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Meet our Staff

Staff

Kirsten Benson. Herbert Family Executive Director, Judith Anderson Herbert Writing Center. Ed.D., Leadership Studies in Higher Education. Dr. Benson has been involved with writing centers throughout her career, having started working in one while a graduate student, and she loves every chance to talk with people about their writing. When time allows, she teaches courses in qualitative research methods in writing studies, composition pedagogy, public writing, and persuasive writing. Her interests include reading of all types (especially dark Nordic mysteries), watching movies, beaches, walking and hiking, traveling, photography, and watercolor painting. Fun fact: She loves one particular movie so much, she’s watched it at least 100 times!
Kat Powell. Associate Director and Writing Consultant-Training Coordinator. PhD in English Literature with specialization in 19th-century British literature. Dr. Powell has worked in the JAHWC in some capacity since 2011. She is married to a talented photographer and is mother to two of the funniest humans on this green earth. She enjoys long-distance running and races in 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons throughout the year. Reading with coffee is the first thing she does every morning. Fun Fact: She has run exactly one marathon and decided one was enough!
Robin Leib. Professional Writing Consultant. M.A., EAL and Writing Theory and Pedagogy with a BS in Speech and Hearing Science. Robin loves encouraging, partnering, watching, and participating in watching people and plants grow. She is an avid gardener — there’s the plant part. But, as an educator, she especially enjoys seeing people grow in all seasons of life. Her interests include camping and gardening. Fun Fact: She was born in Leadville, Colorado which is 10,000 feet above sea level.
Julia Goncalves. Professional Writing Consultant. M.A. in German Studies and B.A. in Modern Foreign Languages and Literature with a double concentration in German and Russian Studies. Julia was lucky enough to join the Judith Anderson Herbert Writing Center during her undergraduate studies and continued working as a writing consultant during her graduate degree. She enjoyed the work she did so much that it’s now her full-time job! Alongside supporting student writing, she loves learning languages, baking vegan desserts, dumpster diving, and reading with a warm beverage in hand. Fun Fact: She lived in Germany for two years where she taught English.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ALissa-707x1024.jpegAlissa Reeves. Administrative Specialist. B.A., English (RWL) and Religious Studies; Summa Cum Laude. Alissa has been with UT since 2011 and with the JAHWC since 2020. She started her career at UT as a student assistant in the English Department and as a writing consultant in the JAHWC. After a wonderful experience working in the Haslam College of Business, she is happy to return to “home base.” She loves her student-facing role and enjoys watching students develop life confidence. Her interests include her motorcycle, Harry Potter, and Syro-Palestinian archaeology. She also speaks fluent Broadway songs. Fun Fact: She participated in an archaeological dig of a 1st-century Roman fort in Aqaba, Jordan.
A. Undergraduate with a double major in English (Technical Communication) and Hispanic Studies. A is a Florida native now living here in Knoxville. They enjoy all things reading and writing. Their interests include cats, horror movies, and nature photography. Fun Fact: They were a writing consultant at their last college before transferring to UT and they are excited to get to do it again.
Abigail M. MA student in English (20th-Century British Literature.) Abigail is a first-year Master’s student. She has 3 years of experience in a Writing Center and has consulted in various disciplines including English, Nursing, Political Science, Classics, and Psychology. She is excited to work with students across disciplines who want to strengthen their writing skills. Her interests include reading (goes without saying), spending time with her friends, watching movies and reviewing them on Letterboxd, and currating Spotify playlists. Fun Fact: She has read every novel Virginia Woolf has written.
Alexandra. MFA student (Fiction Writing.) Alexandra is a writer from a small town in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, and has since called several other wonderful states home. Her fiction appears in Potomac Review, Half and One, Glint Literary Journal, BlazeVOX, Barren Magazine, and others. When she is not reading or writing she can be found drinking copious amounts of coffee or hanging out with her cat, Jasper. Her interests include making homemade dumplings. Fun Fact: She still has her wisdom teeth. (Does it make her wiser? Jury’s still out.)
