Contact the LWC

Meet our Writing Assistants

Our 2026-2027 Writing Assistants are a mixture of Masters and Doctoral students in the University Writing Program, as well as exceptional undergraduate students from a variety of majors. While we encourage you to schedule with a Writing Assistant whose interest and experiences align with your needs, note that all our Writing Assistants undergo a training program as part of their LWC onboarding.

Writing Assistants offer general appointments, review-and-return services, dissertation and thesis support, Writing Ambassador services, and more. They can help with questions related to the topics below:

Citation styles
Thesis statements & topic sentences
Organization
Outlining and research
Interpreting assignments
Grammar and usage
Cover letter and resume review
Language support services (pronunciation, oral communication) provided by the NAU Global Communications Center
- While all of our tutors can assist with language practice, Shannon, Camille, and Raihan have completed official training with the NAU GCC.
Other areas as needed or requested

Our PhD-level Writing Assistants

Dilara Dikilitaş joined the Applied Linguistics Ph.D. program at Northern Arizona University in 2023. She earned her M.A. in TESL–Applied Linguistics from NAU and her B.A. in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from the Middle East Technical University. At NAU, she teaches English Composition and serves as a team leader for the Lumberjack Writing Center tutors. Her research interests include second language acquisition (SLA), teaching speaking, corpus-driven approaches to SLA, and instructed vocabulary learning, particularly in spoken modalities. A native speaker of Turkish with working proficiency in French, she brings a multilingual perspective to her teaching and tutoring.

Michelle R. PhD in Applied Linguistics, 2027. I have a special interest in Second Language Acquisition and Pragmatics. Fluent in English, studied Russian for two years. I love working collaboratively with students to realize their writing potential.

In addition, Michelle is the primary instructor for ENG100.

Moon N., Phd. in Applied Linguistics, 2030. My research interests include pronunciation, speech production, and listening skills. My primary language is Vietnamese and I’m also fluent in English. My favorite part about working in the LWC is working with students from different cultures and backgrounds; at the same time, helping them thrive as independent writers.

Runlan L., first-year PhD student in Applied Linguistics, 2028. Emphasis on second language reading & writing. Fluent in Chinese, English, and Japanese. Excited to support students from diverse language backgrounds and anyone who has difficulties during the writing process.

Shannon Dunn, PhD of Applied Linguistics, 2028. Focusing on ethics and rigor in classroom-based research and instructed second language acquisition. Happy to support writers at any stage of the writing process.

Shannon has been trained by the NAU Global Communications Center to provide language support services to students, especially related to pronunciation/oral communication.

Tatiana, K. A Ph.D. student in Applied Linguistics, expected to graduate in 2030. My research interests include second language assessment, particularly the use of automated scoring systems to assess oral and written proficiency in fair and valid ways. I have limited proficiency in Spanish and French. My favorite part of working for the LWC is helping students become stronger and more independent writers. I also look forward to drawing on my teaching experience to support students as they strengthen their writing and communication skills and achieve their academic goals.

I am currently a Graduate Teaching Assistant and a tutor at the Writing Center, NAU. My interests lie in L2 Phonology, Second Language Acquisition, and syntax.

Xindi Z. PhD in Applied Linguistics, 2030. My areas of interest and research are in Second Language Acquisition and an intersection with Corpus Linguistics. My first language is Chinese Mandarin and pretty fluent in English I guess. French is my third, I’ve lived in Montreal for about 3 years (but I forget many of it now). German was my minor during undergrad, though I can only recall a few words now. I’m very excited about my work with LWC, especially communicating with students from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Additionally, my favorite part also includes learning from my students across majors and areas. I love supporting them while they are enhancing my knowledge.

Our Masters-level Writing Assistants

Antonio F. MFA Creative Writing, 2028. I specialize in literary and speculative fiction. My native language is English and I developed conversational fluency in Italian through two years of Italian during my undergraduate studies. As an appreciator of philosophy and psychology, I’m thrilled to collaborate and problem-solve the writing process with students pursuing all kinds of majors.

