Writing Center Staff / Tutors

Appointed Director of the University Writing Program in 1995, I laid the groundwork for the SVSU Writing Center, which opened in 1996 and moved to its current Zahnow location in 2007. We have a history of excellent service to the University community, and I've been privileged to work with exceptional tutors and Coordinators! I am also Director of the Saginaw Bay Writing Project, and coordinate the Faculty/Staff Development Calendar, the Faculty Summer Institute, and the Braun Writing Awards. I teach a variety of writing courses, from English 111 to upper-level electives.

I have been a faculty member in the SVSU psychology department since 2002, focusing on educational, cognitive and developmental psychology. As a psychologist, reader of student writing and writer myself, I am fascinated by the cognitive processes that occur as we write. There is, perhaps, nothing humans do that is more mentally complex than writing. Given my interest in this area, I was excited to be asked to be the Writing Center Coordinator starting in the Fall of 2008. I am originally from the Tri-Cities, but moved away to work and go to graduate school in Minneapolis. I never thought I would be back right where I started from. My husband and I keep busy with two active and imaginative preschool-aged boys and an old house with “character” (ie., it needs a lot of work).

I am a sophomore with a double major in Professional and Technical Writing and Communications. So far at SVSU, I have participated in Alternative Breaks, intramural basketball, and a brief stint with the club swim team. I am a former resident of Living Center South, but now live off campus and continue to miss the RFoC and my freshman meal plan on a daily basis. When I'm not in class, I enjoy engaging in friendly games of basketball on the campus courts, trying out various comfy armchairs around the university to study/sleep in (the life of a commuter with no bed to go back to), and watching cheap movies at the Quad. I am very excited to begin working at the Writing Center and look forward to meeting and working with lots of new people.

I am a senior, majoring in English Education. I'm pursuing minors in Chemistry and Creative Writing. I began informal tutoring after my high school graduation. I live in my home town of Bay City, and I work in Saginaw as a UAW autoworker. I have had the opportunity to live out of state and to travel abroad. I come from a large family, and I enjoy spending time with my younger brothers and sisters. When I have the luxury of free time, I look forward to seeing films, reading fiction, writing, and playing golf and tennis. I like to attend campus and community events, so look for me and say hi. I love meeting new people!

I am a sophomore here at Saginaw Valley. I'm still exploring the options for my major, although Professional and Techincal Writing is a strong possibility. I am a member of the Honors Program, which I have found to be very rewarding. I'm originally from the small town of Brown City, but I now live on campus. I work at the local deli when I'm at home. My favorite things in the world are reading, playing Singstar with my roommates, eating Chinese food, and spending time with family and friends. I'm excited to work as a mentor because I like helping others, and because I love to meet new people.

This is my third year at Saginaw Valley. I am a nursing major starting my first year in the program. This is my second year on the Saginaw Valley Dance Team, and my first year serving as the secretary for the team. I have been involved with programs on campus like Program Board and Alternative Breaks.

I'm  a senior majoring in secondary education and history, with minors in English and math. I’m from Port Huron, Michigan. Before I moved to Essexville and joined the team of Writing Center mentors, I did a lot of teaching in the community. I taught home-school classes for students with special needs, flute and fife lessons, and dance for the Port Huron Recreation Department, with a heavy emphasis on Riverdance and various forms of ballroom dancing. When I can find a few hours to spare, I enjoy working with stained glass, needlework, historical re-enacting, and marching with the First Michigan Colonial Fife and Drum Corps. In the Writing Center, I hope to gain many positive experiences that I can use in my classroom one day.

I am currently in my fourth year at SVSU, majoring in Secondary Education in the field of English, with a minor in Physical and Health Education. On campus, I am a member of the amazing Cardinal Sins literary magazine staff; off campus, I coach track and field and play bass guitar in a band called Besieged. After graduating, I hope to teach somewhere in Michigan - assuming there are any jobs left. Wherever I end up, though, I'm sure I will have a great time teaching and continuing my coaching career.

In the time I don't spend on homework, I enjoy working out, playing sports, and traveling all over the country to play music. I try to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings at least once a week, to hang out with my friends as much as I can, and to sneak movie quotes into everyday conversation whenever possible.

I am a senior pursuing a degree in Secondary Education English with a Communications/ Theater Minor. I am also a member of the University Foundation Scholars Program and the Honors Program. After I graduate, I would like to work as a high school English teacher and eventually get a PhD and become an English professor. My favorite on-campus activities are being involved with Campus Crusade for Christ and serving on the planning committee for SVSU's annual Relay for Life.

I grew up on a family farm in the small town of Beaverton, Michigan, and I feel that family and faith are the most important things in life. In addition to my job at the Writing Center, I have the awesome job of working at a pumpkin farm in my hometown every October, painting pumpkins. Some of my other interests include watching Star Trek and Star Wars, engaging in friendly political debates, and going on long runs through the woods.