Alyssa. Currently pursuing a Juris Doctor (J.D.). Alyssa has a BS in Journalism and a BA in Spanish. They are a J.D. candidate at the Winston College of Law. At MTSU, they majored in Spanish and Journalism and minored in English and Mass Communications. While at MTSU, their two biggest organizations were MTSU “Sidelines” where they were editor-in-chief, and the MTSU Speech and Debate Team. They grew up in good old Readyville, TN, on a farm, and have a long-running habit of saying “yes” to side quests. Before trading AP Style for Bluebook citations, they were a state semi-finalist debater, a voice actor for an indie video game, and they published photography in a magazine. Their interests include overanalyzing the religious symbolism in “The Locked Tomb” series, embroidery, playing video games, and working on their new novel. Fun Fact: They performed in the choir at Wynonna Judd’s last concert titled, “The Judds: Love is Alive-The Final Concert,” on national television.
Amanda. PhD in Creative Writing (Nonfiction). Amanda is a Herbert Postdoctoral Fellow and a Teaching Assistant Professor of English. She is an Appalachian writer, born and raised in southern West Virginia. She received her PhD from Oklahoma State University and an MFA from West Virginia University. Her creative writing and research explore themes of gender, cultural mythos, the body, and popular culture. Her interests include speculative nonfiction, contemporary horror, and making bread. Fun Fact: She has been a vegetarian since 5th grade.
Anna Grace. MA student in English (Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies) with a concentration in Restoration and 18th-century British literature. Anna Grace was born and raised in Memphis, TN. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, Sunny, reading books, and spending time with her friends and family. She loves to go to thrift stores and antique malls. She is currently trying to become a better cook. Crime podcasts and documentaries are very interesting to her. Gardening is something that she is trying to learn more about. She loves to explore and feels most at peace in wooded areas. Fun Fact: She’s a triplet!
Anne L. PhD in English from The Ohio State University. Anne has worked in the Herbert Writing Center as a writing consultant and a consulant trainer since 2018. She helped found the Flagship Writing Project to provide assistance to Knoxville high school students who are writing their college application essays. She enjoys working with all writers – from first-year students to graduate students – who want to become more confident in their writing skills and knowledge. When not working, she enjoys cycling, swimming, walking with friends, and reading. Fun Fact: Her cat Henry runs her household.
Bronwyn. MA student in English (Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies.) Bronwyn is from Asheville, NC where she earned her BA in English and French and competed on the UNCA Women’s Soccer Team. She hopes to study 20th-century southern literature with a focus on gender and sexuality. Her interests include live music, writing, running, and film. Fun Fact: She is learning guitar!
Darius. Social Media Intern. Undergraduate majoring in Digital Marketing with a collateral in Business Analytics and a focus on Social Media Marketing. Darius considers himself a chill and relaxed person, spending most of his time working out, occasionally hanging out with friends, or playing video games to pass the time. Outside of school, he tends to enjoy solitary walks to clear his head with no particular destination, often exploring the downtown area where he feels most familiar. Fun Fact: He can listen to just about any genre of music and unironically listens to the radio by choice. Music is something he truly loves and cherishes.

Elliott. MA student in English (Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies.) Elliott is from Caryville, TN, a tiny town deep in the East Tennessee Appalachians. When he is not in class, he enjoys watching cartoons, and listening to folk music. He is a writer and likes to read and write fantasy. He loves the Appalachian mountains and his favorite band is Mumford and Sons. Fun Fact: He is the first generation not to be born and raised on the land his great-great-great-grandfather settled.
Giselle. Undergraduate majoring in Kinesiology with a minor in Hispanic Studies. Giselle is a Sophomore who grew up in Knoxville. She enjoys reading, weightlifting, and crocheting in her free time. Her interests include spending time with her pets, traveling, and listening to music. She also enjoys volunteering at Fort Sanders Hospital once a week and occasionally refereeing. Fun Fact: She once dressed up as Mickey Mouse during a retirement home carnival.
