Faculty & Staff

  • Elizabeth Hepford

    Professor of the Practice in Teaching English as a Second Language

    Shapiro Center 305

    3120

    ehepford@wesleyan.edu

    Bio

  • Lauren Silber

    Assistant Director of Academic Writing

    Shapiro Center 301

    x2804

    lsilber@wesleyan.edu

    Bio

  • Stephanie Kuduk Weiner

    Director of Academic Writing

    Shapiro Center 205

    x3634

    sweiner@wesleyan.edu

    Bio

  • Shaoxuan Tian

    Ford Fellow

    writingworks@wesleyan.edu

  • Cyn Le (they/them)

    Kim-Frank Multilingual Writing Fellow

    mlwriting@wesleyan.edu

  • Elizabeth Staplins

    Administrative Assistant

    Downey House 126

    x2070

    estaplins@wesleyan.edu

Peer Tutors and Mentors

  • Shakira Abdul-Rauf (she/her)

    Hi everyone! My name is Shakira Abdul-Rauf (she/her), Class of 2024. I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I am double majoring in Psychology and African American Studies with a minor in Chemistry. I love listening to music and reading fiction, it’s pretty much all I do on my free time.

  • Ariana Blaustein (she/her)

    Hi, I'm Ariana! I'm a senior majoring in English on the creative writing path. I love reading short fiction, fantasy, comics, and your writing! Outside the writing workshop you can find me performing comedy, drawing, or spending time with friends. I am looking forward to meeting you!

  • Chris (Christopher) Bustamante (they/he)

    Multilingual Specialist

    Hi! My name is Chris and I am a sophomore planning to major in American Studies and HISP. I am from Chicago, Illinois so if you want to hear me talk your ear off about it, just let me know! I love writing about history and thinking about how we interact with it as a practice. My favorite activity is buying books, but actually reading them is another story. I love horror movies and my music taste is all over the place, so inquire within. I look forward to working with you this semester! :)))

  • Sida Chu (she/her)

    Hi! I’m Sida, a History and Theatre double major, and I’m excited to be part of the Writing Workshop! I was born and raised in a small Chinese town called Jiaozuo before moving to Singapore for high school. I write plays and love admiring the spicy chemical reactions when different languages collide. On campus, you can also find me editing for The Argus, running behind the scenes of theatre productions, or burying myself in Wesleyan’s East Asian Studies archive. I enjoy black coffee and corny rom-coms but would do anything to avoid using the imperial measurement system. :>

  • Nkemke Chukumerije (he/him)

    Hi! My name is Nkemka Chukwumerije and I am a junior pursuing a major in Biology and SISP. I am originally from Los Angeles County, but I have recently moved to Atlanta, GA. I love sports, i'm a proud Nigerian-American, and my favorite genre of music is a toss-up between afrobeat + hip-hop!

  • Lucia D'Elia (she/her)

    Hi! My name is Lucia (she/her) and I'm a COL and Romance Languages double major. I'm from Kingston, Ontario, Canada, but used to live in Florence, Italy. I love writing because I love reading and read just about any genre you can think of. Outside of writing, I play rugby and am helping direct a production of Much Ado About Nothing.

  • Darlene de la Cruz (they/she)

    Heyy! I'm Darlene De La Cruz (They/She) and I'm from Harlem, NY. I am a junior double majoring in African American Studies and Sociology. On my free time I like to read, watch crime/horror movies, or hang out with my friends dogs. I vicariously live through my friends because I am not allowed to have pets. I look forward working with y'all.

  • Malia Deter Cheung (she/her)

    Hello! I’m Malia (she/her), and I’m a junior from Oregon pursuing a double major in the College of Letters and Dance with a minor in Animal Studies. I enjoy the detailed practice of close reading and analysis. I also love the treasure hunt of crafting creative work, especially poetry. I’m the director of the Wesleyan Swing Dance Club on campus, and back home in the Pacific NW I love to rock climb and train horses.

