Dr. Kristina Quynn
Director
Dr. Kristina Quynn is the founding director of CSU Writes and is a faculty member of the CSU Graduate School. She founded CSU Writes when she sought academic writing support to help her maintain a research and writing agenda amidst heavy teaching obligations. Through cross-campus conversations, she spoke with other faculty and graduate students who had similar desires for realistic and supportive academic writing conversations on campus.
Dr. Quynn’s research in literary studies focuses on avant-garde, transnational women’s fiction. Her work can be found in such publications as Genre: Forms of Discourse and Culture, Journal of the Midwest Modern Language Association, Dismemberment of Drama, Women in Irish History and Culture, MLA Teaching Approaches Series, and the Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender. Recently, she co-edited a collection on innovative criticism, Reading and Writing Experimental Texts: Critical Innovations (Palgrave 2017). Her current book project is a playful and engaging academic writing guide titled Write. Enough.: 10 Things Nobody Told You about Academic Writing.
She has been known to carpool with chemists–who turn the drudgery of a commute into great fun (an example of “good chemistry”). She is ever grateful to work with dedicated researchers across all CSU’s colleges, departments and programs who generously share their writing and professional experiences. Writing is best together.
International Writes
Dr. Luciana Marques
Facilitator
English
TBA
Facilitators & Graduate Student Interns 2023-24
Dr. Izabela Ragan
Facilitator
Biomedical Sciences
2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024
Dr. Izabela Ragan is an Assistant Professor in the Biomedical Sciences. Her research includes evaluating ectotherms and their role in the maintenance of various arboviruses with public health impacts such as Zika virus, Yellow Fever virus, Dengue virus, and Rift Valley fever virus. Her specific interests include animal modeling, diagnostic development and pathogenesis studies in high-containment facilities.
Izabela got involved with CSU Writes by attending workshops and writing retreats. She believes CSU Writes is an amazing service for faculty and students. She is excited to join support writing and feedback groups to help grow the CSU Writes community.
In her free time, Izabela is generally outside enjoying the Colorado Rocky Mountains by biking, hiking, and climbing.
Kimi Conro
Graduate Student Intern: Groups/ Teams
Journalism & Media Communications
2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024
Kimi Conro is a doctoral candidate of Public Communication and Technology in CSU’s department of Journalism and Media Communication. Her research interests center on the influence of disinformation on public opinion within the contexts of political and science communication. Her goal is to help create meaningful advances in public knowledge as well as public policy to combat the crippling effects of disinformation in today’s media-rich world.
Having spent the past three years teaching media writing and media studies courses as an adjunct professor, Kimi is passionate about connecting with and motivating students to become better, more confident writers and citizens (as media consumers). She is thrilled to be a part of the CSU Writes team in its efforts to provide programming that helps her CSU colleagues to strengthen their academic writing abilities.
Outside work, Kimi loves to: adventure in the great outdoors with her husband and two young boys, Liam and Jude; travel abroad and photograph diverse locations and cultures; spread joy through music performance; and learn at least a little bit about pretty much everything.
Lindsey Bush
Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language
2018-2019, 2023-2024
Lindsey Bush is a PhD student in the Education, Equity, and Transformation program out of the School of Education. Her research focuses on student success in Intensive English Programs, leadership in educational programs, and cognitive psychology practices in the classroom. She has a master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language from CSU.
Originally from the state of New York, she earned her undergraduate degree in English and Anthropology from Wells College in Aurora, New York. Following graduation, she taught in a public-school system, working with K-12 students who were classified as English Language Leaners.
She is thrilled to be part of the CSU Writes group to assist in the development of focused English language writing groups and looks forward to working with fellow students to achieve their writing goals.
Nancy Achiaa Frimpong
Graduate Student Intern: Communications
Communications
Nancy Achiaa Frimpong is a PhD candidate at the Communication Studies department at Colorado State University. She situates her research in critical media studies where she focuses on issues of representation and multiculturalism, globalization, indigenous language media and language ideologies. Her research goal is to understand how language, culture and power intersect to either maintain or challenge various forms of ideological hegemony at the state, regional or global level.
Conor McMahon
Graduate Student Intern: Data
Biomanufacturing and Biotechnology
TBA
Riana Slyter
Graduate Student Intern: Data Special Projects
Communications
Riana Slyter is a Ph.D. student in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Film and Media Studies at Colorado State University. Her horror-related research spans the role of haunted attractions as spaces and places of live-mediated entertainment, media vampires and zombies as representations of societal monstrosity, cultural resistance and acceptance of horror, and horror as a particular mode of industrial production and performance. She has researched and curated the “Scared to Death: Thrill of Horror Film” exhibit at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) in Seattle and has worked in the haunted attraction industry.