Grant. Ph.D in Fiction Rhetorics and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction since 1900. Grant is a Herbert Postdoctoral Fellow and a Teaching Assistant Professor of English. He received a Fulbright student scholarship to teach and research in Hungary. While there, he traced his Hungarian ancestry back several generations and began learning the complex and fascinating language. His creative writing has been published in a number of venues. A semi-finalist for two Iron Horse First Book contests, he is the recipient of the Tulipan Foundation’s Inaugural Art and Culture Award, which funds Hungarian-Americans in their artistic endeavors. His interests include weightlifting, coffee, and adapting Hungarian desserts to American palates. Fun Fact: He is a first-generation college student.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is greta-683x1024.jpgGreta G. PhD student in English (Rhetoric, Writing, and Linguistics) Greta earned her BA from Baylor University in Journalism, English, and Psychology and her MA from UTK. She is originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, graduated from Baylor University in May 2022, and then stayed in Waco for an extra year. During that time, she worked in marketing and ultimately decided to apply to grad school which led her to UT. A few of her favorite things include coffee shops, C.S. Lewis, walks, Taylor Swift, and crocheting! Her hobbies are reading (especially theology and realistic fiction) and hosting parties/game nights with friends. Fun Fact: Her birthday is on Christmas Day.
Greta H. PhD student in Counseling Psychology. Greta served as a writing consultant for 3 years during her undergrad and is so excited to be back to writing consultation after a long hiatus! She hopes one day to practice as a psychologist in a university counseling center, as she is passionate about supporting college students experiencing mental health challenges. She also conducts research under a multicultural-feminist framework and studies the impacts of romantic relationship experiences, gender role socialization, and relational power dynamics on heterosexual women’s psychosocial wellbeing. Her interests include cooking, baking, keeping houseplants, all kinds of arts and crafts, playing piano, running, reading, and of course writing! Fun Fact: She is currently 500 pages into “Infinite Jest” and is on a mission to read everything David Foster Wallace ever wrote.
Hannah B. Undergraduate student in English (Literature.) Hannah is an avid reader who picks up anything from horror (she’s a massive Stephen King fan) to contemporary fiction but will talk anyone’s ear off about a cheesy mystery. Some of her writing strengths are literary analysis and creative forms. She grew up in Western North Carolina, so whenever she isn’t reading or writing she’s out hiking with friends! Some of her interests include inherently bad movies, long car rides with friends, watching hockey, and writing poetry. Fun Fact: She will burst into a full belt whenever “Nightingale” by the Eagles comes on.
Helen. Undergraduate in English (Literature). Helen is from Nashville and loves traveling. Her favorite place she has traveled to is London, and she hopes to live there one day. Her interests include antiquing, crafting, and trying new coffee spots (K Brew on top). She’s recently added listening to podcasts to her lists of hobbies and truly thinks she needs to start one with her best friend. She is currently interested in publishing and hopes to pursue a career as a editor. Fun Fact: She used to be a summer camp counselor!
Izzy A. MA student in English (Rhetoric, Writing and Linguistics.) Izzy is originally from Wake Forest, North Carolina and grew up in Indianapolis making her a true midsouthwesterner who might say, “ope” or “ya’ll” in the same sentence. Her concentration is political rhetoric and rhetorical history. When she’s not in class she enjoys playing rugby, hiking in the Smokies, and swimming in the various rivers and quarries of Knoxville. Her interests include volunteering, reading, baking, and eating all things sweet. Fun Fact: She is fluent in German!
Izzy H. MA student in English (Literature, Criticism and Textual Studies.) Izzy is originally from a small town in Georgia. She loves exploring the outdoors as often as possible with her boyfriend and their two dogs, Stella and Daphne. She is so excited to be back in the JAHWC for her second year at UT! Her interests include cooking, physical activity, reading, and getting together with friends and family. Fun Fact: She was a competitive swimmer for 8 years and a swim coach for 2 years.
