Each year the Writing Center welcomes a new cohort of Writing Center Undergraduate Tutors. Candidates from across the university are nominated each spring by faculty and invited to apply to the WCUT program. This year, four of the seven new Writing Center Undergraduate tutors are English majors:
Noelia Gonzalez (B.A. English '23)
What are you studying at Catholic U. and where is your hometown?
English Major, Philosophy Minor and I'm from Silver Spring, Maryland.
Why did you decide to apply to the WCUT program?
I decided to apply to the WCUT program because I love writing and I know that I still have a lot to learn. Also, I've received a lot of help when it comes to my writing, and I'd like to help others in the same way.
What is your favorite piece of writing advice?
My favorite piece of writing advice is to "think by writing." Whenever I'm stuck on something, I just start typing whatever comes to mind. Even though that first draft is usually rough, by then I've at least worked through my thoughts, and I have the freedom to move forward with more awareness of my ideas.
What do you like about studying English at Catholic U.?
I like studying English at Catholic University because of the literature we read and the way it always relates back to our humanity.
Kate Lorio (B.A. English '21)
What are you studying at Catholic U. and where is your hometown?
English Major, Minors in History and Philosophy. Hometown is New Orleans, Louisiana.
Why did you decide to apply to the WCUT program?
I've always enjoyed helping friends and family with their papers and stories. As I have progressed through my college career, I've grown more confident in my ability to help people with their writing, which motivated me to think about applying to the Writing Center. I'm glad I did, because I love helping students find their writing voice and tackle the problems that make writing scary for them.
What is your favorite piece of writing advice?
Don't be afraid to write something bad, because it will prevent you from writing anything at all. The first draft or outline of any story or paper is allowed to be perfectly terrible, because the hardest part of writing is creating something out of nothing. Once you get past that barrier, you can edit and rewrite any bad piece into a great one.
What do you like about studying English at Catholic U.?
I love that all my English professors are personally invested in our success and deeply passionate about the material they teach. I also love how in all my classes I feel like my professors value what we as students think. This affects all areas of class, from how they lead discussions to how they push us to strengthen our ideas in papers.
Javier Mazariegos (B.A. English and Philosophy '23)
What are you studying at Catholic U. and where is your hometown?
English and Philosophy double major from Rockville, Maryland.
Why did you decide to apply to the WCUT program?
I decided to apply to the WCUT program because I enjoy helping others improve little by little. One of my favorite things to do in the evenings in high school was to look over my younger brother's writing and help him out. I wanted to help others see how writing can be so much more than a bringer of anxiety over deadlines.
What is your favorite piece of writing advice?
My favorite piece of writing advice is to read great writing, like that of P.G. Wodehouse or Graham Greene. This advice happens to be both tremendously helpful and also delightful.
What do you like about studying English at Catholic U.?
What I like about studying English at Catholic University is a combination of the depth of the material we are able to engage with and the care which the professors have for their engagement with that material.
Rachel Dugan Wood (B.A. English and Theology '21)
What are you studying at Catholic U. and where is your hometown?English and Theology. Wooster, Ohio.
Why did you decide to apply to the WCUT program?
I applied to the Writing Center Undergraduate Tutor Program because I plan to teach English someday, and I wanted to learn how to help students write as clearly and confidently as possible. I also hoped to become a stronger writer myself by studying the composition process in the WCUT course. Finally, I really enjoy tutoring and was excited about the possibility of helping other CUA students improve their writing, especially after so many individuals have generously helped me with my own over the years.
What is your favorite piece of writing advice?
Show you know the rules before you break them.
What do you like about studying English at Catholic U.?
At CUA I’ve been fortunate to find remarkable professors and fellow students who have taught me a tremendous deal about literature and about myself. Further, these individuals welcomed me into a community where I could both receive and share insights of my own and find friendship along the shared journey to an English degree. Finally, I’ve been deeply grateful to be part of an English Department that believes in studying literature not as a means of advancing an agenda, but in order to uncover its stores of wisdom and be awed by its beauty.