Writing Center Staff

• Eric Vrooman (Writing Center Director)
• Pam Pearson (Multilingual and Intercultural Program Coordinator)
• Monse Perez Barrios (Team Leader)
• Geena Zebrasky (Team Leader)
• Riya Goerwitz (Team Leader)
• Mad Chase (Team Leader)
• Ellie Hartmann
• Amanda Nyakwada
• Sam Peters
• Lachen Reid
• Jessica Schwartz
• Dawa Tsering
• Nisora Usmonova
• McCall Walker
• Michaela Woodward
• Lexi Combs
• Andrea Cruz Bracamontes
• Carley Swanson-Garro
• Delaney Bluhm
• Salem Weldegebriel
• Riley Erb
• Patrick Stonecipher
• Bryn Swiston

Eric Vrooman

Education: M.F.A., Fiction Writing, UNC-Wilmington; B.A., English, Carleton College

Interests: Film, fiction writing, screenwriting, tennis, Scrabble, Wiffleball, pastry

Favorite Writers: George Saunders, Lorrie Moore, Kurt Vonnegut, Toni Morrison, Lydia Davis, and Haruki Murakami

Courses I Teach: Reading in the World: Crime & Punishment, Introduction to Creative Writing, Writing Fiction, Writing Creative Nonfiction, The American Novel, IEX travel courses

Mad Chase (Team Leader)

Class of 2023, Scandinavian Studies and History Majors

What's one of your favorite words, and why?

Honestly this question always stumps me. I have a lot of favorite words but I think one of my current favorites is "ultimately." It has been really useful in my writing for the past year and I don't think I could part with it just yet!

What's your favorite punctuation mark, and why?

Love a good semicolon. I know it is often a scary punctuation mark but it is just the best. 

Which part of the writing process do you enjoy most?

 The part of the writing process I enjoy the most is... going to the Writing Center! I love being able to talk through my piece rather than just staring endlessly at my laptop hoping the words will magically arrange themselves. 

Which is the hardest part of the writing process for you?

The hardest part of the writing process for me is, wait for it, starting. Surprise! Just kidding. Starting is usually the hardest part for the majority of writers--we all have such great ideas in our heads but when it comes time to put them to paper we freeze (that is why everyone should come to the Writing Center)!

What languages do you speak?

I speak English and Swedish!

Geena Zebrasky (Team Leader)
 

Class of 2023, Biology and Geography Majors

What's one of your favorite words, and why?

One of my favorite words is holobiont. Besides looking and sounding cool, I really love how the concept asks you to think outside of the individual, and look at all of the interactions that are occurring to allow an organism to live.

What's your favorite punctuation mark, and why?

Definitely a comma. My thought process is too long to go without them, and my sentences are far too long to not love commas. 

Which part of the writing process do you enjoy most?

 Researching, because I learn so much - but this can also be my least favorite because I get stuck in every rabbit hole I come across. 

Which is the hardest part of the writing process for you?

Stopping the researching, and beginning an outline! As much as I adore researching, I never know when to stop and begin trying to assemble all of it into a logical outline. 

What languages do you speak?

I speak English a little ASL.

Monse Perez Barrios (Team Leader)

Class of 2024, Political Science, Environmental Studies and Art Majors

What's one of your favorite words, and why? 

I love SO many words it was super difficult to choose one!! I recently spent some time in a small village in Mexico. Rain was an everyday event that reminded me of a beautiful word. Petrichor– this word comes from greek and is the combination of “stone” and “ethereal blood of the gods.” Anyway, it is used for the way the earth smells after it rains. I don’t know about you but I love the smell of grass after it rains! 

What's your favorite punctuation mark, and why? 

I think is pretty obvious after reading my answer to the question above. I love a good exclamation mark! I cannot imagine my life without exclamation marks!!! They are super fun to use and can be quite helpful when you are trying to convey emotion. I mean who doesn’t like to use exclamation marks?

Which part of the writing process do you enjoy most? 

 I really enjoy brainstorming and researching! Looking for resources is fun and a good way to read things that you will never look for intentionally. I like brainstorming and doing research because I get so much knowledge that I know will be useful for my writing piece or the future.

Which is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

For me, the hardest part of the writing process is to start. I know! sometimes is just really hard to put all your thoughts and information together in only one paper. I tend to have so many ideas about what to write that I overthink too much and have trouble getting started or I end up going over the word limit. 

What languages do you speak?

I speak Spanish and English. My Japanese is not that great but I am getting there. I also know some Portuguese and I am going for French. 

