Welcome Our New Tutors | Part 2

Hey everyone! It’s Annie! I can’t believe it’s already October, this semester is just flying by. It feels like just yesterday that we were moving back onto campus, but we’re somehow already nearing midterms. During those first weeks back on campus, I published a blog post introducing half of our new tutors. I want to introduce the rest of our new tutors this week! All of our new tutors are looking forward to working with you in the Writing Center this fall and helping you grow as writers.

Chloe Steed is majoring in Biology (Pre-Med). Her dream job is to become a dermatologist and open her own clinic.

Where is your favorite place to write on campus?

My favorite place to write near campus is Cups. I love drinking coffee and working on assignments while sitting in the little coffee house.

Who is the author you admire the most?

Walt Whitman is one of my favorite authors. He gave me a new appreciation for poetry through his works.

Abby Griffin is studying English Writing and hopes to become an attorney in a rural area.

Where is your favorite place to write on campus?

My favorite place to write on-campus is by far Jennings Courtyard, especially in the evenings.

What type of music do you listen to while writing?

I mostly listen to lyrical classical music when I write, because if I listen to music with lyrics, I get distracted by them! And listening to lyrical pieces usually helps me calm down and focus.

Ethan Hulshizer is majoring in Accounting and aspires to become a fraud investigator.

If you could choose a book character to be for a day, who would it be?

I would choose to be Isaac Bell from Clive Cussler's An Isaac Bell Adventure Series. Isaac Bell is a detective for the Van Dorn Agency, a fictional 1900s detective agency. This character jumps out to me for several different reasons. The first being his incredible intellect which he uses to piece together the villain's diabolical schemes. The second is his adventurous and exciting life, which he leads traveling across the country for his cases. Finally, the third and final reason I would choose Isaac Bell for his motto of "I never give up. Never." His motto inspires me never to stop pursuing my own goals until I have achieved them.

What is your favorite style of writing?

My favorite style of writing is historical fiction. I believe people often associate history with stuffy old textbooks full of antiquated facts about the past. In reality, history is the fascinating story of people throughout time. For me, historical fiction books bring the past to life, describing a potentially true story about a character. For example, as I mentioned above, Isaac Bell is a fictional character. Still, real investigators during that period used the same techniques and technologies as Isaac Bell to catch real criminals. These types of stories make the past more of a reality than a concept.

Mary Margaret Freeman is majoring in English Literature and minoring in Studio Art and History. Her dream is to become a children’s book illustrator.

Where is your favorite place to write on campus?

I love to write at Cups! Drinking coffee is just one part of why I love coffee shops - they’re quieter than the commons and I usually don’t get as distracted as I would in a more open area! My favorite time to be there is when it rains while it’s super cold outside.

What type of music do you listen to while writing?

I often listen to Classical piano (my favorite is Impressionist pianists) and lofi music. Sometimes I’ll listen to normal music if I find myself getting too distracted. My favorite album of all time, though, is Piano Piano by Jeremiah Fraites - perfect writing music!

Kiara Vance is studying Biology (Pre-Med) with minors in BioChemistry and English Writing. She aspires to become a neurologist.

If you could choose a book character to be for a day, who would it be?

If I could be a book character for a day, I would be Jude Duarte from The Cruel Prince series by Holly Black because I think it would be really interesting to be a human living in the Faerie world. I also like how ambitious she is despite her circumstances.

What type of music do you listen to while writing?

I like to listen to alternative music or heartbreak pop because it helps me to become more in tune with my inner thoughts and deep emotions and less aware of the external world.

Avery Wolfe is majoring in English Writing and minoring in English Literature and Marketing. She hopes to become the Editor-in-Chief at Tor Book in New York.

What music do you listen to while writing?

When I write, I like to listen to something lively and energetic but not distracting. Therefore, my go-to writing music is often classical or orchestral music. I enjoy music that can inspire something within me, and classical music tends to do that, especially if it comes from a movie soundtrack. One of my personal favorites is The Fantastic Mr. Fox soundtrack.

If you could choose to be a book character for a day, who would it be?

If I could choose to be absolutely any book character, I think I would have to go with Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series. I know that that is such a basic answer, but I relate so much to Hermione so I think she would be a safe choice, and I would love nothing more than to walk through the Hogwarts castle for a day and to be able to cast spells with her level of expertise. Also, Ron Weasley was my biggest childhood crush, so getting to be around him would be an added bonus.

Luke Horst is studying Business Administration with a minor in English Writing. His dream is to work in the financial division of a professional sports franchise.

Where is your favorite place to write on campus?

My favorite place to write on campus is definitely the Piazza. The beautiful scenery and fresh air make it a super peaceful place to sit and think, which makes writing there an enjoyable experience.

Who is the author you admire the most?

The author I admire most is the novelist Ted Dekker. The way he incorporates complex storylines, thrilling action, and deep dialogue into his stories makes them exciting to engage and hard to put down. You should definitely check out his Circle trilogy or Books of Mortals trilogy!

Josephine Whipp is majoring in English Education and minoring in History. She hopes to be a high school English teacher, cross-country coach, and author.

What type of music do you listen to while writing?

It depends on what I’m writing for! If I’m doing schoolwork or academic writing, I listen to lofi music because it has no words so it won’t distract me and it makes me feel like Rory Gilmore. When I’m doing creative writing and writing for myself, I listen to medieval music and movie soundtracks because it makes everything feel bigger and fancier.

What author do you most admire?

Jane Austen, because she was so ahead of her time and created some of the best literature of her time period, when women weren’t respected as creatives. I love her humor and her take on society at the time.

If you get a chance sometime this week, stop by the Writing Center and get to know our new tutors more!