Ato Kwamena, A. MA Applied Linguistics and TESL, 2028. My area of interest is teaching English in a multilingual classroom and supporting students from diverse backgrounds. My primary language is English and I am excited about providing support to students and helping them to gain confidence in themselves and in their writing as NAU students. I am looking forward to meeting students from different disciplines and learning about different topics.

Belton P. MFA in Fiction Creative Writing, 2028. My areas of interest and research are Creative Writing (with an emphasis in fiction) and English Literature, as well as Psychology (Developmental, Neuroscience, and Abnormal). My primary language is English, and I am currently learning to speak Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean. I am most excited to learn from students from different disciplines and connect with them to help them feel more confident in their reading and writing skills.

Caleb R. (they/them), MFA in Creative Writing—Poetry, ‘27. My areas of interest in English include contemporary and experimental poetry, including modern twists on traditional poetic forms. I write primarily about mental illnesses, addictions, traumatic experiences, and life-changing individuals/events. Since most of my higher educational background is in music, I am excited to draw from my unique experiences when aiding students with their writing.

Cole, L. Creative writing MFA, 2028. Specialization in fiction with an interest in poetry and philosophy. My primary language is English. I’m excited to help students find their voices to tell their stories their way.

Cooper S. I am a graduate student in the Creative Writing MFA program with a focus in poetry, expected to graduate in 2028. I have a background in both the Psychology and Philosophy departments here at NAU, and am happy to assist in both technical and creative writing. I look forward to helping foster, clear, effective writing across disciplines.

Dani C. Creative Writing MFA with a focus in Poetry. My expected graduation date is 2028. My areas of interest are Creative Writing and English Literature. My primary language is English. I specifically love working on creative projects, and enhancing presentation skills. I love being able to help students develop their own voice and get comfortable with communicating their ideas through writing.

Dermot L. MFA in Creative Writing, 2028. My professional and academic focuses are in creative nonfiction and theatre arts, but I also have a background in literary analysis, especially with regard to Irish literature and tabletop role-playing games. I’m excited to extend my own writing and editing capabilities by working on projects from various disciplines and departments.

My areas of interest and research include studying how languages are acquired and learned, as well as effective teaching methodologies for teaching English as a second language.

My primary language is English, and I am proficient in Swahili. I look forward to helping my students in LWC become more confident in their writing while creating a supportive, collaborative, and inclusive environment for learning and relearning.

Frank O., I am a master’s student in the Applied Linguistics and TESL program and a graduate teaching assistant. My area of interest and research is in writing, specifically, examining how creative writing enhances the writing skills of L2 learners. My primary language is English, and I speak Twi, a dominant language spoken in Ghana. I am specifically enthused about the opportunity to work with other writing instructors and students and the several benefits that come with teaching and learning from students from different backgrounds and disciplines.

I am an MFA student in Creative Writing Fiction (2027). As a grad student, my areas of interest are historical fiction and short stories. I have a BA in Professional and Technical Writing, and because of this, I enjoy working with students on the drafting and revision process. My first language is English, but I have limited proficiency in French. My favorite part of working with students is helping them develop confidence in their voice as writers.

Hiroya T, MA Applied Linguistics and TESL, 2028, Second language learner’s vocabulary acquisition, Japanese and English, I am so excited to get special and completely new experiences in LWC! It will broaden my horizons as a teacher and researcher.

Juliet. A. MA Applied Linguistics and TESL, 2028. My interest is in bilingual literacy education in multilingual classrooms with emphasis on differentiated assessment in bilingual education. I speak English as an official language and I love to help students succeed. The best part as a writing instructor is to build collaborative rooms with students and learn about a lot of random topics across disciplines.

Keegan G. Creative Writing MFA, 2028. I’m focusing on writing short story fiction and physics-based speculative fiction. My primary language is English. My favorite part of working in the LWC is seeing development and progress in my students’ writing as they grow their confidence.

Mariia Z. is a first-year master’s student in Applied linguistics and TESOL. I am interested in foreign languages, applied linguistics, psychology and rock climbing. I have a Bachelors degree in Linguistics. I am fluent in English and my native language is Russian. I have also learned Chinese and Vietnamese. Helping students sound more persuasive, develop their unique “writing” voice and get their message across are my favorite things.

