is the ability to meet new people and the chance to foster my own writing skills. My favorite author is Kurt Vonnegut and I love reading romance and historical fiction. I am a Resident Assistant on campus and a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha. I love to meet new people and learn new things, and in my free time I love to watch Netflix!
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Grace Van CleefHey everyone, I'm Grace! I'm a senior double majoring in Psychology and Communication Studies with an Honors Concentration. This is my third year working at the Writing Center. In addition to the Writing Center, I work on campus as a research assistant in Rowan's ASSeRT (Aggression, Substance Abuse, and Sexuality Research Team) Lab and as an intern at Healthy Campus Initiatives in the Wellness Center. I love music and performing, and I'm a member of Rowan Vocals a cappella, Rowan's concert choir, and the Honors Murder Mystery dinner. I also volunteer as a peer mentor through the BLAST program within the Bantivoglio Honors College. In my limited free time, I enjoy cooking, hanging out with friends, and sleeping. I would love to help with papers regarding psychology, media analysis, social justice, politics, music, or any other topics!
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Julia TaorminaHello! My name is Julia and I am a senior here at Rowan. My majors are Elementary Education and Writing Arts with a certificate of undergraduate study in Creative Writing. I enjoy learning from my peers, as we all come from different disciplines. Some of the classes that I have taken or am currently taking are How Writer's Read, Writer's Mind, American English Grammar, Creative Writing, Writing and Craft for Elementary students and much more. An educational goal of mine is to receive a certificate for teaching English as a second language. I am passionate about helping people and growing as a learner and an educator. I look forward to meeting you and helping you become a confident writer!
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Baillie DoughertyHello! My name is Baillie Dougherty and I am a senior Early Childhood Education and Writing Arts dual major. This upcoming fall will be my third year working as a tutor at the Writing Center! Throughout my years at Rowan, I have taken many writing classes including How Writers Read, Rhetorics of Style, WRT, The Writer’s Mind, and many others! I have also taken a handful of Early Childhood and Education classes, targeting lesson planning and different assignments. Also, I have experience with formal and professional writing, including history, biology, and psychology-based assignments. At Rowan, I am a member of the Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority and the Early Childhood Education club. In my free time I like to listen to music, watch Netflix, and do anything outdoors! I look forward to meeting you soon!
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Julie DarpinoHello! My name is Julie Darpino and I am a graduate student in Writing Arts. I also teach College Composition 1, and have two years of tutoring experience. I am familiar with a variety of writing genres, such as research reports, essays, resumes, annotated bibliographies, and creative writing genres like, nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and children’s stories. I can also assist you with APA format! Some writing based courses I have taken at Rowan include, How Writers Read, Communication Theory, Technical Writing, Creative Writing, Poetry, and Writing Research and Technology. I am happy to help at any stage of your writing process and look forward to working with you!
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Kwame Sekyere |
Lia MahoneyI am a Junior Mechanical Engineering Major with a concentration in Honors. This is my second year as a writing center tutor. I have been involved with a research project with the ExEED (Experimental Engineering Education Program) department and therefore I am a co-author for a published paper in ASEE (American Society of Engineering Education). I am involved in the club American Society of Mechanical Engineers. I love to help others and would be happy to help you with your assignments.
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Nicole TotaI’m a junior English major with minors in Women’s and Gender Studies, American Studies, International Studies, and History, along with an Honors concentration. I’ve been a Writing Center tutor for 3 semesters and I specialize in first year writing/intensive college composition assignments. When I’m not in writing burnout mode, I write poetry, short stories, and hope to finish a novel someday. I aspire to be a writing center director; I believe that writing should be accessible and enjoyable for all and that there are no bad writers, just people who’ve been told that they are and internalized it. In my free time, you can find me crocheting, reading Game of Thrones, and watching Doctor Who. I can’t wait to meet you!
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Brody SteeleI’m a fourth year Environmental Studies major with minors in both Planning and Geo-Science and have a year of tutoring experience under my belt. I focus in aiding Comp I and II students with portfolios and portfolio related papers, along with topics outside of composition writing. I have a proper understanding of MLA, APA, and Chicago styles of writing and citations, and I love working with students to help achieve their writing goals, it is my favorite part of tutoring. I also thoroughly enjoy working with creative writers and helping them work on anything from poetry to music lyrics. Some of my favorite hobbies include playing music, working out, and playing games, along with focusing on helping the environment and the people around me. I hope we can work together to help each other grow and learn here at Rowan.