Facilitators & Graduate Student Interns 2022-23
Brian Mitchell
Graduate Student Intern: WARP
Horticulture
Brian is a Ph.D. Candidate in Horticulture at Colorado State University. His doctoral research focuses on organic fertilizer management in different types of hemp production and cover cropping in irrigated vegetable systems. He has studied at Kent State University (BA in Pan-African Studies, Psychology), Johnson County Community College (AAS in Horticultural Science), and CSU, where he earned an MS degree in organic and sustainable agriculture in 2018. In addition to his research, he served as a departmental representative on CSU’s Graduate Student Council (2016-2021), a member and secretary of the Committee on Teaching & Learning (2017-2021), a CSU Produce Safety Fellow (2018-2019), and a Vice President of Research Fellow (2018-19). He discovered a passion for teaching at the college level; he has taught hundreds of students in a dozen different agricultural courses as a lab instructor, co-instructor, and teaching assistant.
Brian gravitated towards CSU Writes as he began writing his MS thesis in 2017. He attended a weekly writing retreat and crafted a large part of thesis while collaboratively working in the same space with other academic writers. The experience was transformative! Over the years, he has turned to CSU Writes over and over, utilizing resources like the Write to Publish program, GRAD Writes retreats and webinars, and the program’s website and blog. He is excited and feels privileged to be working with Dr. Quynn and her amazing team this year! .
Emma Lynn
Graduate Student Intern: Communications
Communication Studies
Emma Lynn is a second-year Ph.D. student in Communication Studies at Colorado State University. Originally from Utah, Emma received a B.A. in Media Arts Studies from Brigham Young University in 2018 where she worked as a producer and production designer on a number of student films. In 2021, Emma received her M.A. in Popular Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University where she wrote her Master’s thesis on fan made shot-for-shot remake films. Her research interests include film, television, popular culture, gender representation, and fandom studies. Emma also has a passion for teaching and has found joy in the classroom teaching Introduction to Film and Introduction to Popular Culture courses. Outside of her teaching and research, Emma enjoys playing the guitar, embroidering, and watching films with her partner.
Emma became involved with CSU Writes due to its emphasis on graduate student help. Academic writing and publishing can be a mystery for graduate students and CSU Writes plays a pivotal role in demystifying that process. Emma is excited to be a part in the crucial support that CSU Writes offers graduate students.
Hayley Hasberger
Graduate Student Intern: Database
Communication Studies
Hayley Hasberger is a second year Master’s student of Communication Studies at Colorado State University. Hayley is originally from Oregon, but grew up in Georgia. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Georgia (GO DAWGS!!!) along with a certificate in New Media. Her research interests are focused on new media technology, health communication, and gender and communication.
Before coming to CSU, Hayley worked at the University of Vermont in the Grossman School of Business as a Student Success Advisor and International Liaison. She specialized in advising International, Exchange, and Transfer students as well as all students interested in studying abroad. Hayley enjoys working with and supporting students. She has a passion for learning, teaching, and higher education and plans to continue to work in higher education after she graduates. Outside of school and work, Hayley spends her time hiking, paddleboarding, traveling, exploring new places, eating delicious food, and watching movies.
Hayley joined the CSU Writes Team to be a part of the effort to support faculty and graduate students with their writing goals. Writing can be daunting, but through all the opportunities CSU Writes offers, anyone can find a space to support their writing endeavors as well as gain community with fellow academics across campus. Hayley is thrilled to be a part of the CSU Writes Team, helping others feel empowered and encouraged to write, and then write better.
Sarah Howard
Graduate Student Intern: Survey/Research
English
Sarah Howard is a graduate student pursuing an M.A. in Teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language (TEFL/TESL) at Colorado State University with an anticipated graduation date of May 2023. She was born and raised in Berthoud, Colorado, and received her B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature from the University of Colorado-Boulder. After her studies here at CSU, she hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Equitable Pedagogies for English Language Learners. Sarah is currently a Graduate Teaching Assistant for Programs for Learning Academic and Community English and teaches at Front Range Community College as an English Language Acquisition instructor for The Learning Source. She loves to travel and has taught English in Peru and Guatemala.
