Director

Dr. Bill Macauley has been the Director of Writing (Rhetoric and Composition, working-class studies, critical literacy, critical pedagogy) at C.O.W. since August 2005, was the Director of the Writing Center at Mount Union College from 2001-2005, and the Director of the Writing Center at Purdue University, Calumet from 1998-2001. He has a BS in English (Creative Writing and World Literatures) from Grand Valley State University (1986), an MA in English (American and British Literature) from Pittsburg State University (1988), and a PhD in English (Rhetoric and Linguistics) from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1999).

Consultants

Leann Bertoncini-Thelin has an MA in English (generalist) from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her current work as a Writing Consultant at C.O.W., she also serves as a Writing Specialist and an associate lecturer in basic writing at the University of Akron. She has published an article in Tenured Bosses, a response in College English, and has an article accepted for publication in an upcoming edited collection about tutoring deaf students in writing centers. She is also currently the assistant editor of Open Words: Access and English Studies, an online academic journal. Her work in the Center is interdisciplinary and she specializes primarily in longer projects, creative writing projects, and journalistic endeavors.



Jessica Marie Jones holds a Bachelor of Fine Art and a Post-Baccalaureate in Literature from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Kent State University. She has taught at the Akron Art Museum, the Butler Institute of American Art, Miller South School for the Arts, and the University of Akron, and has received numerous awards, including the Linda Allard Medallion and the Thelma Anderson Scholarship for Renaissance Studies. Recently, Jessica served as 2007-2008 Writer in Residence for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, where she directed a year-long creative writing project for children. You can read the children's poetry, and see some of Jessica's photography, at www.dayinthewoods.blogspot.com. When not teaching, reading, or writing, Jessica enjoys hiking, camping, yoga, and travel, and has traveled to over 13 countries for study, teaching, and volunteer work.



Jenny Derksen holds an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language/Applied Linguistics and a BS in Secondary Education, Social Studies, and has teaching certificates in secondary and adult education. She is the coordinator of the English as a Second Language program at the Gault Family Learning Center with 125 students and 37 volunteer tutors. She also serves as faculty advisor for the ESL program house on campus. Additionally, Jenny works at St. Agnes Church in Orrville as a volunteer interpreter and organizer for the immigrant community.




Joanne Lehman holds a bachelor's degree in Communication Arts with a concentration in Journalism. She is currently studying poetry and creative nonfiction in the Ashland University MFA in Creative Writing program. Joanne has worked as a newspaper reporter, feature writer, columnist, and editor. Joanne is the author of two books, Traces of Treasure: Quest for God in the Commonplace, and Kairos: A Novel, both published by Herald Press. She won the Wick Poetry competition in 2004 from Kent State University Press with her chapbook, Morning Song. Her articles and poems have been published in religious magazines, local newspapers and literary magazines. Two of her poems were recently published in The Next of Us Is About to Be Born, an anthology of poetry published by the Kent State University Press.



Administrative Assistant

Debbie Baker worked as an elementary school secretary for 13 years, as the Assistant Director of Continuing Education at Bowling Green State University and at the University of Akron-Wayne College. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, walking, and working in the Writing Center.



Intern

Ben Weaver graduated from Wooster in 2008 with a BA in Comparative Literature (minor in Russian Studies). In his time as a student at Wooster, he worked as a Peer Tutor in the Writing Center, participated in Russian Studies activities, and played clarinet in the orchestra. When he's not in the Writing Center, he enjoys finding new music and reading everything he didn't have time to read in college.




Peer Tutors

Danny Caine, a 2008 COW Graduate with an English major, is seldom happier than when good writing is igniting. Thus, he loves tutoring and his current stint as a Student Teacher at Wooster High School, which is providing him with all sorts of crazy emotion and inspiration through October. After that, he's not sure where life will take him; hopefully it involves teaching, writing, teaching writing, playing outside, money, and fun.



Lindsay Brainard is a junior philosophy major who likes traveling, napping, philosophizing, and having adventures. She loves working in the Writing Center because it's probably the friendliest office on campus and she gets to meet such fabulous people. She also loves chopsticks, bow ties, and her lovely dorm room... but you'll rarely find her there because she tends to be a bit over-scheduled!






Megan Connor is a senior English major with an education minor. She has a rather sad obsession with Christmas and chairs that rock or spin. Last year she began the process of establishing a writing center at Wooster High School. After a successful pilot program last spring, she is looking forward to the grand opening of the WHS Writing Center in the fall of 2008. She also possesses an intense love of the English language and is excited to be able to work with it extensively in the Writing Center.





Lexie DeGrandchamp is a junior International Relations major with a Chinese minor. She enjoys art history, economic theory, a rousing game of Minesweeper, ice cream sundaes, and Broadway musicals. She is not a "morning person." When Lexie isn't in class, you'll probably find her eating some form of microwavable carbohydrate or playing Scrabble.