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Shanara Chung |
Nia TiftHi! I'm Nia Tift and I'm a third year psychology major with a dual concentration in French and Dance. I was a Supplemental Instructor for the 2018 edition of the ASCEND Pre-College Institute program. I enjoy working and participating with the Office of Social Justice and Conflict Resolution; such as, Dining for Diversity and Women’s History Month events. I am also a mentor for the Harley E. Flack High School Mentoring Program and had the pleasure of being mentored via the Harley E. Flack Mentoring Program. I consider myself to be an inspirational writer and an avid reader of realistic fiction.
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Charlie RickleHi! I'm Charlie (He/him/his) and I am a junior Music Therapy major here at Rowan University. This is my second year working in the Writing Center, where my favorite writing to help with is outlining and planning, although I am proficient in lab reports, and research as well as comp classes. I am also fond of creative writing if you ever want someone to take a look at anything! I tutor because I enjoy helping other people and find that every interaction yields some sort of learning. Outside of the Writing Center, I am the President of the Rowan Music Therapy Club, and a member of the Collegium Musicum. Being that I am a Music Therapy Major, I have an understanding of both psychology and music. I am an advocate for LGBT rights and I spend my free time finding different crafts to do such as knitting or sewing. I look forward to working with you!
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Dina Folgia |
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Anthony DefinoHello, my name is Anthony! I am currently a third year Rowan university student and a second year writing tutor. I am an English major minoring in Creative Writing, and pursuing a CUGS in Radio, Television, and Film. I am also a member of the Rowan Television Network and Cinema Workshop. As a writer, I have a passion for fiction, poetry, screenwriting, and anything else that gives me the potential to create. I am always looking for a great story, and hope to one day create a story of my own that affects others the way that I have been affected by my favorite stories. In addition, I have a deep love of music, as a singer and a (not so great) guitarist, with a specific love for classic rock. I am always ready to help with whatever I’m able to and always look forward to learning and finding new experiences!
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John EganI’m a junior majoring in Modern Languages and Linguistics. My advanced concentration is in Japanese, my intermediate concentration is in German, and my novice concentration is Spanish. I am either currently minoring in or will be minoring in International Studies, German Studies, Asian Studies, and Political Science. As such, I have taken the Writing Intensive course Intro to International Studies. I have been tutoring at the Writing Center for a year and am currently also working as the Multilingual Coordinator. I love to participate in and host events at the Writing Center like movie nights and poetry open mics. While tutoring, I am the most familiar with APA and MLA, but I can manage well enough with Chicago style. One day, I would love to travel the world as an English teacher. Doing so, I hope to learn many languages and see as much of the world as possible. That goal extends to why I tutor. Tutoring allows me to work with and learn from all different kinds of students at Rowan. My favorite book series is A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin and my favorite thing to do in my free time is play music on my guitar, keyboard, or ukulele.
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Liz PoppalardoI’m a junior majoring in Elementary Education and English. I’ve taken a number of English and Writing Intensive courses, including Critical Methods, US Literature I & II, British Literature I, and College Composition I & II; I’m fluent in MLA and APA formatting; I’ve worked in the Rowan Writing Center for over a year; I enjoy both academic and creative writing. I enjoy tutoring, as I one day would love to become a teacher in an Elementary classroom, helping students learn, express themselves, and find their individual creativity.
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Alex GeffardI’m a second year graduate student in the 4+1 program majoring in Writing Arts, with 2 semesters of tutoring experience. I’ve taken quite a few Writing Intensive courses including The Writer’s Mind, How Writers Read, and Rhetorics of Style. I’m fluent in MLA (as well as English and French), and I’ve worked on Rowan’s graduate literary magazine, Glassworks, following 2 semesters as an intern for the Writing Arts department. I’ve also taken several Radio/TV/Film courses, which I’ve been able to relate to my Writing projects, and I hope to earn a PhD in Cinema Studies someday. As a tutor I enjoy helping others improve their writing skills, which helps me to practice what I’ve learned in my own studies. My favorite books are An Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris (now a prestigious film!), Unholy Night by Seth Grahame-Smith (still a surprisingly good time!), The Godfather by Mario Puzo (still my all-time favorite film!), and The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (soon to be an Amazon Prime show!). Outside of school, I enjoy fencing, swimming, ping-pong, and practicing Aikido. To relax, I like to write fiction, read books and comics, watch movies, and listen to classic rock.