Sam Peters

Class of 2023, English and Theatre Majors

What's one of your favorite words, and why?

I like the word crepuscular, because it is simultaneously unsettling and vivid. 

What's your favorite punctuation mark, and why?

I like the question mark, because it indicates curiosity and open possibilities. 

Which part of the writing process do you enjoy most?

My favorite part of the writing process is brainstorming and researching. At this stage, I can play with my ideas and delve into whatever information intrigues me. 

Which is the hardest part of the writing process for you?

The hardest part of the writing process is revising. I have trouble looking at my work from an objective perspective, and I find it difficult to restructure my thoughts once they are written down. 

What languages do you speak?

English.

Lachen Reid

Class of 2024, Exercise Physiology and English Majors

What's one of your favorite words, and why? 

Verisimilitude. It means absolute truth. Sounds like a spell from Harry Potter too. 

What's your favorite punctuation mark, and why? 

The comma. The comma allows me to combine multiple ideas, which should be separate sentences, into one overly complicated run on sentence. 

Which part of the writing process do you enjoy most? 

 Writing the conclusion of a long essay. Bringing all the pieces and ideas together into one, final argument. 

Which is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

Using enough evidence to support my thinking. 

What languages do you speak?

English.

Jessica Schwartz

Class of 2023, Chemistry Major, Math Minor

What's one of your favorite words, and why? 

Ineffable, it sounds nice.

What's your favorite punctuation mark, and why? 

I LOVE the em dash — it's a comma, semicolon, parentheses, and more all in one. As the resident bad boy of punctuation, the em dash is a great way to convince your professors that you have impeccable control of the English language (even when you can barely string a sentence together).

Which part of the writing process do you enjoy most? 

Researching and brainstorming; I enjoy learning more about my topic and developing my ideas. 

Which is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

I tend to be way too wordy, so I always have trouble cutting things down and getting out everything I want to say without overwhelming the reader.

What languages do you speak?

just English

McCall Walker

Class of 2023, Psychology Major

What's one of your favorite words, and why? 

Petrichor - the pleasant smell of rain on dry earth

What's your favorite punctuation mark, and why? 

I love using parentheses, I feel like when I see it in writing it always is either providing helpful information, or it feels like an inside joke

Which part of the writing process do you enjoy most? 

I enjoy the brainstorming and outline process! It is very rewarding to see ideas become something cohesive and in my own voice.

Which is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

Getting started, it can feel overwhelming to tackle a large paper without knowing where it will go.

What languages do you speak?

English.

Michaela Woodward

Class of 2023, Spanish, LALACS, & Film Studies Majors, Russian and Eastern European Studies Minor

What's one of your favorite words, and why? 

Noodle. It's one of the most random nouns to ever be used as an adjective (noodly) or verb (noodling). Also, I love pasta. 

What's your favorite punctuation mark, and why? 

The comma. It's so versatile! (And I use it a lot.)

Which part of the writing process do you enjoy most? 

I like brainstorming and creating an outline - its the start of puzzling all your different ideas together which is really fun for me.

Which is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

Sitting down and writing a first draft. 

What languages do you speak?

English, Spanish, and (a little) Russian 

Bryn Swiston

Class of 2025, Political Science Major, Civic Leadership Minor 

What is one of your favorite words, and why?

One of my favorite words is "persevere" because it reminds me of my time on my high school cross country team and motivates me! 

What is you favorite punctuation mark, and why?

My favorite punctuation mark is the comma because I use it so often (too often, some may say...). 

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

My favorite part of the writing process is revision because I like strengthening my arguments and working on flow and clarity.

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

My least favorite part of the writing process is drafting. Sometimes I have to switch my ideas around and can run into roadblocks. 

What languages do you speak? 

I speak English and am taking Spanish classes here at GAC!

Alexandra Combs

Class of 2024, English Major, GWSS Minor 

What is one of your favorite words, and why?

It sounds cheesy, but my favorite word is "perspective" because I'm always working to get a new perspective on life, what I'm working on, etc.

What is you favorite punctuation mark, and why?

 I love the exclamation point! When used sparingly, it has a great effect!

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

My favorite part of the writing process is editing and proofreading. I love nitpicking for details that others may have missed.

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

The hardest part of the writing process for me is getting started/brainstorming. The blank page is my biggest adversary.

What languages do you speak? 

English and a little Spanish.

Delaney Bluhm

Class of 2023, Political Science and Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies Majors, African Studies Minor 

What is one of your favorite words, and why?

