BA, Political Science and English, Colgate University, 1993
PhD, Politics, Princeton University, 2004
A few favorite authors: Friedrich Nietzsche, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Leo Tolstoy, Franz Kafka, Virginia Woolf, Haruki Murakami, Karl Ove Knausgaard
A piece of writing advice: Treat every assignment as if it were something you chose to do on your own. If you don’t find it interesting at first, figure out why someone would. This isn’t about doing homework – it’s about cultivating your own unique intellectual experience. All the best work starts with that attitude, and even when the work goes badly, no one with that attitude ever came away empty-handed.
Peer Tutors
Anna-Marie Ahn ’25
Majors: Classics, Biology
A few favorite authors: John Steinbeck, Willa Cather, Kazuo Ishiguro, C.S. Lewis, Arthur Miller, Jane Austen, W.B Yeats
A piece of writing advice: Think about your “so-what question” early on, and try to make it the connecting thread throughout your paper. When the “why” is something you are passionate about and really interested in, the final product becomes personal, riveting, and entirely yours: that’s the most engaging kind of writing!
Madeline Daniel ’24 (she/her)
Major: Biology
Minor: Math
A few favorite authors: Kurt Vonnegut, John Steinbeck, Tom Robbins, Jeffery Eugenides, Emily Martin, Albert Camus
A piece of writing advice: Talk while you write! Reading your writing aloud can help you catch any grammar mistakes or clunky-sounding sentences. If you’re struggling to articulate a certain idea on paper, talking it through can help you find the words to clearly convey your argument. The best papers feel natural when you read them aloud.
Lola Ecker ’25
Majors: English, Philosophy
Lena Essak ’24
Major: Economics
Minor: Data Science
Emma Ford ’25 (she/her)
Major: International Affairs
Minor: Middle Eastern and North African Studies
A few favorite authors: Jia Tolentino, Douglas Coupland, Anthony Bourdain, Joan Didion, Neil Gaiman, Eoin Colfer
A piece of writing advice: Make sure your writing is accessible on three levels: beginner (who knows nothing about your subject,) intermediate (who is studying or familiar with your subject,) and expert (who knows more than you on your subject.)
Elizabeth Huntley ’25
Major: Psychology
Minor: Data Science
Ribs Kramer ’26
Major: English (concentration in creative writing)
Minor: Gender Studies
Liam Kruchten ’24
Major: Philosophy
Bertie Mahoney ’26
Liam Murphy ’26
Major: English
Shelby Platt ’25
Major: English
Minor: Religious Studies
Cadyn Schenk-Turner ’26
Major: Art History
Sofia Seirmarco ’23
Major: International Affairs
Maddie Selby ’25
Major: History
Anthi Sklaventis ’24
Major: History
A few favorite authors: Haruki Murakami, Scott Benson, Gloria Anzaldúa, Lauren Groff, Tommy Orange, Kaia Sands
A piece of writing advice: When trying to create transitions/conclusions, it can be helpful to ask yourself “why does what I just wrote matter?” — trying to include the answer in your writing can elucidate your voice and/or solidify your argument.
Writing Center is located in room 227 A+B of Watzek Library on the Undergraduate Campus. MSC: 70