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liz romeo offenbacherHi everyone, I’m Liz! I received my BA in Writing Arts in 2016. I spent the past few years working as an Assistant Editor at a medical publishing company before deciding to come back to Rowan. I’m currently a graduate student working towards her Master’s in Writing Arts. I’ve had over four years of tutoring experience, and this will be my third year with the Rowan Writing Center. I’ve taken several relevant writing- and English-related courses, including American English Grammar. I have also taken many science courses, including General Chemistry I and II, Organic Chemistry I, Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, and more. I am familiar with APA and MLA citation styles. In my free time, I enjoy playing with my cats and foster kittens, cooking and baking, and running. I love working with the many diverse students we see at the Writing Center, and hope you’ll sign up for an appointment with me!
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TJ ShreiberMy name is TJ Schreiber and I am a senior Radio, TV, And FIlm Major. This is my first Semester at the Writing Center and I am happy to be here to give back to the Rowan community. I have been in many writing intensive course both here and my previous college including Creative Writing 1, Screenwriting, and Episodic Screenwriting. I also know how to use Adobe Audition and Premiere Pro. I love to write and think of stories and characters. In fact I want to publish something someday like a book or a tv show. Two of my favorite book are World War Z (the book was so much better) and Divine Misfortune. I also have been watching Seinfeld and Bob’s Burgers on Hulu.
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Samuel FineI am a first year graduate student in the Master’s of Writing Arts program and this is my first year with the writing center. I hold a Rowan University Bachelor’s of the Arts in Writing with a concentration in Creative Writing as well as a Gloucester County College Associate’s of the Arts in English. My specialties are creative writing and literary analysis, so please bring me your poems, short stories, and English papers for tutoring. As a Multi-Modal coordinator for the Writing Center, I am also ready to help with multi-media projects in any genre. I have also taken courses in astronomy, art history, biology, and music and am well versed in writing for all of those subjects.
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Chloe DesirHi, I'm Chloe. I am currently a junior majoring in Political Science with a minor in Spanish. The fall 2019 semester will be my first time working at the Rowan Writing Center, although I do have experience in tutoring with writing. I like working with students who are open and ready to take outside opinions and perspectives, while teaching me new things about the topics they write about. I have goals to volunteer in the Peace Corps and eventually work with the United Nations. I like to read, write, and listen to poetry alongside with music and podcasts. I also play piano and practice yoga. One of my favorite books is The Rose That Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur, and I'm currently binging Rick and Morty, The Boondocks, and The Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj.
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Connor BuckmasterI am a Senior here at Rowan University. I am in the 4+1 Master’s program for Writing Arts with a concentration in Creative Writing. In the future I’d like to be a published author and teach writing at the college level. I’ve taken several Writing Intensive courses including Writer’s Mind and Rhetorics of Style. I enjoy writing both creatively and academically. In my free time I write stories and music; music is a passion of mine as well as writing! I enjoy the collaborative aspects of tutoring – we all grow when we work together.
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Madison ValentineI’m a junior majoring in Biological Science and minoring in Philosophy and Chemistry. Fall 2019 will be my first semester with the Writing Center. I’ve taken writing intensive courses like Philosophy of Science and I have lots of experience with lab reports. Outside of academic work here at Rowan, I enjoy writing creatively, usually through short stories. After graduating from Rowan, I hope to become a veterinarian and specialize in surgery. I’m most excited to be a tutor so that I can experience different types of writing. One of my favorite books is Slaughterhouse Five, and my favorite thing to do in my free time is playing video games!
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Nick PhilhowerI’m a sophomore undergraduate student majoring in Journalism, and it is my first semester working at the writing center. I have taken many creative writing classes over the course of my life and even won a contest for a fiction piece that is now my first published work. I also work in Rowan’s undergraduate literary magazine as their treasurer. Creative writing is my heart, blood, and soul, and I hope to have an MFA eventually. The most rewarding part of tutoring for me will be to see my tutees exceed their own expectations, and believe me, they will. My favorite book depends on my mood, but I love Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, The Magicians by Lev Grossman, and All the Bright Places, by Jennifer Niven. You can usually catch me listening to all genres of music in my freetime, specifically alternative and indie.