One of my favorite words is hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia because it is the fear of long words and it itself is a long word. 

What is you favorite punctuation mark, and why?

My favorite punctuation mark is an exclamation point because it conveys so much emotion!

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

My favorite part of the writing process is the drafting process because I can just free-write about my topic and make it come together later in the process.

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

The hardest part of the writing process for me is brainstorming, especially if I can't talk it out with someone, because I either have no idea what to do with a prompt or a ton of ideas. 

What languages do you speak? 

I'm only fluent in English, but I have a decent understanding of Spanish and rudimentary skills in Kinyarwanda.

Andrea Cruz Bracamontes 

Class of 2024, Political Science & Spanish Majors, LALACs Minor

What is one of your favorite words, and why?

 Piñata: I a big fan of the ñ in the word 

What is you favorite punctuation mark, and why?

I love the semicolon because of its ability to both separate and connect a sentence 

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

My favorite aspect of the writing process is the introduction, I love how it frames the rest of your writing 

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

I'm not the most concise writer which means that I'm always having to cut down my essays :(\

What languages do you speak? 

English and Spanish

Salem Weldegebriel

Class of 2025, Computer Science Major, Philosophy & English Minors

What is one of your favorite words, and why?

Amidst. it's my favorite word cause I feel like that describes where I believe I stand in life...I would use the word to phrase it as... "standing amidst of the three dots..." -- It's a personal phrase I use. 

What is you favorite punctuation mark, and why?

 Ellipsis, because I use the three dot's as a metaphor for continuation in life, that there are unexplored pages yet, and that as long as we continue to live there is no full stop or single destination to our life, there is always more... 

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy the brainstorming process as ideas flow and I write without worrying too much about the staff I would later of organizing and editing. 

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

The hardest part for me is starting and sometimes editing and revising. 

What languages do you speak? 

 Amharic and English. 

Riley Erb

Class of 2024, English Major, History Minor

What is one of your favorite words, and why?

Defenestration is the act of throwing someone out of a window and I just love that there's a word for it.

What is you favorite punctuation mark, and why?

The Interobang, which combines the question mark and exclamation point, not only because it's a fun word, but also because it's rare and when it's used, it conveys so much emotion.

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

The research/planning phase of writing. Not only do I learn about interesting things, but I can also write down bullet points and feel productive while I procrastinate writing the actual paper.

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

Actually getting started. When I gaze into the white abyss of Docs and word, it gazes back. Oh how it gazes back.

What languages do you speak? 

English

Carley Swanson-Garro

Class of 2023, Communication Studies & English majors, Scandinavian Studies Minor 

What is one of your favorite words, and why?

My favorite word is pulchritudinous because it looks nothing like what it means and is fun to say.

What is you favorite punctuation mark, and why?

My favorite punctuation mark is the em dash because I like how versatile it is and how it physically breaks up the page. 

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

I most enjoy the revising stage because I get to play around with words and phrases!

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

The hardest part of the writing process for me is writing the second half of my first draft. 

What languages do you speak? 

English, and I started learning Swedish at Gustavus and got to use it studying away in Sweden in spring 2022. 

Dawa Tsering

Class of 2023, Sociology and Anthropology Major

What's one of your favorite words, and why? 

Peace.

What's your favorite punctuation mark, and why? 

Semicolon! It helps me to expand my choices in replacement of commas. 

Which part of the writing process do you enjoy most?  

I enjoy it when students feel more comfortable and confident in their writing! :)

Which is the hardest part of the writing process for you? 

Gather the right information or evidence that pertains to your argument/paper. 

What languages do you speak?

English and Tibetan! Tashi Delek!

Ellie Hartmann
 

Class of 2023, English Major, Political Science and Gender/Women/and Sexuality Studies Minors

What's one of your favorite words and why?

One of my favorite words is peace. I think its something we all strive for, both in society and the self. Keeping it as one of my favorite words reminds me to prioritize and be happy. 

What's your favorite punctuation mark and why?

I like semicolons because they allow me to connect my thoughts without fully stopping. 

Which part of the writing process do you like the most?

I really like making my outline. This step is like a puzzle, where you have all the different pieces--your quoted evidence, your thesis, your argument--and you get to rearrange it and work it out until the organization of your paper allows your argument to become a fully formed picture (a completed puzzle) for the audience. 

What is the hardest part of the writing process for you?

The hardest part of the writing process for me is writing the thesis. Writing the thesis requires a pretty good idea of what you want to talk about in the paper, and it's often difficult for me to get those ideas out of my head and into a clear and concise road-map thesis.