Jack. Undergraduate in Economics with a concentration in International Business and a minor in Philosophy. Jack is a Smith Global Leadership Scholar in the Haslam College of Business, a senator in UT’s Student Government Association, the president of UT’s Economics Club, and the vice president of the Tennessee chapter of FarmHouse fraternity. He is committed to using his time to serve others, and he greatly enjoys helping his peers building confidence in their writing skills! His interests include learning about history, studying classical philosophy, and keeping up with current affairs. He enjoys watching films and tries to watch at least one every week. He also likes to volunteer on campus and in the Knoxville community. Fun Fact: He has a hound named Judi.
Jasmine. MFA student in Creative Writing (Poetry.) Jasmine is a Birmingham, Alabama native and studied English and African American Studies at the University of Alabama. She loves walking around parks and eating outside at new restaurants on sunny days. If it’s raining, she likes to snuggle up to read a good book or watch an international film. She’s been writing poetry since she was in elementary school. Her interests include poetry, walking, running, international films, language learning, collage art, perfumery, and spirituality. Fun Fact: She lived in Pontevedra, Spain for 2 years as an English teacher.
Kacper. PhD student in Political Science. Kacper completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Tennessee and then moved to Barcelona to complete his Master’s degree. He lived and worked in Spain for 4 years before returning to Knoxville in 2021 to continue his studies. His interests outside academia include traveling, attending concerts, and visiting art museums. Fun Fact: He is a big coffee enthusiast and enjoys roasting and brewing different varieties of coffee beans at home.
Kaeleigh. PhD student in Philosophy and MPH student in Health Behavior. Kaeleigh is a philosophy PhD student who studies nature: How should we interact with the world around us? What is the world around us really like? In her spare time she hikes, gardens, and plays with her dog, Dolittle. Her interests include hiking, camping and gardening. Fun Fact: Chickens are her favorite animal. They are tiny dinosaurs.
Kaitlyn. PhD student in English (Rhetoric, Writing and Linguistics). Kaitlyn mostly studies theories and rhetorics of embodiment (appreciating the freedom of how tricky that is to define) and composition pedagogy. They have been with the JAHWC since they finished their MA (in Literature, Criticism and Textual Studies) and they are at least as well known for making appointments in the JAHWC as for leading them. In their free time, they are likely touching grass with their dog, Darla, making some strange fiber arts project, or reading anything by Jo Nesbo. Fun Fact: They have quite the green thumb and have used that to create a magical reading room reminiscent of a jungle. They also sell small plants and propagations!
Karina.  Undergraduate in English (Literature). Karina grew up in Knoxville and has 3 sisters. She would like to pursue a career in publishing and wants everyone to know she is very cool. She enjoys cooking, writing, and the BBC show Merlin. She also bakes excellent bread. Fun Fact: She collects artificial birds.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is FB_IMG_16863174088263-1024x735.jpgKate. PhD in Creative Writing (Poetry) from UT. Post-Doc Teaching Partner and Flagship Writing Project Coordinator. She has a BA and MA from Penn State and a MFA in Creative Writing and Environment from Iowa State, where she also worked in the writing center. In her free time, she loves working out, watching sports (she’s a college wrestling enthusiast), watching The Bachelor, and playing with her cat, Macaroni. Fun fact: She has an orange belt in judo and hopes to continue progressing!
Kaylee. MFA student in Creative Writing. Kaylee focuses on fiction but also writes narrative poetry. She earned her BA in English and Creative Writing from Columbia University in New York City. She is originally from Minnesota. She enjoys reading Victorian literature and medieval literature in her free time. She always has a novel, short story, or poem that she is working on. She also loves biking, walking and hiking. Fun Fact: Her previous job was a tour guide in an underground cave (Niagara Cave) in Minnesota. While working there, she met her now-husband (another tour guide) and they were married inside the cave, 100-feet underground.
Kyle. PhD in English with a concentration in Writing Practices. Kyle is a Herbert Postdoctoral Fellow and a Teaching Assistant Professor in English. After completing an MFA in Fiction Writing from the University of Alabama, he received a PhD in English, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Teaching Composition, from the University at Albany, SUNY, where he served as poetry editor for the literary journal Barzakh. His work interrogates intersections of artistic identity, conspiratorial narratives, and cultic formations. His interests include walking with an audiobook in his ear and insisting that video games are art. Fun Fact: He is working on learning clawhammer banjo.