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Dylan AstromMy name’s Dylan and I’m in my junior year studying Writing Arts with a Creative Writing Minor. Primarily, I’m adept in creative prose, literary analysis essays, and research papers. I’m also experienced in formatting with MLA and APA styles. During my downtime I love to take a long run, chip away at my own fiction series, watch movies, and competing in some video game tournaments. To discover the amazing topics and presentation other Rowan U students are taking on and helping them through their projects, academic or otherwise, is exhilarating to me. Not only does it bring me satisfaction to help others wherever I can, but I also learn so much about the writing process from tutoring! No paper is too intimidating; we can crush it!
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Jessica BarrI am a junior undergraduate student majoring in Elementary Education with a dual in Literacy Studies and a minor in Entrepreneurship, although, I am most likely changing that minor to Creative Writing. I am fluent in MLA and APA. I enjoy both academic and creative writing, especially writing music. This is my first year tutoring in the Writing Center and what I am looking forward to most is learning new things from my tutees with different majors then myself. My favorite book(s) are the Harry Potter series and my favorite thing to do in my free time is work on music.
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Julian ReggenteI’m a third year undergraduate student majoring in Sociology and minoring in both Philosophy and Geography. This is my first semester working as a tutor at the writing center. I’m currently enrolled in Intro to Ethics as my first writing intensive class. I am most familiar with citing in APA and MLA. I’m fond of research writing, review writing, and creative writing. Someday I aspire to become an actor/voice actor. What I enjoy most about tutoring is providing relief and a sense of direction for those who feel completely lost about their assignments or who are unsure about their writing abilities. My favorite book is The Catcher in the Rye and my favorite thing to do in my free time is to play video games.
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Bianca GrayHello! My name is Bianca. I’m a third year undergraduate student majoring in English in the honors concentration, with 1 semester of tutoring experience. I’ve also taken the writing intensive course called Tutoring for writing; I’m fluent in MLA and APA; I’ve won a college freshman essay contest with my work; I am Peer Referral and Orientation Staff Member (PROS) as well as a Flack Mentor; I enjoy both academic and creative writing; and I hope to earn a PhD in English someday and, hopefully, become a bestselling author as well. What I enjoy most about tutoring is getting to work with new people and versing myself in a number of different writing styles. My favorite book is The Hate U Give (NOT the movie) and my favorite thing to do in my free time is to work on writing my books.
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Thomas Della DonnaI’m a third year undergraduate student majoring in History, with a minor in Asian Studies. This is my first year as a tutor in the writing center. I have experience in writing intensive classes such as Historical Methods, and am fluent in the Chicago style of citation. I am a member of the Japanese Culture Club; I enjoy writing poetry and I want to go into politics someday. What I enjoy most about tutoring is the chance to help others in lifting up their voices so that they may be heard. My favorite book is After the Quake, and my favorite things to do in my free time are go to the gym and watch The West Wing.
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Stephen CobbI’m a first year graduate student here at Rowan. This past May I graduated undergrad here with a degree in English. There have been plenty interrelations between writing and studying literatures, so I am well versed in the different obstacles and processes that come with writing. Personally, I enjoy fiction writing and poetry, but the craft of writing is most digestible and understood when it is looked at as a form of communication, which is universal. I one day hope to publish my first novel, followed by a series. I tutor here because the art of writing has taken me so many places academically, mentally, and emotionally, that I want to help relay the power of effective and meaningful writing. My favorite book is Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, and I’m currently binge watching Workin’ Moms on Netflix!
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Angelica Giancaspro |
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Deirdre KellyMy name is Deirdre Kelly. My major is Secondary Education and History, and I am pursuing a TOSD certification, (Teacher of Students with Disabilities). My dream is to become a special education teacher. I have been at Rowan University for three years. This is my first semester as a tutor for RWC so I am really excited! For my major, I was required to take Historical Methods, this class truly refined my research and writing skills and allowed me to develop as a writer. Tutoring interests me because I believe everyone has the power to excel in writing! I like to find people's strengths, and help them utilize it within their writing. I am a sister of Delta Phi Epsilon and I am the chapter's philanthropy chair and corresponding secretary. For fun, I love to go for runs, listen to music, and hang out with friends! I like to write creative and expository pieces as well. Looking forward to meeting you!
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Office Staff |
If you are a Federal Work Study student interested in an office assistant position, apply to the writing center by emailing us at writingcenter@rowan.edu with a resume.
