Writing Center Staff
ALEXANDRA ASCHE
A senior Psychology major, English major, and Biology minor, Alexandra is a self-proclaimed nerd of multiple realms. In her free time, she scours the internet, searching for sophisticated fan fics and vids that further develop her favorite fictional characters. Aside from that, she also likes to devour all sorts of books and take on her own literary endeavors, including being a member of the on-campus writing club and literary magazine Floating World. She will not judge you if you come into the Writing Center in your pajamas and in desperate need of some tissues, and she’s happy to work with you at any stage in your writing process, whether it’s brainstorming ideas or venting your feels, starting to put some words down on the page, stitching ideas together, structuring and organizing, in-depth analysis and development, or just fine-tuning. She might even have some candies waiting for you on her desk.
TIM FITZGERALD
Tim is a senior English Major with a History minor, and a transfer student from the deep south. He has particular obsessions with Modern and Postmodern Fiction, Philosophy (both literary and otherwise), and books held together by cobwebs and protected by large, slow moving boulders. If you need help deciphering prompts, working through abstract ideas, outlining, battling the paper that’s burning down the villages of your subconscious, or just have general questions about your writing and want to talk to someone, come find him.
BRITTANY GRADY
As a senior who’s interested in a great number of things, it’s kind of a no-brainer that she’s majoring in English and German Studies, with a Medieval Studies concentration and a minor in History. She’s a big supporter of personal improvement and no-judgment attitudes, so she tries to implement those things into her everyday life. Her passions—apart from those mentioned above—include laughing, Disney, and doing and discussing what you’re passionate about with others. Currently, she works with the Writing Center and loves helping people brainstorm ideas, write thesis statements, and improve grammar. Her time after UMM holds countless mysteries, but she knows she wants to continue learning and to try her hand at becoming a successful fiction novelist.
AMY LAMB
As an English and Psychology double major going on her fourth year, Amy loves the humanities dearly. However, her expertise does not end there. When she’s not daydreaming up new travel plans, hiking some mountain, reading a book, or being the namesake for some intramural ultimate Frisbee team, Amy enjoys helping people help themselves (whatever that means). Come visit her in the Writing Center and she’ll solve all of your problems—or maybe just attempt the writing related ones.
JAKE MILLER
As a sophomore English and German Studies major, Jake has been called a “language guy.” While he’s not quite sure that’s true, he does love to read and write, either for one of his English courses or independently. He’s been told many times to quit wasting time on video games, though he hasn’t yet (he’ll play a round of Super Smash Bros with anybody), and when he can get out of the room he also enjoys cross country skiing when it’s snowy and running when it’s not. He’d be happy to help with any writing-related concerns, and extra happy to work on writing with a creative bend!
ABBY MOONEY
Bio coming soon!
JESSYE RODGERS
Jessye has spent her entire life plagued with the knowledge that her name will never be on Christmas ornaments or, more recently, Coke bottles. She is an English major and a French minor currently in the process of adding on a Studio Art major. When she is not accidentally spilling whipped cream everywhere behind the Higbies counter, playing her favorite music on KUMM, or attending Art Club, she is trying not to fall asleep on the comfy loveseat in the library. Jessye used to struggle a lot with writing, so she knows how simultaneously awful and rewarding it can be. Come in and meet with her if you need help jumping over the hurdle that is writer’s block, brainstorming, drafting up ideas, restructuring your paper, or if you just want to talk through an assignment. And hey, she’ll probably even give you an awesome movie recommendation, too.
TISHA TURK, WRITING CENTER DIRECTOR
Tisha teaches English courses at UMM. She likes writing a lot and has gotten pretty good at it over the years, but she also knows it can be a pain, so she’s happy to commiserate with people who are feeling frustrated or stuck. Her PhD is in English literature, but she has experience working with writers in lots of different fields in the sciences and social sciences as well as humanities and education. She’s the person to talk to for help with personal statements for graduate school, but she’s also happy to help with ordinary papers for either intro or advanced classes. When she’s not working in the Writing Center or teaching, she’s usually reading, gardening, hanging out with her cats, baking really awesome brownies, rewatching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or hitting refresh on Tumblr. These days she is also writing a book about media fandom, a process that reminds her on a daily basis that writing can be simultaneously awesome and annoying.