I am a junior majoring in international studies and political science and am pretty much in love with SVSU. I grew up nearby in the one-stoplight town of Merrill, MI, and spent my childhood riding horses, catching tadpoles, playing in mud, and climbing trees. I am involved in the International Student Club (come to Intercultural Night!), but I am also looking for new ways to be a part of campus after spending a semester abroad. I can sometimes be spotted working as an orientation leader during the summer and am hoping to become a Resident Assistant this upcoming fall. Though I don't know exactly where I am headed in regard to careers, life is exciting and is unfolding beautifully around me!

A few fun-facts: I tend to sing along to songs in public places as loudly and obnoxiously as I can. Dancing in the car at stoplights is a necessity. I prefer crunchy peanut butter, not creamy, and it is meant to be eaten with a spoon with a glass of milk. Thanksgiving is the best holiday ever, but Easter is also very exciting. And I don't care how old I am, I will still watch Spongebob.

I am a sophomore here at SVSU with a yet mysterious major, but certainly a Spanish minor, which is a start. I am a retired mediocre high school athlete who now gains satisfaction from keeping in shape for health's sake. I am one of four siblings who have conquered colleges and universities in five cities across Michigan, from Kalamazoo to Lansing to Saginaw. My Grandpa told me that if I didn't know what I wanted to do, not to burn any of my bridges-- so I have become a metaphorical bridge builder who can't decide which one to cross. I am always excited to meet more people as a tutor and to help cross bridges at Saginaw Valley.

I'm a fourth year student with a double major in Creative Writing and History and a minor in Communication. I have been involved in many organizations on campus, including University Residents Association (now RHA), Peer Health Education, Theatre, the Writer's Sanctuary, and Standing in the Gap Christian Fellowship. I am also part of the Foundation Scholars Program, through which I was able to travel to Athens, Greece, for a semester abroad. I am really excited to return there this March as part of the SVSU Choir Tour. After my schooling here, I hope to attend graduate school and get my Masters in Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing and one day become a novelist. I  am also pursuing a career in publishing and/or editing.

I am originally from a small town in the Thumb called Sebewaing. I love reading and writing, music (including singing), movies, hanging out with friends and family, and traveling. Softball is also something very important to me, as it was something my father and I share. Someday I hope to backpack across Europe--just imagine the things one could learn!

I am an international student living in Midland, MI, since December 2006. My primary goal in coming to the United States was to learn English; specifically, studying ESL (English as a Second Language) here at SVSU. However, I ended up finishing my English course earlier than expected, and my original plan here changed.

Currently a sophomore, I have not decided my major yet. I have thought of majoring in International Business because of this studying abroad experience; however, I am enjoying my first Accounting class, which makes Accounting a strong option as well.

As a typical Brazilian, I love soccer, both playing and watching; an atypical Brazilian, I do not dance. What I like about myself is being a simple, not ambitious person. What I dislike about myself is sometimes being a perfectionist. The essentials in my life are faith, family and friends. Also, I have a passion for helping and caring for people, a fact that encouraged me to pursue work at the Writing Center.

I’d like to introduce myself as Holly from Holly, MI. I am a senior at majoring in Spanish and communication and minoring in business. I will graduate in May 2010 and hope to work as an interpreter or study- abroad coordinator. I might even move to another country for a year or two to gain more experience with the Spanish language. Speaking Spanish is my biggest passion! I spent six weeks in Costa Rica last summer learning not only to improve my Spanish, but also to live the pura vida (pure life). My biggest educational goal is to see five more countries in the next year-and-a-half. I hope to participate in the Roberts Fellows Program next year and study abroad this summer and the next.

I like to sing with friends (especially at the SVSU Coffeehouses), watch movies, play the piano, challenge anyone and everyone to ping-pong and pool matches, and dance west coast swing style. I am also the president of a foreign language honor society called Alpha Mu Gamma and a member of SVSU’s Foundation Scholars Program, Alpha Chi National Scholarship Honor Society, and Standing in the Gap Christian Fellowship. Laughing every single day is one of my biggest priorities. My New Year’s resolution is to let my life be an adventure. I am taking chances, stepping out of my “box” and having amazing experiences because of it. Working at the Writing Center is one of my most recent undertakings and I am sure it will add a little flair to the roller coaster that is my life.

I am currently in my third year at Saginaw Valley. Prior to coming to Saginaw, I had the good fortune to go to Mexico to study the impact of NAFTA on social justice and illegal immigration. This, in addition to my membership in an excellent Model United Nations team, led me to declare an international studies major at the beginning of my freshman year. I have since been taking advantage of Saginaw Valley's global connections and trying to study abroad as much as possible. After an absolutely wonderful semester in Taiwan last year where I completed an internship with their Federal Ministry of Justice, I am now in the planning stages of several other trips. Soonest on the docket, I will embark on a trip to Greece with the choir and am incredibly excited to return to Asia with the Roberts Fellows in the spring.

