While pursuing my degree in English Writing from Spring Arbor University, I began working as a study group leader and teacher’s assistant, offering in-class support and grading for two English 101 courses. At the same time, I provided proofreading services and instruction for over three hundred undergraduate- and graduate-level students. Because of the number of international students seeking help in language skills, our tutoring staff received ESL training to approach non-western writing styles. Realizing how confusing English can be for foreign students, I became passionate about ESL. I could help students who, though often brilliant, struggled to bridge a communication barrier.
Clear communication is the difference between success and failure. So I have heard anecdotally, time and again, from professionals in virtually every field. If people are unable to communicate their ideas and intentions effectively, the consequences range from wasted time to strained workplace politics. I deeply love literature, but I recognize that language has to be practical in its daily usage. Especially in our modern global economy, good communication skills can open doors. My mission is to help students open them for themselves.
I have seen what is on the other side of those doors. Not only have I worked as a tutor, but after graduation I entered the writing field. I have seen firsthand how writing skills translate into the real world workplace. I have worked in journalism, film documentary, fundraising, copy editing, and marketing. I am excited to use the skills I’ve acquired in tutoring and professional writing to serve students at Inkwell English Education.
Degree: B.A.
Major: English Writing
Special Training: Spring Arbor University Writing Center tutor, teacher’s assistant, grading, ESL training; AFS style (sports journalism) training; CPS courses in Publishing and Technical Writing from Champlain College
Years of Experience: 7
Hero: Madeleine L’Engle
High-Impact Books: Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, Ursula LeGuin’s The Dispossessed, Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina
High Impact Lecture: “Darkness as Illumination: God and the Prison-House of Language” by Dr. Brent Cline
Favorite Places I’ve Visited: Rocky Mountain State Park and Guatemala
Hobbies: rock climbing, traveling, reading, making music, drawing
Passion: documentary filmmaking
Favorite Quotation: “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain