Westmont's writing center Writers' Corner

Coming to Westmont, as an English major, was a scary step in the life of Rebekah Aldea-Cruz. As a non-traditional student 10 years past her high school graduation date, returning to college meant leaving behind her 700-book personal library and career in nonprofit administration, and the predictable. However, she has never enjoyed a book where the protagonist didn't leave on some timely adventure, battle the unknown, and have to fight for her future. She promises to fight bravely by your side to defeat writer's block and nurture the words that hide in the shadows. The first step is always scary, but she knows each of you is brave enough to take it. 

Areas of Study: English, Philosophy

Avala Elwood is studying Political Science.  And yes, it is as cool as the spy movies make it seem . . . even though she has not had the chance to run after a bad guy in her heels yet.  Her bucket list includes multiple adventures that have to do with eating food in their namesake places: Boston Clam Chowder in Boston, Belgian Waffles in Belgium, and French Toast in France.  She will take anything with character and story over picture-perfect because Folgers campfire coffee always tastes better than a fancy latte, and that includes your writing. She is passionate about helping you map out and sift through seemingly foggy ideas until they are eloquently and concisely stated on paper. In other words, she enjoys the writing process!  She promises that she will make your grammar better than Yoda’s: writing, she does love. 

Areas of Study: Political Science

Audree Johnson is an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing whose passion for people gives her the greatest enjoyment in meeting new faces each day. She understands what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a tutoring session and has benefited from partnering up with like-minded souls to navigate the treacherous battles against her archnemesis, Math. (Rest assured, she has proudly conquered that beast and hasn’t any fear of it anymore.) Nowadays, she spends her free time reading fairy tales old and new, drinking hot tea, fawning over antiques, and accidentally staining paper with Earl Grey residue. When she isn’t reading or writing, you'll find her in Trader Joe’s, at the beach, taking a walk with a friend, or surrounded by kids at church. Wherever you are in your writing process, Audree wants you to know that she’s ready to battle it out with you until you've conquered it, too!

Areas of study: English, Writing

My name is David Kvamme, and I am a junior English Major with a Minor in Writing. I am originally from a beach town called Santa Cruz, California, and I was admittedly more engaged writing a short story about surfing than actually surfing. In the past, I have enjoyed engaging antiquated literary styles, especially composing an analytical essay on Longfellow’s poetry. I also have a sporadic knowledge of fandom lore, and enjoy discussing the “Han shot first” debate and the ancestry of Aragorn with much enthusiasm. To apply a Tolkien quote in a new way, I am a firm believer that “not all who wander are lost” when it comes to writing. I have found it often takes exploration and experimentation to reach a breakthrough or a new idea. Wherever you are in your writing journey, I would love to help you along the way. 

Areas of Study: English, Writing

A native of the Sacramento area in Northern California, Andreas Olvera is a third-year Math major with passions for reading, random album trivia, and GamePigeon showdowns with friends. Andreas grew up surrounded by books and music, and enjoys exploring the many planes of interaction between the words we speak and the music we make. He hopes to make writing more accessible for students in the sciences (a field not generally associated with readable prose) and to be a kind and supportive presence in the Writers’ Corner.

Areas of study: Math

Luckily, even after getting a book thrown at her head in elementary school, Sophia Ostovany’s love for reading and writing has not wavered. She hails from Santa Barbara, California, and is majoring in Psychology while pursuing a Writing minor. As someone who attends college in her hometown, she understands her life may seem a bit boring from someone else’s perspective, but don’t worry! She gains more than enough thrill by checking off items one-by-one from what seems like a never-ending to-do list, while also juggling the tough yet rewarding life of a Westmont student athlete. She has not traveled that much, but writing has helped nurture her imagination and her dreams of seeing the world when she is older. Writing helps expand her otherwise small world, now. As a tutor, she hopes to expose others to thought-provoking ideas while also learning to enjoy some of the more difficult parts of the writing process. So grab your laptop (or even a pencil if you’re as old-school as she is), and let’s write that paper! No matter where you are in your work, she can’t wait to help you. 

Areas of Study: Psychology, Writing

Annalise Romero is a fourth-year English major on the women’s soccer team who can send you a great assist so that you can score in your classes. She can’t watch or listen to Hamilton without singing every single line and enjoys indulging in Shakespeare’s comedies. You might find her applying her creative writing-mind in Dungeons and Dragons club. If you ever need to distract her for a long amount of time, just put a jigsaw puzzle in front of her and if you happen to see her in the DC, be sure to ask for some of her Magic Shell!

Areas of Study: English

Jacob Siaki is a Philosophy and Psychology double major and Theatre Arts Minor whose interest in written words goes back to when he memorized Goodnight, Moon at about two years old and would "read" it out loud while turning the pages at appropriate times. Not only does he write papers for classes, he also writes on his own time, creatively—and sometimes even enjoys it. Some other pastimes of his include long romantic walks from his room to the library, and forgetting he poured a cup of tea until it's too cold to drink. His father comes from Middle Earth (people call it New Zealand, and having been there, Jacob knows that dragons are real), and Jacob is following in both his parents' footsteps as a Westmont student. His writing experience ranges from a story about a detective named Andrew Beneral (penned at age seven) to a recent research paper about nuclear radiation in the South Pacific. He hopes to at least provide a helpful set of eyes for someone else's writing, and at most to help them win a PROSE award. He looks forward to working with other Westmont students on their academic projects!

Areas of study: Philosophy, Psychology, Theatre Arts

Hannah Van Essen is best known for her inability to resist the allure of off-campus programs. Between semesters in Mexico and England, she has amassed quite the collection of insights into the grit and function of language. Whether it be fine-tuning a finicky word, organizing elusive ideas, or brainstorming some compelling analysis, Hannah is equipped to help. When not wading through the world of writing, Hannah enjoys a good cup of tea, a pithy novel, and curating her closet (translation = she has too many clothes). Hannah will graduate in May 2025 with a major in English and minors in Spanish and Econ/Business. Until then, she is excited about contributing to the creative community alongside the rest of the Writers’ Corner staff!

Areas of study: English, Economics & Business, Spanish

Julia White is a 5th-year teaching credential student who, for the sake of brevity, will spare you a comprehensive summary of her personhood. Suffice it to say, she is fond of dunking gingersnaps in tea, telling outlandish stories, and plotting the recovery of the lost library of Alexandria.* Fascinated by language, she loves to explore how words have the power to shape cognition, celebrate the beauty of creation, and promote human flourishing. She has strong feelings about the Oxford comma and finds the word “absquatulate” unreasonably repellant. Her hobbies include looking at the sky, playing the harp, conversing with the occasional lizard, and cultivating a devastating arsenal of insults (insolent fool-born footlicker!). One day, she would like to become an English teacher. She hopes that you have found these morsels of her life illuminating and looks forward to a time when she might convince you that she is not insane. Perhaps it is too late.

*More intrepid readers may inquire for further details in person.

Areas of Study: English, Music, Education, Writing