Sarah became involved in CSU Writes to further her expertise in writing research while becoming more engaged in the graduate writing community. She is thrilled to be on the CSU Writes team and is looking forward to developing her own professional writing alongside her peers.
Kimi Conro
Graduate Student Intern: Groups/ Teams
Journalism & Media Communications
Kimi Conro is a doctoral candidate of Public Communication and Technology in CSU’s department of Journalism and Media Communication. Her research interests center on the influence of disinformation on public opinion within the contexts of political and science communication. Her goal is to help create meaningful advances in public knowledge as well as public policy to combat the crippling effects of disinformation in today’s media-rich world.
Having spent the past three years teaching media writing and media studies courses as an adjunct professor, Kimi is passionate about connecting with and motivating students to become better, more confident writers and citizens (as media consumers). She is thrilled to be a part of the CSU Writes team in its efforts to provide programming that helps her CSU colleagues to strengthen their academic writing abilities.
Outside work, Kimi loves to: adventure in the great outdoors with her husband and two young boys, Liam and Jude; travel abroad and photograph diverse locations and cultures; spread joy through music performance; and learn at least a little bit about pretty much everything.
International Writes
Tiffany Daigle
Facilitator
English
Who am I? This type of question is notoriously difficult to answer. I can list my qualifications. I graduated with an M.A. in TEFL/TESL (i.e., Teaching English as a First or Second Language) with distinction on my portfolio. I graduated with my undergraduate degree as Magna Cum Laude in English Linguistics and Japanese. However, qualifications alone rarely do justice to a person’s passion. My passion lies in teaching communication across languages. My portfolio focused on developing activities to assist Japanese English Language Learners in learning how to request in English. As a second language learner of Japanese, I intimately understand the struggle of attempting to communicate in a second language and the deep frustrations that can arise from not being as articulate in your second language as you are in your first. I am currently teaching Rhetoric and Composition here at CSU; however, part of my passion for teaching still rests in helping others continue to develop and acquire their skills in their non-native language. I want all language learners to garner their abilities to confidently express themselves professionally, academically, and more in any medium they choose. I am excited to work with all of you as another resource to help you learn how to deftly communicate in English to pursue each of your passions. Here’s to a Spring semester where we can work on our language skills to cross barriers in communication and achieve our goals!
Facilitators & Graduate Student Interns 2021-22
Khadija Holder
Graduate Student Intern: Communications
Business Administration: Corporate Sustainability & Carbon Gas Management
Khadija is an Impact MBA student and a ‘Trinbagonian’-born business professional with experience in: green business coaching, evaluation and certification; market and academic research; data analysis; and policy advisory. She is fluent in English and Spanish, and holds an undergraduate degree in Accounting and a graduate degree in International Trade Policy from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus in Barbados.
Nellie Kassebaum
Graduate Student Intern: Communications
Public Health
Nellie Kassebaum is a second-year MPH student in the Colorado School of Public Health. She is from rural Kansas, where she was born and raised on a cow/calf ranch and attended the University of Kansas (Honors B.A. English, ’19). She now focuses in health communications, with particular interest in clinical communications, social determinants of health, and bioethics. When not reading, writing, or otherwise working, she can be found indulging in one of her favorite pastimes: drinking coffee, cooking a nice meal, or spending time outdoors with her partner.
Nellie was drawn to CSU Writes by her strong love of writing and community. The accountability and support that can be found with CSU Writes is hard to find elsewhere (particularly in a pandemic), and is crucial to accomplishing academic goals. When we write together, we’re better for it.
Heidi Klem
Graduate Student Intern: WARP
Chemistry
Intern 2020-21, 2021-22
Heidi Klem is in her third year of the Chemistry Ph.D program. She is a computational chemist joint with the Paton group at CSU and the McCullagh group at Oklahoma State. Her research projects involve modeling allosteric enzymes using classical and quantum mechanics to predict and manipulate the way their function is regulated. She grew up in Omaha, NE and graduated from Creighton University with her B.S.Chem.
Heidi values scientific communication and teaching. She became involved with CSU Writes through an online retreat and a virtual writing group. She is excited to assist professors with writing accountability and progression as the WARP intern. Heidi is involved with the Fort Collins community by teaching high schoolers about protein modeling, preparing them for Science Olympiad competitions. In her free time, Heidi enjoys playing the cello and playing with her pet bunny, Rorschach.
Rudy Leal McCormack
Graduate Student Intern: Special Projects
Political Science
Rudy received his B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy, as well as his M.A. in Political Science from Florida International University. Rudy is a first generation Cuban-American, who emigrated to the U.S. at seven years old, born in Cuba and raised in Miami, FL. Rudy’s research interests fall at the crossroads of environmental/ecological theory and critical theory.