Nia C. MA in TESL/Applied Linguistics (2028) with an emphasis on corpus/computational linguistics. My native language is English, but I’m functionally fluent in German as well as a low-level heritage speaker of Mandarin. I’m most excited to help students grow in confidence and feel that they’ve progressed as writers!

Neha H. MFA in Creative Writing, 2028. My areas of interest are reading/writing and STEM education, as I was formerly in dental school. I particularly enjoy providing writing support to build students’ confidence in their writing abilities and themselves, especially if they are first gen, international students, or generally worried about the writing process. I am fluent in English, Spanish, Urdu; I have intermediate proficiency in ASL and am currently learning Arabic and Malayalam. My favorite part about working in the LWC is helping students find their voice in writing, engaging with a variety of disciplines to enhance my own knowledge, and learning from my own students.

Rawson M. I’m currently pursuing a Masters of Teaching English as a Second Language / Applied Linguistics ’28. I am proficient in French and have some limited proficiency in Italian and Spanish as well. I have some expertise in technical writing from my time working in construction marketing. I’ve taught English in France for the last two years and am looking forward to working with students of different disciplines and cultural backgrounds.

Sophia M., MA student in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language. My areas of interest include intercultural communication and creative writing in fiction. My primary language is English, and I have limited proficiency in Spanish. My favorite parts of being a writing assistant are learning from what my students are interested in and helping students realize how their thoughts can transform into writing!

My name is Svea Conrad. I am a second-year student doing a master of fine arts in creative writing. I am slated to graduate in 2028. My focus of study is creative nonfiction as well as poetry. I also work as a field technician in the Grand Canyon and have a background in journalism, feature writing and editing. I am fluent in German and have limited proficiency in Spanish. I really look forward to learning from students engaged in a wide range of studies.

Thelma,B. MA Applied Linguistics and Teaching English as a Second Language. My primary language is English. I speak 3 Ghanaian Languages; Twi, Ga, Fante. My goal at LWC is to help students own their voice through writing while paying attention to structure and organization. I am excited to learn from different perspectives and disciplines.

Our Undergraduate-level Writing Assistants

Finn B. Environmental Sciences, 2029. My degree focus is in Biology, and I am minoring in Studio Art. My native language is English, and I studied American Sign Language for two years in high school. My favorite part about working in the LWC is helping students fully understand how to navigate the writing process and cultivate their unique voice. I truly enjoy reading papers with diverse views and degree paths!

Lauren L. Undergrad student in Strategic Communications Emp. in Public Relations, 2029. I am interested in public speaking and managing images of brands and corporations. My primary language is English. I am most looking forward to supporting students through their works and helping them find the joy in writing while building their skills. Additionally, I’m excited to learn about different areas of writing and growing while I assist!

Check back for updates.

Rebecca H. I am an undergraduate student majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and minoring in Anthropology, 2027. I love working through the writing process and finding ways to organize content tailored to specific subjects and styles. I am excited to meet and work with students from all disciplines!

Rosie C. I am studying secondary education English. I am expected to graduate spring of 2027. I have practiced Mandarin for 5 years. I have basic knowledge of Mandarin. I am so excited to work for the LWC. This is my first year, but I can’t wait to help students find their voice and work together on their projects.

Contact the LWC

Meet our Writing Assistants

Our PhD-level Writing Assistants

Dilara D.

Michelle R.

Moon N.

Runlan L.

Shannon D.

Tatiana K.

Thomas A.

Xindi Z.

Our Masters-level Writing Assistants

Antonio F.

Ato A.

Belton P.

Caleb R.

Cole L.

Cooper S.

Dani C.

Dermot L.

Francisca A.

Frank O.

Gemma S.

Hiroya T.

Juliet A.

Keegan G.

Mary Z.

Nia C.

Neha H.

Rawson M.

Sophia M.

Svea C.

Thelma B.

Our Undergraduate-level Writing Assistants

Finn B.

Lauren L.

Lily B.

Rebecca H.

Rosie C.