Kylie. Undergraduate in English with a concentration in Rhetoric, Writing & Linguistics and a minor in French and Francophone Studies. Kylie is from Virginia Beach and is a Junior at UT. She is an executive member of the Fashion Society and is always reading or writing somewhere. Aside from that, you can find her doing yoga, curating her Spotify, or slinging coffees at Potchke! Her interests include music, writing, fashion, cooking, practicing French, and coffee. Fun Fact: She did competitive Irish dance for 8 years.
Laurie. MA in Applied Linguistics. Laurie is a retired faculty member with an enduring passion for helping writers find their voices on the page. She loves the JAHWC and just can’t give it up! When she’s not helping writers, she is usually out looking for trouble, puttering in her pollinator garden, or reading board books with her sweet little granddaughter. Her interests include gardening, grammar, traveling, and making good trouble. Fun Fact: Oh! There are too many to pick just one!
Lillian. BA student in Psychology and Philosophy with an English minor. Lillian is from Dallas, Texas. Her interests and hobbies include reading and spending time with her friends. Fun Fact: She is ambidextrous! She uses both hands interchangeably for everything!
Maddie. Undergraduate student in English (Literature) and a minor in Applied Music. Maddie is a Senior and is both dreading and looking forward to graduating. They can ramble on about any book they read, but they particularly love fantasy and queer fiction. They love reading, musicals, traveling, theme parks, and scrolling on Instagram for far longer than they should. Fun Fact: They have a chinchilla.
Madison. MA student in English (Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies). Madison is a first-year MA who grew up in southern Virginia, went to college in Los Angeles, and has spent the last four years living in Nashville before coming to UTK. Her primary research interest lies in a biopsychosocial approach to how literature is written, read, and utilized as a cultural object. When she is not reading or writing, she enjoys making her way through her Letterboxd watchlist, collecting vintage mass market paperbacks, thrifting, and working on a good puzzle. Fun Fact: It is her goal to one day film a documentary.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is marilee-768x1024.jpgMarilee. Undergraduate in Animal Science (concentrating in Pre-Veterinary Medicine) and a minor in English. Marilee (pronounced “Mary Lee”) is a Tennessee native and spends her free time reading books, swimming, watching TikTok, and hanging out with friends and family. She has a deep love for all animals and, together with her roommate, she co-parents 2 rabbits and a leopard gecko. Additionally, she is the proud owner of fish, 2 turtles, and 2 dogs. Fun Fact: She doesn’t have a middle name.
Maryam. MFA student in Creative Writing (Poetry). Maryam also has a MA in English (Literature and Linguistics.) She is a Brooklyn Poets’ Fellowship recipient. Her work explores themes of longing, loss, and the intricate dynamics of the mother-daughter relationship within the rich tapestry of Pakistani and South Asian culture. Previously a Senior Associate at the Writing Center at Habib University, she brings more than 7 years of valuable experience. Her interests include stargazing, and she is an astrophile who loves losing herself in the night sky. She also likes taking long walks and making long to-do lists that she often forgets to follow. With a penchant for diving into internet rabbit holes and a quick, sarcastic wit, she always keeps her meme game strong despite her introverted nature. Fun Fact: When she is not busy wrangling her ten feline companions and enjoying the chaos that comes with being a cat mom, she offers professional tarot and astrology readings to those seeking cosmic clarity.
Maurice. Undergraduate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Environmental Science. Maurice was born and raised in Knoxville about 15 minutes away from campus. He enjoys nature, listening to music, reading, going on runs, and TV. Fun Fact: He has played golf for over 7 years.
Meg. Undergraduate majoring in English (Rhetoric, Writing and Linguistics) with a minor in Political Science. Meg is a junior at UTK, a Knoxville native, an avid reader, and a writer. She particularly enjoys Southern Gothic and Appalachian literature, but will read just about anything she can get her hands on. In her free time, she can be found listening to music, reading a good book, or cooking a new recipe, often all at once. Her interests include scuba diving, crocheting, running, and pickleball. Fun Fact: She has swam with sharks.