Rudy’s passions are inspiring and advocating student’s to question the world around them, as well as developing imagination that goes beyond what is possible. Rudy enjoys teaching and research on normative frameworks that develop transformative awareness for the purpose of human maturity.
Rudy joined CSU Writes to help develop best practices of writing as another dimension toward developing one’s character.
Lauren Mangus
Graduate Student Intern: Database
English
Lauren Mangus is a southern California native who traveled before settling in Colorado for higher education. Drawing inspiration from across the globe, she found an interest in the interactions between diversity and theological differences within society. Her undergraduate experience focused on broad elements within economics, but she is currently studying in the Teaching English as Second/Foreign Language graduate program. Her research focuses on the intersection between technology in teaching English as a second language classrooms and second language acquisition with learning disabilities.
Lauren is thrilled to be a part of the CSU Writes team because the program encourages a space for those with diverse backgrounds and different writing levels to develop their writing “voice”. She sincerely believes that safe spaces for writing can lead all willing for the challenge to find their best academic writing self.
Tawni Riepe
Graduate Student Intern: Inst. Survey
Fish, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology
Intern 2020-21, 2021-22
Laura van der Pol
Graduate Student Intern: Proctor Prefect
Soil & Crop Sciences
Laura van der Pol is a PhD candidate in the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology. Her research focuses on understanding how integrating legumes into annual and perennial grain agroecosystems affects soil organic matter dynamics and sustainability.
Though raised in Houston, TX and having spent years on the high seas as an officer with the U.S. Coast Guard, Laura came to study soil ecology as it is the nexus of food, civilization, and our future. If not writing or crafting something delicious in the kitchen, Laura delights in long runs and bike rides – or really any time in the outdoors. Over the past couple years, she’s found the structure and accountability offered through a weekly writers’ group and CSU Writes workshops and sessions to be invaluable for improving her motivation and craft. Laura is delighted to support the Show up & Write sessions this year.
Sarah Van Etten
Graduate Student Intern: Research Projects
Education, Equity and Transformation
Sarah Van Etten is a PhD student in the CSU School of Education – Education, Equity and Transformation program. Her research is focused on understanding how volunteers make meaning of their community engagement experiences through the reflexive writing process.
After a 15+ year career in the non-profit sector, Sarah went back to school and received her Master’s in Public Administration with a nonprofit emphasis and decided to continue her studies through her doctoral program. She recently coordinated the community-engaged learning course, Pets Forever, through the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVMBS) and has taught courses, through the School of Social Work, in Advanced Community Practice, Human-Animal Bond and Animal Assisted Therapy. She was a 2020 participant in the Campus Compact Community Engaged Scholars Western Cohort and received the 2019 CSU Award for Exceptional Achievement in Service-Learning Community Partner on behalf of Pets Forever.
Fascinated by the informal, adult learning process, Sarah is excited to support the CSU Grad Writes research project, exploring the Mentor-Mentee relationship as exhibited in the co-production of academic writing.
Facilitators & Graduate Student Interns 2020-21
Courtney Hazelton-Harringon
Graduate Student Intern: Events
Chemistry
Courtney is a third-year PhD student in Chemistry. She grew up on the East Coast, but has travelled all over the country, receiving her Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Texas State University before moving to Fort Collins for her doctoral studies. In pursuit of her degree at CSU, Courtney’s research applies spectroscopic methods to study the dynamics of and develop applications for fluorescent probes in biological and chemical systems. As an avid reader and writer with a professional interest in science communications, Courtney is excited to join the CSU Writes team and support other graduate students through CSU Writes. In her spare time, she also enjoys learning the basics of construction and playing billiards.
Donna L. Lopez
Graduate Student Intern: Grants
Public Policy & Administration
My name is Donna L. Lopez. I am a first-generation Chicanx/Native American student, whose family can trace their roots back to 1670. We came from Mexico City, along with eleven other families to found what is now San Miguel, New Mexico. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, but my family is from Colorado. (it is another story) My Bachelor’s is in finance, and I worked in the corporate finance world for most of my 1st career. Once I decided to return to for a 2nddegree it took some time to find my place, but I am firmly settled in Graduate School, in the new Master of Public Policy and Administration program. The time it took was not for naught, it allowed me to take the feminist methodology classes, where I found my voice for writing.