Sara Pierce is a junior majoring in Sociology and minoring in French. She is an optimistic person who likes to meet new people and go on adventures when she can. She has a passion for sports, loves Indian food and likes to boogie on the dance floor (or in her dorm room).





Laura West is a junior from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Laura is a chemistry major, English minor. Her interests include reading, playing IM sports, and singing in the Wooster Chorus. In her spare time, she particularly enjoys rooting for the Steelers, eating fruit snacks, and watching Jane Austen films.

Stephen Wicks is a senior English major from Sturgis, Michigan. He's working on both law school and Peace Corps applications this fall, and is hoping to get into both. Stephen sings with the Merry Kuween of Skots, plays Ultimate for Ram Jam, and is a member of EXY.





Elise Meyers is a senior Biochemistry/Molecular Biology and Religious Studies double major from Jefferson, WI. She spends her free time in meetings at Lilly House or OICM with lovely people who keep her centered. She plays her oboe in orchestra more gently than her cymbals in marching band. She loves colorful food, walking really fast and hearing people's stories.


Emmy O'Malley is a sophomore from Needham, Massachusetts. She is considering a major in International Relations with a minor in Spanish. Besides tutoring in writing and Spanish, she is also involved in Moot Court and the Jenny Investment Club. She hopes that her work at the Writing Center will bring her one step closer to a career in storm chasing.



Kitty O'Riordan is a junior Anthropology and Religious Studies double major and History minor from Chagrin Falls, Ohio. She runs cross country and pretends to swim when she is not hanging out with her tarantula, Bud. She hopes someday to work as an applied anthropologist, write for National Geographic, save the animals, save the people, and stop global climate change. Her favorite occasions are Christmas and macaroni and cheese day at Lowry, and she prefers to spell 'grey' the British way.



Genevieve Pecharka is a senior English major with French and History minors. Besides being in various theatre productions, band, and After These Messages, Gen also enjoys knitting, wasting time on video games, listening to soundtracks, and plotting ways to make her I.S. (about Tolkien) even nerdier. You might occasionally find her at Common Grounds: she does live and run inventory there, after all, and it's the best place to play her favorite game... Trivial Pursuit!



Emily Ryan is a sophomore International Relations and Spanish double major from O'Fallon, Illinois. Though one could never guess from her chosen areas of study, she hopes to one day be a writer. However, given the current state of the economy, she is also looking into potential back-up careers so she doesn't spend her 20's living off Ramen noodles in an apartment with 6 other people. In her free time, she enjoys playing the violin, listening to British pop music, and visiting Chicago as much as possible.




Cathy Trainor is a sophomore from Oakland, California. She is considering a major in Physics and will definitely minor in Russian Studies. She plans on working in Astronomy someday. In her spare time, Cathy tries to dance as much as possible! On campus, Cathy is part of Worthy Questions and teaches English as a Second Language through Pueblo de Esperanza. She also loves Superfit Aerobics.


Whitney Williams is a junior English major and Women's Studies minor from Toledo, OH. She has a particular fondness for cats and will probably become her neighborhood's crazy cat lady. Whitney enjoys researching interesting topics and crushing people with her Monopoly skills. She also harbors a strange passion for the Victorian era.



Jessica Winchell is a senior Psychology major and was born just outside of Garrettsville, Ohio, better known as The Woods. She wrote her first novella at the age of 12 and was awarded an honorary English degree from Harvard at 16. At 18, she began attending Wooster to learn how regular college students lived. Currently, she resides in the Morgan Hall Animal Lab and is compiling her 6th anthology of monkey-related writings.



Christina Zink is a sophomore International Relations major and Communication minor. Although she was born in Orrville, she calls the Middle Atlas mountain range in Morocco, Africa home. In addition to working at the Writing Center, she is the current editor in chief of The Index and is working on a novel she hopes to publish. She wants to find a career that involves plenty of travel, danger, and adventure! Christina enjoys learning new languages, monitoring politics, and talking more than she should about both. She also loves fashion and is constantly looking up unique styles in magazines, online, and on television.


Chemistry Tutors

Ted Moore is a senior Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major from Ann Arbor, Michigan. He plays his trombone a lot and will practice his judo with anyone willing. He also compulsively watches Portuguese football and reruns of Star Trek: The Next Generation. He's pumped to be working at the writing center this year.



Chris Nau is currently a senior Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major with a minor in Religious Studies. He is the president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and pretends to play piano from time to time. In his free time he enjoys any bad comedy or action movie and eating.



Elana Stennett is a junior Chemistry major from Bend, Oregon. Since she is a minor in Religious Studies and is involved with Student Government (SGA) and the Chemistry club, she stays busy. When not doing school-related activities, she likes to watch movies, read anything she can find (preferably not science related), and dream about where she wants to travel to next.