  • Margery Fang (she/they)

    Multilingual Specialist

    Hi, everyone! I'm Margery( or Mingfei) Fang. I'm a prospective philosophy and environmental studies double major. And where I call home is Zhengzhou, China. I write bad poems, little allegories and sometimes novel in both Chinese and English. I'm also an eco-facilitator on campus. In my free time, I like to listen to rock and classical music and read novels of all kinds.

  • Zariah Greene (she/her)

    Hi Everyone! My name is Zariah Greene and I am a FTF Writing Mentor. I was born and raised on Long Island, NY but currently live in Raleigh NC. I enjoy writing about my experience in the U.S education system as an Afro-Latina woman navigating predominantly white schools. Here at Wesleyan I study Education Studies and Psychology. During my free time, I enjoy teaching around CT as the coordinator for the Adolescent Sexual Health Awareness Organization, volunteering with the Doula Project, and watching sappy reality tv such as the Bachelor. I hope to be a supporter both academically and beyond to the people I meet with in the Workshop. I can't wait to meet you!

  • Caleb Henning (he/him)

    Hi! I'm a junior from Singapore majoring in Economics and French Studies with a certificate in Applied Data Science. Outside of the Writing Workshop, I am a QAC Tutor, Senior Staff Writer and Financial Manager for The Wesleyan Argus, and a member of ADP. My favorite genre of writing is investigative journalism, specifically for vehicular crimes on and around campus.

  • Tenzin Jamdol (she/her)

    Multilingual Specialist

    Hi friends, I'm Tenzin and I'm going into my third year as an Education and East Asian Studies double major! I think I struggle with writing and reading just about as much as I love it, so working collaboratively can be really refreshing! Some other things I love but can comfortably say I'm better at are stretching, Tibetan performing arts, and watching classic Barbie movies.

  • CJ (Courtney) Joseph (she/her)

    Hey! My name is CJ (she/her), and I am an American Studies and Theatre major! My favorite writing is anything that connects to our personal experiences because it's a fantastic way to get to know yourself. I also work at the Resource Center on campus, which blends my love for societal research with program planning. My biggest book recommendations for 2024 are 'You Are Your Best Thing: An Anthology' By Tarana Burke & Brene Brown, 'The Other Black Girl' By Zakiya Dalila Harris, and 'Finding Me' By Viola Davis. Excited to meet you :)

  • Anne Kiely (she/her)

    Hi! I'm a senior majoring in Chemistry and Science in Society. I love finding the creativity in scientific writing (what does it really mean to explain something well?). My favorite movie is The Martian, and in my spare time, I love making undercooked cookies and burnt broccoli.

  • Nicki Klar (she/her)

    Multilingual Specialist

    My name is Nicki Klar! I am a senior majoring in English and FGSS and am originally from Los Angeles, California. I love to fill my notes app with random observations from my day, offbeat thoughts, and song-lyrics that come to mind in the middle of the night. I am also involved in the Adolescent Sexual Health Awareness (ASHA) club on campus and love horror films. I am obsessed with my boston terrier and loathe the oatmilk latte.

  • Nagena Latifi (she/they)

    Hi! My name is Nagena (she/they), and I’m a Psychology and Computer Science double major. I was born in India, but I’ve lived in Middletown most my life. I enjoy listening to j-pop & k-pop and watching anime & k-dramas in my spare time. With my friends, I like playing video games such as roblox & play together, but I also love to play rhythm games & pixel RPG (horror) games. On campus, I’m a part of the K-pop Dance Crew, FTF OL Team, and the FGLI community. Hope to see y’all at Shapiro! :)

  • Valerie Lee (she/her)

    Hi! I’m Valerie, I grew up in Shanghai and I'm told I really give off that vibe:) I'm double majoring in CSS and Economics, with a minor in the College of East Asian Studies. I also work at Pi and learning to be a legit bartender. Looking forward to writing with you all!