My goal has always been to make a difference for others. As a First-Generation Chicanx student I am keenly aware of the many sacrifices’ others have made that allow me to have an education, to live the life I lead, and I am mindful that it is vastly different than the life of my family. The time has come for me to now pay it forward for those who have a desire for more than what others believe we should have. It is an honor to be part of a program that helps others put their words out into the world.
Ryan Lueck
Graduate Student Intern: Event Support
English: Literary Studies
Ryan Lueck is a first year Graduate Student in Literature who returns to CSU after earned his BA here. I’m interested in post-irony studies and aesthetics of New Sincerity in twentieth and twenty-first century literature and popular culture. My long term career goal is to go on to study for my Ph.D. and teach at a university.
I was drawn to the mission of CSU Writes as an undergraduate at CSU. Having the opportunity to support CSU Writes and my fellow graduate students become the best writers they can be is something I am both excited about and proud to be a part of.
Kelsey Martin
Postdoctoral Fellow Team Research
Clinical Sciences
Kira Marshall-McKelvey
Graduate Student Intern: GROUPS
Communication & Media Studies
Marissa Metz
Graduate Student Intern: show up & write.
Biomedical Sciences
Marissa Metz is a PhD candidate in Biomedical Sciences. Her research focuses on understanding the organization and function of the brain’s natural opioid system.
Marissa migrated from the small town of Sulphur, Oklahoma to explore the mountains in Colorado and to obtain her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She enjoys adventures of every kind, from the challenge of long-distance hikes to the wonder of seeing the world in a new way through literature. She has proctored show up & write. session for more than two years (back in the pre-pandemic days when show up & write. was held on campus and in-person) and is now helping CSU Writes fine tune the online version.
Hanish Sai Talasila
Graduate Student Intern: Video Support
Computer Information Systems
Hanish Sai Talasila is an aspiring software engineer in his final year of graduate studies. He grew up in culture rich southern India but has travelled all over the globe. Graduated bachelor’s in Electronics and Communication Engineering, though coming from a hardware background always wanted to be a software engineer and made a career jump to Computer Sciences. His studies mainly involve creating end to end applications and websites. He codes online challenges for fun.
In the time when not coding, he likes to travel and explore different cultures, landscapes and traditions of the beautiful America’s. He is excited to be a part of the CSU Writes community and looking forward to “writing better together.”
Balakrishna Vagvala
Graduate Student Intern: Database
Computer Information Systems
Balakrishna is a second-year Computer Information Systems Graduate student, who focuses on data analytics and visualization. He likes to make graphs for fun and loves working on climate research data. He comes from the south Indian metropolitan city, Hyderabad. His interest in data science began when he started reading journals about the impact of data on daily life and future. His long-term career goal is to be a scientist in climatology and nature conservation.
His interest includes hiking, kayaking, swimming. He also enjoys writing, reading, and learning different aspects of literature. He loves the mission and work of CSU Writes. He is excited and feels blessed to be a part of the team.
Facilitators & Graduate Student Interns 2019-20
Dr. Izabela Ragan
Facilitator
Biomedical Sciences
Dr. Izabela Ragan is a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Richard Bowen’s lab in the Biomedical Sciences. Her post-doctoral research includes evaluating ectotherms and their role in the maintenance of various arboviruses with public health impacts such as Zika virus, Yellow Fever virus, Dengue virus, and Rift Valley fever virus. Her specific interests include animal modeling, diagnostic development and pathogenesis studies in high-containment facilities.
Izabela got involved with CSU Writes by attending workshops and writing retreats. She believes CSU Writes is an amazing service for faculty and students. She is excited to join support writing and feedback groups to help grow the CSU Writes community.
In her free time, Izabela is generally outside enjoying the Colorado Rocky Mountains by biking, hiking, and climbing.
Seré Williams
Graduate Student Intern
Cellular & Molecular Biology
Seré is a PhD student in the Cellular and Molecular Biology program. She completed her MS with Dr. Reddy studying gene regulation changes in rice when it experiences drought stress. She has a varied background, working with global industry to increase pathogen resistance in barley for AB InBev to conducting botanical surveys to manage desert tortoise habitat for non-profits.
An enthusiastic observer of both the natural world outside and our internal processes inside, she is excited to join CSU Writes in exploring and supporting productivity for writers and researchers.
