Drew University

Staff

What Clients are Saying about the Writing Center

  1. “Very helpful to bounce ideas off of another individual; very helpful to brainstorm before I begin a writing assignment; very friendly environment.”
  2. “I was able to have someone else objectively review my writing and legitimately help me. Everything that I needed to be explained was, and I plan on coming back to the WC.”
  3. “It was a pleasure and a lot of help working or getting help from the WC. It was even better to know that I was on the right path and that I was helped with my grammar part of the paper.”
  4. “I got a lot of work done here and I also learned how to become a better writer. I plan to come again.”

Our Staff – Spring 2012 List of Tutors

Andrew Binger

Standing: Junior
Academic Plan: English major, with minors in Spanish and Theatre Arts.
Career Goal:  I hope to go into the field of Education, and work in the theatre in various outreach and educational theatre programs.
Tutoring Philosophy:  I think learning best happens through conversation and tutoring is just an organized conversation. It works best when both the tutee and the tutor are invested and willing to learn.
Fun Fact: I like turtles.

Ashley Eslinger

Standing: Junior
Academic Plan: Double Psychology and Anthropology major with minor in French.
Tutoring Philosophy: Writing is what one makes it and about how one wants to formulate ideas as a creative individual. I am a firm believer that writing should not stop when an essay is complete, but that more people should bring writing into their daily lives as a way to express themselves.
Fun fact:  I love tattoos!

Ashley Passamante

Standing: Junior
Academic Plan: Majoring in Psychology, Minor in Sociology.
Career goal: Career in the counseling field, particularly dealing with adolescents.
Fun fact: I have been working in the Writing Center since fall of my sophomore year. I LOVE watching cartoons.

Billy Blackmon

Standing: Second year M.A. student, Drew Theological School.
Academic Focus: 20th century American History, with a developing research interest in media, television, and Christianization in the post-war era.
Career Goal:
Tutoring Philosophy: Working at the Writing Center is a great way to meet the undergraduate students on campus. I find that, as a tutor, I end up learning just as much as I help others. It seems almost unfair—the depth of understanding I gain from interacting with each of our clients. As a result, my tutoring philosophy revolves around listening. Yet, I do not only listen to questions, I listen for answers. Oftentimes, in the simple act of conversing about research and writing, students will come up with the answers to their own questions. Face-to-face interaction is definitely one of the biggest benefits to a Writing Center session. It is in the act of talking to others that we often discover much about ourselves.
Fun fact: I love playing drums.

Brynne Oster-Bainnson

Standing: Junior
Academic Plan: Theater Major
Career goal: Working in theater design, like costumes or sets.
Tutoring Philosophy: I believe that as a tutor it is my job to help you feel excited and get invested in the work you are doing because writing can be a lot of fun.
Fun fact: I am currently obsessed with A Game of Thrones, and have been devouring the book series. I highly recommend it!

Elise Boykin

Standing: Sophomore
Academic Plan: Major in Political Science and minor in Sociology.
Career goal: Law school.
Tutoring philosophy:  I believe that the client should be given complete control over her/his paper and be allowed to make her/his own decision on how s/he wants to change the paper. I give my client the opportunity to read her/his essay aloud as I take notes on it. While tutoring, it is necessary to be a good listener and take the client’s feelings and opinions into consideration when going forward with the session.

Frank Scarpa

Standing: Sophomore
Academic goal: Biology major
Tutoring Philosophy: One thing I love about writing is the freedom and control it gives me. When I write, I create my own world, a world in which I can do anything I want at any moment I please. Writing is difficult, and just because I am a tutor doesn’t mean that it is not difficult for me. When I tutor, I like to break down the writing process into steps because, even though it is not easy, that doesn’t mean that I cannot try to make writing as easy as possible for my clients.
Fun fact: I am one of eight children.

Gregory Fox

Standing: First year M.A., History and Culture program with a concentration in British and Irish culture.
Career goal: Writer, an artist, and teacher–not necessarily in that order, though possibly all at once.
Tutoring philosophy: Every student has an idea and a voice.  Writing tutors are just there to make sure that the two work together.
Fun fact: I can juggle, whistle, and hum all at the same time.

Inez Neto

Standing: Sophomore
Academic Plan: Double major in English and French, with a Writing minor.
Career Goal: Editing and publication, or education.
Tutoring philosophy: Everyone is a writer, not a robot that churns out essays. I always try to encourage my clients to trust their inner voice to avoid becoming robotic. Also, I ask clients to focus more on their overall writing during sessions rather than narrowing in on just one paper in particular, which also helps them realize that there can be fluidity in an assignment regardless of the topic.
Fun fact: I speak Portuguese. Boa sorte com este semestre (Good luck this semester). I hope to see you and your writing soon in the Writing Center!

John Dabrowski

Standing: Senior
Academic Plan: English Literature and Language with a minor in Writing.
Planned Career: Entertainment Marketing.
Tutoring Philosophy: Writing is rewriting!
Fun fact: My dorm room was used in a Google commercial.

