Writing Center at Aquinas College

Consultants


Aquinas Writing Center Staff & Liaisons

Julie BevinsAQ Writing Center Coordinator—CORE 

Fun Fact: I am fluent in the language of Ubbi Dubbi (look it up!)
Favorite Book/Author: This is too hard! Kristine Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset is excellent. I am also partial to David, who composed the Psalms. 
 


Jessica KlineCORE Program Specialist, WC-CORE Liaison

Fun Fact: I am learning Japanese. Stop by my office and check out my daily Kanji!
Favorite Book/Author: Tamora Pierce

 


Gretchen RumohrEnglish Dept. Chair, Faculty EH265: Writing Center Theory & Practice

Fun Fact: I have four daughters and a 5lb Yorkie, and I live for warmer weather!
Favorite Book/Author/Genre: Young Adult Literature (don't make me choose a favorite author LOL!)

 

Mies MartinInterim Assistant Library Director, WC Information Literacy Specialist

Fun Fact: I'm a home brewer and honored to participate in 2022's Brews at the Calder Pro-Am
Favorite Book/Author/Genre: I don't have a favorite book, Author or Genre, but I have too many to list. But a few fiction authors I could list Umberto Eco or Dostoyevsky or Kurt Vonnegut. I also love Douglas Adams. The Same for books, I read lots of History, Philosophy, Culture Theory and anything else that helps me to understand the articulation of technology, culture and information, particularly as it applies to academic libraries. It might be easier to list what I'm not interested in than what I am reading at any given point.

Aquinas Writing Center Consultants

Leah Ash

Major: English Writing
Minor: Communications 
Consulting Projects/Specialties: WC Task Force Communications (2021-2022)
Fun Fact: I played softball in Europe this summer! 
Favorite Book/Author/Genre: I love pretty much all kinds of fiction except horror.
Additional Campus Activities: I’m the culture editor for The Saint and I pitch for the AQ varsity softball team


Noah Dennie, Magna Verba Chief Editor

Major: Philosophy
Minors: French and Spanish
Consulting Projects/Specialties: Spanish, Magna Verba editorial team, WC Task Force Administrator (2021-2022)
Fun Fact: I’m left handed
Favorite Book/Author/Genre: Bo Burnham
Additional Campus Activities: Spanish tutor, Insignis, Socratic Engagement Club


Nathan Esch, WC Archivist

Major: Mathematics
Minors: Philosophy & Data Analytics
Consulting Projects/Specialties: Structure/Organization, 
Fun Fact: I get hand-me-downs from my younger brother
Favorite Genre: History
Additional Campus Activities: Baseball, Math Tutor


Anna Fedewa, WC Task Force Administrator

Majors: Secondary Education and English Literature
Consulting Projects/Specialties: Education Courses & Resumes/Cover Letters
Fun Fact: I love Taylor Swift. Ask me about it!
Recommended Book: I Explain a Few Things by Pablo Neruda
Other Campus Activities: Cross Country and Track, Peer Coaching


Steven Figge

Major: Communication 
Minor: English Writing
Consulting Projects/Specialties: Helping to synthesize and organize information (Ex: a research paper, but where the research is already done)
Personal Fun Fact: I've traveled outside the country for video game tournaments!
Favorite Genre: Self-Help/Personal Improvement
Other Campus Activities: Esports team for League of Legends; host of the AQ Diff Podcast

 Summer Hickok, WC Task Force Communications

Major: English Literature 
Minors: English Writing and Communications
Consulting Projects/Specialties: I love brainstorming! Thinking about the project is an essential part of the writing process.
Fun Fact: Much like Elle Woods, I am a Gemini vegetarian.
Book Recommendation: If you’re looking for a nostalgic, magical read: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum. If you’re looking for a gory, gay read: Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z Brite.
Campus Activities: I'm a member of the Writer's Guild, Encore, and the Table-Top Games Club. I also am involved in theatre and writing around campus.

Jama Jama

Major: Business Administration and Accounting
Minor: English Writing 
Consulting Projects/Specialties: Jack of all trades, not perfect at anything but we will get it done!
Fun Fact: Tore my achilles playing basketball in Kobe’s
Favorite Book/Author/Genre: Rick Riordan (sorry haven’t actively been reading since middle school)
Additional Campus Activities: member of the Writers Guild; VIBE; a part of the AQ track and field and cross country team. Work for specialty events on campus.

Emily Jones, CORE-WC Intern

Major: English and Secondary Education
Minor: Writing
Consulting Projects/Specialties: Education, professional writing
Fun Fact: My goal is to visit all 63 designated National Parks by the time I'm 50!
Favorite Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Other Campus Activities: On the women's volleyball and track and field teams, Peer Tutor, athletic study tables, Accessibility Services consultant 

Grace Maguire, WC Task Force EH265/EH315 Liaison

Majors: Business Administration and Communication
Minor: English Writing. 
Consulting Projects/Specialties: Proofreading, Rhetorical Analysis, Citations (APA), Personal Narratives, Brainstorming, and Praxis Proposals
Fun Fact: I have been snowboarding since the age of 6, and skiing since I was 12.
Favorite Genre/Author: Romance and Dystopian Fiction; Favorite author is Sarah Dessen 
Other Campus Activities: AQ Varsity Softball Program, Sustainability Captain

Lianne Martinez, WC Remote & Resources Advisor (R2)

Major: Business Administration
Minor: English Writing and Music
Consulting Projects/Specialties: Brainstorming and organization
Fun Fact: I can crack both of my wrists constantly.
Favorite Genre: Thriller and Mystery 
Additional Campus Activities: College Band