McKayla. MA student in English (Rhetoric, Writing, and Linguistics. McKayla has a BA in Writing and Rhetoric from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and worked in the University of Rochester’s writing center for 3 years before coming to UT. They study disability and Indigenous rhetorics and are particularly interested in how people communicate using social media. She was born and raised in upstate New York, and will happily talk your ear off about anything to do with the region. She loves to cook, try new foods, and play games (of both the board and video varieties.) Fun Fact: They have a spoiled tuxedo cat named Luna who has thumbs and does tricks.
Micaela. MA student in English (Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies.) Micaela has a BA in English Literature and French from MTSU. She is a long-distance runner and an avid reader. Her favorite book is Dracula by Bram Stoker. She was lucky to study abroad in Normandy for a semester, and after graduating she spent a year back in Normandy working as an English teaching assistant. She loves so many things! Her biggest interests are running, literature, writing, traveling, music and nature. Fun Fact: She is fluent in French.
Michael. MFA student in Creative Writing (Poetry.) Michael, a poet and fiction writer, has previously worked a a copywriter, content writer, and content marketer. His works have appeared in The Shore, Grist, trampset, Ake Review, Twelve Mile Review, Afritondo, and other places. His interests include playing chess and reading (it’s expected, he knows.) Fun Fact: He enjoys and follows multiple sports including soccer, basketball, tennis, chess, and more.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is drmmacheret-703x1024.jpgMinadora. PhD in English. Minadora is a Herbert Postdoctoral Fellow and a Teaching Assistant Professor in English. She received her PhD in 2022 from the University of North Texas in Creative Writing, specializing in poetry. She is also a scholar of poetry of the Shoah. She spent several years working in her university’s writing center, where she supported students of all walks of life in their writing journey. Her interests include traveling, cooking, and hanging out with her two dogs. Fun Fact: She speaks 5 languages.
Miracle. MA student in English (Rhetoric, Writing, and Linguistics.) Miracle earned her BA from the University of Wyoming in Secondary Education/English with minors in Honors and Creative Writing, while also completing her ESL Teaching Certification. While originally born in Michigan, but having grown up in Riverton, Wyoming, she has also studied abroad and taught in a variety of countries and states, most notably studying in Scotland, England, and Germany, and teaching in the Netherlands. Her teaching experience so far has consisted primarily of middle school to high school students, but she is looking forward to working with undergraduate students this year. In her graduate research, she is interested in analyzing the rhetorical power of storytelling, cultural rhetorics, intercultural competence, and the intersections of identity, writing, and language. When she is not in the classroom, she loves to spend her time watching horror movies, writing short fiction, traveling, and adding to her extensive collection of orca-related items. Fun Fact: She has been playing piano for almost 20 years, ever since she was first (lovingly) forced down at the keys at age 3 by her Mom.
Nathaniel. Undergraduate majoring in English (Creative Writing.) Nathaniel is from middle Tennessee but moved east when he got married in 2016. This is his 3rd time at college and this time has been far more enjoyable since he stopped trying to force himself to major in Engineering and instead focus on a subject that he loves.He enjoys reading, writing, video games, hiking and biking. Fun Fact: He lived in Poland for nearly a year.
Nico. MA student in English (Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies) with a concentration in Medieval Literature.) Nico is a first-year MA student who specializes in Medieval Literature and adores talking about knighthood and global mythology. His interests include reading, creative writing, comic books, Dungeons and Dragons, tabletop RPGs, cosplay, horror movies, knights and castles. Fun Fact: He is the host (DM) for a six-year dungeons and dragons original campaign!