When I am not traveling, I absolutely love singing, swing dancing, theatre and all other varieties of performance. I also love spending time with all five of my loud and crazy siblings, whom I count among my best teachers and closest friends. Having taken classes in a foreign language myself, I really feel for students who are struggling to understand any aspect of a class. I am excited to begin working at the Writing Center to help those students and others who may need assistance to express themselves better.

David Wildner

Hi, I'm a sophomore here at Saginaw Valley, going into a medical program, either Clincial Laboratory Science or pre-med.  I grew up on the family farm near the small town of Unionville, "The Gateway to the Thumb," and I enjoy hunting and being outdoors (though college has constrained my time a little!).  

On campus I love being involved with organizations that help other students and the community,and I wish I was little more organized so I could help out more.  My future goals hopefully include a little bit of global travel, since being a Writing Center mentor has enabled me to meet people from all around the world.  

I am very excited to join the Writing Center staff.  I am a second year junior majoring in Special Education. I am a transfer student coming from…dare I say…GVSU.  I worked at the Grand Valley Writing Center and loved every minute of it.  I have high hopes that my experiences here at SVSU will be just as exciting and rewarding. Since I couldn’t stand to give up my previous job as a writing consultant, I applied to work here at SVSU and look forward to working with everyone here.  I’m finally getting settled into my new school and life here in Saginaw. I can’t wait to see what the future here holds.

I am a second year student still searching for that illusive major that I hear makes everything better. Despite this, my experiences here at Saginaw Valley have so far been imensely rewarding. This is my second year singing for the SVSU choir, and I love all of the fun experiences I've had as a member (including a trip to Greece my freshman year!) Now, I look forward to expanding my horizons even further through my work as a Writing Center tutor. I've led a pretty calm life up to this point, but the last year has been an exciting time of change and growth for me. I'm still learning to take advantage of all the amazing oppurtunities that college has presented to me.

My interests are varied, too much so to list here, but some of my very favorite activities include reading, singing, dancing (west coast swing in particular), learning the guitar, making home movies, and writing. I value my friends and my friendships more than almost anything, and I hope to make many new ones during my time at the Writing Center.

I am a fourth-year -- or I should just say "senior," since I am well beyond four years now -- literature major.   I  plan on minoring in either philosophy or PTW next semester. (I guess that depends on whether I decide to boost my employability or not.)  I have also studied at Michigan, Washtenaw Community College, and Delta College. Of all the schools I've attended, SVSU is definitely the best for me. SVSU is not exactly small, but it feels much more intimate than the other schools I've been to, and it has given me opportunities that I wouldn't have had elsewhere: working on the newspaper, developing close relationships with my professors, and now, tutoring my peers in the Writing Center.  When I'm not on campus, and not sleeping, I am usually hanging out with friends around Saginaw, going to the movies, cooking, and reading.

I am a third year double major in Spanish and International Studies with a minor in Communications.  I am from a small town in southern Michigan called Quincy, whose only light blinks yellow at 11:00 pm.  In addition to working as a tutor and staff writer for the Valley Vanguard, I am also involved in the Alternative Breaks Program and Alpha Mu Gamma.  I usually use the free time I have left to eat and sleep, though I sometimes find time to play sports and read.  I am excited to have the opportunity to work at the Writing Center and help other students become great writers.

I'm a senior here at SVSU.  I actually spent two years at Michigan State University before transfering here. I'm going into secondary education, majoring in English with a minor in history as well as a social studies endorsement.  I'm a member of the Student Michigan Education Association and enjoy any opportunity which allows me to work with students.

I love to read in my (rare) spare time, anything from modern fiction to classics to biographies.  I grew up on a farm, so I enjoy anything that has to do with the outdoors, especially sports like softball and sand volleyball.  I also work at the Ryder Center on campus; feel free to stop by and chat if you see me there.  I'm  excited to  work with students at the Writing Center and hope that this year will be full of challenges and rewards.

I am a senior, double majoring in Professional and Technical Writing and Sociology. I transferred here in January of 2008 and feel so fortunate to have found my second home within the SVSU campus community. I grew up on a farm in a small town in the Thumb and absolutley love animals and the outdoors. My interest in the environment immediately led me to the Green Cardinal Initiative here on campus, and my majors have allowed me to get involved with the Association of Professional and Technical Writers and the Sociology Club. This past summer, I found myself lingering around campus to work as an Orientation Leader for incoming freshmen and transfer students. I loved every minute of that experience and expect the same in my role as a tutor in the Writing Center. I'm excited to work with and meet new people and help fellow SVSU students reach their greatest writing potential!

I am a sophomore majoring in Nursing and minoring in Management. I'm a member of the Student Nurses Association and the University Foundation Scholars Program, through which I  studied abroad last summer in Italy. It was absolutely beautiful, and I can't wait to see more of the world someday!

I'm from Freeland and love the small town atmosphere. I am currently also employed at The Dow Chemical Company. When not in class or working, I love running, kickboxing, traveling, and spending time outdoors or up north. I tutor in the Writing Center to share my love of writing with other students, as well as help them improve their writing skills.