Meridian Pearson, WC Task Force Communications

Majors: English Writing and Communication
Consulting Projects/Specialties: writing circles, creative writing
Fun Fact: I am deeply involved with AQ Theatre and captain of the Mission Improvable improv team!
Recommended Book: The Giver by Lois Lowry, Silver by Chris Wooding.
Campus Activities: Theatre, improv, novel writing, vice president of Encore! RSO, president of the Writers Guild RSO, secretary of AQ Sound RSO, opinion editor for The Saint

Alex Rodriguez

Major: English | Minor: Communications
Specialties: Deep thoughts and creative approaches to real world situations.
Fun Fact: Music is a huge passion of mine, and I know word for word over 1000s of songs!
Book Recommendation: Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins
Campus Activities: Volleyball and possibly theater next semester!

Anna Benstead

Major/Minor(s): Spanish, English Literature, Secondary Education
Personal Fun Fact: I am a twin
Recommended Book, Genre, or Favorite Author: Currently recommend “This Will Only Hurt a Little” by Busy Philipps  
Other Campus Activities: Swim team, Contemporary Writers Series Student Representative, Athletic, Concert, and Jazz Band

Carson Lafferty

Major: Secondary Education
Specialties: Brainstorming, proofreading
Fun Fact: I've met Bill Nye the Science Guy
Recommended Book: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Other Campus Activities: I run Cross Country and Track. I'm also in the history club.

Grace Giroux

Major: Spanish | Minors: Women's Studies & Studio Art
Fun Fact: I just got back from my study abroad semester in Spain!
Fav Book Series: Flavia de Luce by Alan Bradley
Other Campus Activities: I work at the Women's Studies Center and the Circle Theatre Box Office.

 

Grace Wilson

Major/Minor(s): Majoring in Political Science and Minoring in English
Specialties: Brainstorming, Organization/Structure
Fun Fact: The only bone I've broken is my big toe!
Favorite Author: Kate Quin
Other Campus Activities: Soccer, Insignis

Julia Williams

Major: Environmental Studies| Minor: English Writing
Specialties: Creative writing and biology
Fun Fact: I am a second degree black belt!
Favorite Genre: Fantasy, Thriller, and Horror
Other Campus Activities: I play Softball for Aquinas

Laura Kuzmicz

Major/Minor(s): English Writing
Specialties: Fictional works, poetry, literary research papers
Fun Fact: I have been a bass player for 7 years, I'm apart of the Aquinas Jazz Band and Kent Philharmonic Orchestra
Recommended Book: I recommend I'm Thinking Of Ending Things written by Iain Reid. It's incredible, mind bending and will leave you speechless once you finish! 
Other Campus Activities: Band, Jazz band

 

Mary Green

Major: History | Minor: Spanish
Specialities: Brainstorming, Final edits
Fun Fact: I have an irrational fear of icicles
Recommended Book: 12 Steps to Normal by Farrah Penn
Campus Activities: History Club, Spanish Club, Athletic Band

Matthew Schieber

Major: English Writing | Minor: Communication
Specialties: Organization, structure, and vocabulary
Fun Fact: I took Latin in high school.
Favorite Book: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Additional Campus Activities: Cross Country and Track (5k and 10k are my bread and butter).

Rachael Watson

Major: Psychology | Minor: Biology
Specialties: Psychology papers, research papers, APA formatting and citations
Fun Fact: I like to go camping and spend time with my pets
Recommended Book: the Harry Potter series
Other campus activities: President of the AQ Equestrian Club, trombone player in the AQ Athletic Band

Sydney Shenk

Major: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Minor: Psychology 
Specialties: Research Papers, Lab Reports
Fun Fact: I'm from Washington State!
Favorite Genre: Horror/Thriller
Other Campus Activities: AQ Women's Soccer, Chemistry TA

 

Yashowanto Ghosh

Major: BFA
Specialties: Can consult for German-language papers!
Fun Fact: I am starting to learn Spanish 
Favorite Author: Guenther Grass
Other Campus Activities: I also teach math and consult at the Communication Lab

McGee, Doggie Consultant and Woof ‘n’ Words Champion

Majors: Mischief-Making and Snuggles
Minor: Exploration
Consulting Projects/Specialties: Kids Food Basket; Brainstorming; Writer Anxiety Management
Fun Fact: I am a miniature bernedoodle
Favorite Toy: my stuffed llama
Additional Campus Activities: Walking


Odin the Otter, World’s Best Writing Center Mascot

Majors: Encouragement and Comfort
Minor: Adventure
Consulting Projects/Specialties: I like all writers and all writing! I especially like writers who say stuff like “I can’t write!” 
Fun Fact: I was kidnapped in 2021 by a couple of AQ baseball players (but I liked my kidnappers a lot, and we started an Instagram thread together to keep the AQ community informed that I was ok!). I was returned safely…but now I have a real love for AQ Adventures!
Favorite Saying: You Otter Be Writing With Us!
Additional Campus Activities: Everything. I like everything! 


Craig the Turtle, World’s Most Humble Writing Center Mascot

Majors: Persistence and Patience
Minor: Contemplation 
Consulting Projects/Specialties: I am an excellent listener.
Fun Fact: I prefer to stay in Julie’s office. You are welcome to visit me. If you sit in silence, you can hear my quiet wisdom. 
Favorite Author: Shel Silverstein 
Additional Campus Activities: Storytime in Julie’s office. I like to listen.