  • Andy Lisheng (any/he/him)

    Hello! I'm andy, stylized nd (any/he/him), an international student from singapore, and I'm a junior majoring in College of Letters & Science in Society (SISP). Outside of my varied interests in theory and academia, I am an editor for the ADLit magazine and an active member of the outing club on campus. Outside of Wesleyan itself, I dabble in rhythm games, music, and cooking, and can imagine multiple impossible remixes of popular and not-so-popular music. Looking forward to working with you :)

  • Shaniya Longino (she/her)

    Hi everyone! I'm Shaniya (she/her), a senior studying CEAS and Education Studies! I'm an administrator and facilitator for the Writing Circle where I help people with their creative pieces. Outside of campus life, I love sci-fi and fantasy shows like The Orville and Star Trek! You can usually find me around Pi and Usdan reading but don't be shy to say hello!

  • Elias Mansell (he/him)

    I’m a senior majoring in classics, the College of Letters, and astronomy. On campus, I’m an executive editor for The Argus and I research debris disks (rings of dust and gas that help us understand planetary systems). I love reading any genre or style of writing, whether it’s science fiction or an instruction manual for putting a table together.

  • Audrey Nelson (she/her)

    Hi! My name is Audrey (she/her) and I'm a junior from the Seattle area, majoring in anthropology. Besides writing, I love romance novels, contact sports, and dangly earrings. Talk to me about the WNBA, your favorite podcasts, or being interfaith!

  • Elias Owen (he/him)

    Hello! My name is Elias Owen, and I’m a junior from Westchester in New York. I love reading and writing in general, but I especially enjoy creative and scientific writing and I have been getting into reading sci-fi lately (if anyone wants to nerd out with me about Dune hmu). Other than the Writing Center, I work in the Mélon Lab on campus, and I’m a neuroscience and math double major. Don’t let my STEM activities fool you, though, I love to make art in my free time and I’m excited to work with all kinds of different writers!! Some of my favorite movies are Paris, Texas and The Iron Giant :)

  • Ethan Park (he/him)

    Hey everyone! My name is Ethan and I’m a senior at Wes from Silver Spring, MD. I am a lover of beautiful words, inspiring music, and good company — I'm very grateful every day I get to be here! I'm an American Studies major and an African American Studies minor. Can't wait to work alongside you all this year!

  • Crystal Peña (she/her/hers)

    Hi everyone! My name is Crystal (she/her/hers) and I'm a senior double majoring in MB&B and Education Studies with a minor in Dance! When I'm not at the Workshop, you'll probably find me enjoying a smoothie around campus, studying with friends, or teaching at Wes Latin & Ballroom on Thursday nights (please join us – it's so fun!). I look forward to working with you all this academic school year! :)

  • Zain Punjwani (he/him)

    Hi all! My name is Zain (he/him), I am a Sophomore, and I am from Chicago, IL. I am going for a double major in Biology and SISP (though that can change) as well as a minor in Human Rights Advocacy. I am a native Urdu speaker and I've been told my Spanish isn't bad! My favorite TV show is Charmed (1998). I love mystery novels but my current favorite text is a mid-1800s play titled "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen. I recently started doing a lot of written reflection because it helps me process my very complicated emotions in a relieving and effective way. I don't write to reflect very consistently because I find it limits the natural flow of my emotions (if that makes sense). But when I do write, I always feel satisfied, calm, and at peace. If you see me on campus, please don't be afraid to say hello :)

  • Gissel Ramirez (she/her)

    Hi everyone! My name is Gissel and I am from Queens, New York. I am currently a senior majoring in English and have been working at the Workshop since my sophomore year. On campus, I am also apart of the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, Latin & Ballroom and work at the Gordon Career Center. During my free time, I like to try new foods, edit photos and go to concerts.

  • Emily Rodriguez (she/her/hers)

    Hi! My name is Emily, I use she/her pronouns and I’m a senior at Wesleyan from the Bronx, New York. I’m an Economics and Hispanic Literatures/Cultures double major. On campus I help co-teach dance classes and perform with the Latin & Ballroom Dance Team! Some of my favorite things to do at Wes include going on runs when the weather is nice, sitting on Foss Hill with friends, and getting coffee at Pi Cafe. I look forward to working with you!