Jonathan Katz

Standing: Junior
Academic Plan: Major in Economics with a minor in Writing.
Career Goal: Professional investment manager or trader, or otherwise related to Economics or markets.
Tutoring Philosophy: I believe an equal-reciprocated relationship between the tutee and tutor is the best way for the tutee to attain his/her writing potential.

Karina Russ

Standing: Sophomore
Academic Plan: Psychology Major with a Statistics Minor.
Career goal: Be a Psychology professor at a liberal arts college and do research.
Tutoring Philosophy: Students learn the most when they arrive at their own conclusions, and tutors are there to initiate those moments.
Fun fact: I love taking random adventures to places I’ve never been before.

Kimberly Ammiano

Standing: Junior
Academic Plan: English major, with a double minor in sociology and writing.
Career Goal: Journalism.
Tutoring Philosophy: Writing is one of the most vital skills one can possess. It is necessary not only in academia, but also for communication purposes; it is also a valuable form of self expression.
Fun fact: I interned at the Daily Record Newspaper in summer 2010, and at Lucky Magazine, a division of Code-Naste Publications in winter 2010. During the school year, I am the Lead Reporter for the Drew Acorn, and also participate in Drew’s Conversation Partner’s program.

Kristy Vanderhoof

Standing: Junior (a transfer CUE student). This is my first year at Drew and I love it!
Academic Plan: English Major.
Career Goal: Working in the Writing Center has made my first year at Drew an even greater experience than I could have hoped for. Upon graduation, I would love to have a job with a publishing company.
Tutoring Philosophy: I believe that writing is an outlet that allows everyone to express their ideas and expand upon their imagination. Words can be used to transform the most mundane objects into something awe inspiring and sublime, and for me that is beautiful. Being able to help someone realize this through tutoring is a rewarding experience.
Fun Fact: I have a very yellow and crazy Lab puppy, Kalie.

Melissa Caparruva

Standing: Senior
Academic Plan: English major, French minor
Career Goal: Law school
Tutoring Philosophy: Writing is an expression of the self, a translation of one’s own thoughts. Helping fellow writers through their personal process of expression is a great way to give back to the Drew community.
Fun Fact: I am a diehard Green Bay Packers fan!

Min Lee

Standing: Junior
Academic Plan: Major in Biochemistry
Career Goal: Doctor
Tutoring Philosophy: I tutor to match your needs

Paul Meister

Standing: Senior.
Academic Plan: English major and Classics minor.
Career Goal:  Writer (although I realize that is probably financially not viable so I see myself doing several things to keep me a float in my 20’s. I would like to work at a National Park, preferably the Yosemite National Park).
Tutoring Philosophy: When tutoring, I like to keep conversation flowing; the more we talk about what goes into your paper, the more we can refine and expand on ideas.
Fun Fact: I took a year off and drove around the country for three months.

Portia Dezen

Standing: Junior
Academic Plan: English Major / French Minor
Career Goal: A career in fashion
Tutoring Philosophy: I tutor by asking direct questions, identifying main arguments, and keeping an upbeat mood throughout sessions!
Fun Fact: I love shoes, the New England Patriots, and collecting fortunes from fortune cookies.

Ryan Getz

Standing: Junior
Academic Plan: Political Science major
Career Goal: Law
Tutoring Philosophy: Writing is no easy task, and unfortunately, there is no way around it. I enjoy helping people and when it comes to writing; there is no exception. I like to talk the paper out and work with the student to find potential problems. What’s most important is that students find their mistakes so they can learn to find them and learn from them.
Fun fact: I am a rugby player here at Drew, and I commute so that I can remain active as a volunteer firefighter for my town and community.

Sydne Schecter

Standing:  Sophomore
Academic Plan: Double major in Sociology and French, with a minor in Writing.
Career Goal: Teaching English abroad, becoming a social worker, or becoming a teacher of either Sociology or French.
Tutoring philosophy:  Being a writing center tutor, it’s my job to help other students find their voice and feel comfortable with their writing.

Fun Fact: I love to travel, and have been to Honduras and Martinique!

 

Tori Porpora

Standing: Junior
Academic Plan: Double major in English and Religious Studies.
Career Goal: Editor at a publishing house.
Tutoring Philosophy: Tutoring is a means of leading students to make better decisions in their writing, and thereby creating better writers.
Fun Fact: I am ridiculously good at guessing in charades.

Victoria Russell

Standing: Junior
Academic Plan: English major, with minors in Writing and Western Heritage.
Career Goal: Still undecided about what she would like to do after graduating from Drew, but is considering different options such as graduate school and a career in the publishing field.
Tutoring Philosophy: Her job in all Writing Center sessions is to listen carefully and ask questions that help the writers organize their thoughts and get them down onto paper, since just talking out ideas fixes lots of writing issues.
Fun Fact: Spent 2011 fall living and studying at Queen Mary University of London, where she took literature and film classes and performed with the Jazz singers ensemble.