Parker H. Undergraduate majoring in English (Rhetoric, Writing, & Linguistics.) Parker is from a small town in Virginia. She knew she wanted to be an English major when she was in 6th grade and never changed her mind! She spends most of her time trying to learn a new hobby. Right now, she is learning a little bit of guitar. Her interests include French culture, finding new restaurants, crocheting, reading, writing, and cooking. Fun Fact: She is kind-of ambidextrous (haha). She can write with her left hand the best, but uses her right hand for everything else.
Rachel. PhD in Literature, Criticism, and Textual Studies. Rachel is a Herbert Postdoctoral Fellow and a Teaching Assistant Professor in English. Rachel has taught composition and business writing since finishing her PhD in 2023. Her primary focus has been working-class southern literature, but consulting in the JAHWC and teaching professional/technical writing and composition has left her super interested in rhetoric and technical writing! Her interests include running, weightlifting, and group fitness! She also loves to cook and bakes a mean boule of sourdough. Fun Fact: She has a bunny name Skeeter!
Ryan. Undergraduate majoring in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication with a concentration in Education. Ryan loves to read, hang out with friends, and watch sports. She’s specifically a huge fan of baseball and it is a goal of hers to visit every Major League Baseball stadium. So far, she has been to 7 of them! Her interests include reading, sports, plants, and traveling. Fun Fact: She has traveled to 11 countries.
Sage. Undergraduate majoring in Forensic Anthropology with minors in Premed and German. Sage loves reading, writing, and exploring how our upbringings and cultures shape the way we approach writing. She moved to Knoxville from South Africa, and when she’s not in class or consulting with writers you’ll probably find her in the pool playing water polo. Go Vols! Her interests include having a “braai” (South African version of grilling) and being at the coast while reading a good book. Fun Fact: She is planning on doing an Ironman triathlon after graduating this spring!
Sam. PhD in English Literature. Sam is a Herbert Postdoctoral Fellow and Teaching Assistant Professor in English. He holds degrees from Florida State University, Columbia, Duke, and the University of San Francisco (the latter two at which he played baseball). Last year, he was a Fulbright Fellow in Paris, France. Previously, he served as a professor and Writing Center Director for Semester at Sea, covering 10 countries in 100 days. His interests include music, reading, traveling, photography, and film. Fun Fact: He hasn’t lived in the same place (city, state, and sometimes country) for more than 9 months…since 2018!
Samantha. Undergraduate majoring in English. Samantha is an avid reader whose passion for books shaped her decision to pursue an English degree. When she can be pulled away from reading, she loves to spend time with friends and family. After participating in a multitude of sports throughout high school, she has found a new love for weight lifting and can be found in a gym six days a week. Fun Fact: She is a black belt in Isshinryu karate.
Sol. Undergraduate in English with a concentration in Education. Sol is originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan and moved to Knoxville after his freshman year of high school. He attended and graduated from Hardin Valley Academy and Pellissippi State Community College. In the future, he plans on teaching, specifically secondary education, with the possibility of moving to post-secondary education. His interests include poetry, short stories, watching movies, and gaming. Fun Fact: He has played instruments ever since he was 10 years old. He started on the clarinet and transitioned to saxophone after a few years. From there, he played regularly until he graduated high school.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Tristan-B.jpgTristan. Post-Undergraduate in History from UT. Tristan is from Nashville. She is passionate about activism and volunteering. In her free time, she likes to read and spend time with her friends. Fun Fact: Her favorite color has always been orange, even before she knew she would attend UT!
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Valerie-768x1024.jpgValerie. PhD in English (Renaissance Literature). Valerie is a Herbert Postdoctoral Fellow and Teaching Assistant Professor in English. Valerie received her PhD from the University of Virginia, where she taught in the first-year writing program. Her research interests include literature and material culture, and she can often be found writing in coffee shops. Her interests include reading, writing, cooking, and traveling. Fun Fact: She is an identical twin.
Violet. Undergraduate student in viola performance and English (Creative Writing). When Violet is not practicing viola or doing homework, she enjoys literature in all forms and spending time in nature. She also loves exploring downtown Knoxville and making new friends! Her interests include guitar, hiking, swimming, reading, writing, and listening to music. Fun Fact: She has moved houses 11 times.