  • Xiran Tan (they/she)

    Multilingual Specialist

    Hi, this is Xiran (they/she). I am an international student from Guangdong, China. I grew up speaking Cantonese and learned Mandarin - the official, "standard" Chinese - later on in school (and now attempting at Spanish!) so I am particularly interested in linguistic justice and the slippery spaces between/among languages and identities. I think of myself as a (fiction and nonfiction) writer and translator, even though I don't practice as often as I would like to. But writing or being a writer is a process! I'd LOVE to talk about any of these topics with you :)

  • Terri Thirsty (he/they)

    Hey I'm Terrion (Terri works too). I'm a POSSE vet from South Florida. I feel like my literary interests have been heavily influenced by Gary Paulson, The Myth Busters and a few existential crises. I am a SISP major (concentrations in Neuroscience and Anthropology) and a Human Right Advocacy Minor. My mentoring style is highly collaborative. I tend to feels that students generally have the skills and knowledge they need to complete a given project though we sometimes need some assistance to remember this.

  • Diana Tran (she/they)

    Multilingual Specialist

    Hello! I'm Diana Tran and I'm a sophomore majoring in College of Letters and minoring in Applied Data Analysis. I'm from Los Angeles! I love writing short fantasy stories and reading other people's stories. I'm part of the Questbridge Board and I speak 3.5 languages! Hoping to learn more this semester! I'm also a huge anime and manga fan!

  • Ava Yuanshun Guralnick (she/they)

    Heyoo, my name is Ava Yuanshun Guralnick (she/they), and I am a junior majoring in American studies and English. I grew up in Kingston/Woodstock, NY and have two dogs; Quincy and Peggy Sue (two dogs with old people sounding names). Besides writing, I like playing sports and going on hikes. I also worked in/with community on an urban farm before Wesleyan and since then have not been able to pull myself away from the farming life. I am excited to meet and work with you all!

  • Kiana Yuhl (she/her)

    Hi! My name is Kiana Yuhl and I'm a current junior. I'm majoring in Government with a concentration in International Relations and minoring in East Asian studies. I'm from Manhattan Beach, California and I play on the volleyball team at Wes. I absolutely love writing and reading, but I'm a huge movie buff too. Currently on a Studio Ghibli and Mac Miller wave...let's chat!

Event Fellows

  • Jazmin Alvarez

  • Melanie Garcia (she/her)

    Hello everyone! My name is Melanie, and I'm a senior (Class of '24) from East Tennessee. I'm an English major and have been an Academic Writing Events and Programs Fellow since my junior year. Outside of the Writing Center, you can find me binge-watching British dramas on PBS Masterpiece, reading historical fiction, or munching on chocolate chip cookies!

  • Aviva Kaplan

  • Nora Knoepflmacher

  • Justin Rosenthal (he/him)

    Hi! My name is Justin (he/him), and I am a junior double majoring in Classical Studies and Archaeology. When I’m not busy declining irregular Greek verbs, I love writing stories and poems that aim to unsettle. I also enjoy rhythm games and RPGs. On campus, I am an administrator and facilitator for Writing Circle, and I occasionally dabble in the performing arts. I hope to see you around!

  • Kat Struhar (they/she)

    My name is Kat and I'm from a part of Maryland that you've probably never heard of. I'm an English major, and when not reading or writing for my classes, I can be found editing for The Wesleyan Argus, working behind the desk at the Office of Student Involvement, or watching very bad reality television.

  • Mahek Uttamchandani

    Hi! My name is Mahek Uttamchandani and I'm from Lagos, Nigeria. I'm a sophomore pursuing a double major in English and Psychology with a minor in Data Analysis. I love reading and writing, but aside from that, I enjoy whiling away my time creating itineraries for travel plans that won't happen, listening to music, and spending time with friends. I look forward to working with you all! 

  • Ryan Wong (they/he)

    My name is Ryan and I'm a freshman from Penang, Malaysia. Some of my favorite things to read and write about include past lives, grief, and the moon reflected on the sea. I love dancing, taking photos of pretty places, and curating playlists based on oddly specific scenarios. I have no idea what I want to major in yet, but I'd love to hear your interests and aspirations!