Swetha Varadarajan
Graduate Student Intern
Computer Science
Swetha Varadarajan is a second-year Computer Science Ph.D. student, working on Parallel Genetic Algorithms. She hails from a south Indian city called Chennai. Her research interests began when she took a course on microprocessors during her undergrad. Since then, she has been fascinated with computer architecture, organization, and efficient utilization. Previously, she earned a MS in EE at CSU, and her thesis was on the optimization of RNA-RNA Interaction Computations.
Her interests include hiking, biking, tennis, and music. She appreciates CSU Writes’ goals and is grateful to CSU Writes and Grad580A2 course for helping her realize writing as a conscious activity. She is excited to be a part of CSU Writes community.
Michelle LaCrosse
Graduate Student Intern
Creative Writing
Michelle LaCrosse is in her final year pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing; working on a collection of creative nonfiction essays for her thesis. Michelle enjoys writing personal narratives in immersion memoir, travel, and cultural criticism. She is an associate editor at the Center for Literary Publishing, which publishes the literary journal, Colorado Review, as well as several books of poetry each year. Michelle manages the monthly e-newsletter for the CLP. She especially loves book and cover design and hopes to continue working in publishing after graduation.
Michelle is also the CSU graduate student body representative on the Alternative Transportation Fee Advisory Board, which manages a budget of $250k annually.
Former Interns
2018 - 19
AJ Brown
Graduate Student Intern
Soil and Crop Sciences
AJ Brown is a fourth year Ph.D. student in Soil and Crop Sciences, working on projects related to improving water quality, reducing the effects soil salinity on crops, and developing innovative new environmental monitoring technologies. He is originally from the small, agricultural community of Rocky Ford, Colorado where he grew up farming his own farm, as well as working at the CSU Arkansas Valley Research Center.
It was his childhood that drove him to pursue a career where he could take on the challenges of creating new agricultural and engineering knowledge, and simultaneously being able to communicate it in a way that farmers and ranchers could easily understand.
Jeremy Worrell
Graduate Student Intern
College of Business
Jeremy Worrell earned his undergraduate degree in Environmental Science from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2015. During his time in school, he interned with an environmental compliance company in India. After school, he became a geologist for an engineering and consulting firm and was responsible for monitoring and mitigating coal fires and sink holes in Colorado and Wyoming. He also spent 4 months in the US Virgin Islands assisting remediation efforts post hurricane Maria.
With the goal to make the world a better place through sustainable and social enterprise, Jeremy joined the GSSE MBA program through the College of Business and is excited to be apart of the CSU Writes community.
Farah Vera
Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology
Farah Vera is a Mexican Biologist. She was a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology with a focus on vector biology. Her work studies the reversal of insecticide resistance in mosquitoes. She started attending CSU Writes writing retreats and and workshops, which have helped her to start writing her dissertation with more confidence. Currently, she is writing her dissertation. She is thrilled to join CSU Writes as an intern. She hopes to help others students, especially second language students, to realize that they, too, can write with more ease and excitement (instead of fear and stress). When she returns to Mexico, she would like to create a writing support similar to CSU Writes. She successfully defended her dissertation and graduated in 2019.
Leah Franke
Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language
Leah Franke is a graduate student in the Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language (TESL/TEFL) Master’s program. She received her undergraduate degree in Asian Languages and Literatures from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2015. While in school, she had the opportunity to study Korean language and history at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. She has since taught English as a Second Language to students of all ages in Alaska and Colorado. She enjoys writing and language, and is excited to join the CSU Writes team.
Lindsey Bush
Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language
Lindsey Bush is in her second year of the English department’s Master’s program in Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language. Originally from the state of New York, she earned her undergraduate degree in English and Anthropology from Wells College in Aurora, New York. Following graduation, she taught in a public-school system, working with K-12 students who were classified as English Language Leaners. This led her to apply for a Master’s degree at CSU.
She is thrilled to join the CSU Writes group to assist in the development of focused English language writing groups and looks forward to working with fellow students to achieve their writing goals.
2017 - 18
Adele Lonas
Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language
Adele Lonas completed a joint Master’s program in Teaching English as a Second/ Foreign Language (TESL/TEFL), and in Spanish Language and Literature.
Ashlie Johnson
Applied Social and Health Psychology
Ashlie Johnson is a doctoral student in the Applied Social and Health Psychology program at CSU. Her research and writing focuses on the interplay between psychological processes and nutrition/exercise behaviors.
Matt Peacock
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Matt Peacock completed a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a focus on water resources planning and management.
2017 - 18
Lexi Gehring
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Lexi (Alexandra) Gehringwas CSU Writes’s first intern. She completed her PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology while doing amazing work with CSU Writes.