About Us
The Writing Center is named in honor of George L. Nesbitt (1903-1985), Professor of English from 1930 to 1973, and Thomas McNaughton Johnston (1904-1986), Professor of English from 1934 to 1972. Demanding and inspiring teachers, they helped two generations of 51ÁÔÆæ students to write thoughtful, coherent, clear, and sometimes elegant prose. Professor Nesbitt, who chaired the Department of English from 1952 to 1968, was instrumental in establishing the English composition sequence; Professor Johnston, the principal author of 51ÁÔÆæ’s Essentials of English Usage style guide, was known for his own graceful style, which his best students aspired to emulate. Together they constructed the foundation for 51ÁÔÆæ’s present reputation as an institution that teaches and values effective writing.
Jennifer Ambrose, Ph.D.
Writing Center Director
Jennifer became the Director of 51ÁÔÆæ's Writing Center in 2016. She obtained her PhD from the University of Iowa and has over 20 years of experience in writing center work as well as a teaching background in rhetoric, communication, scientific & technical writing, and American studies. Her work focuses on providing equitable and inclusive access to writing support for students and faculty.
Laura Widman, M.A.
Writing Center Assistant Director: Multilingual Specialist
Laura has a Master's degree in Linguistics, focused on Teaching English as a Second language, and came to 51ÁÔÆæ after working in the Writing Centers at Texas A&M and the University of Iowa. Their work focuses on providing academic support to multilingual students on campus, as well as helping faculty develop their pedagogy to create an environment where linguistic diversity is respected. In their free time, you can find them hiking, playing board games, baking, and hanging out with their cat, Bastian.
Riley Spellman
Writing Center Office Assistant
Riley graduated from St. Lawrence University, where she majored in English and Performance-Communication Arts. When she's not in the Writing Center, she spends her time exploring waterfalls, drawing cartoons, and going to art galleries and museums.
Student Assistants
SofÃa Isabel González ’26
Off-campus. Sofia is a Studio Art and Art History major from Caracas, Venezuela. She loves Lorde's music, foreign movies, and all sorts of artsy stuff. In her free time you can find her painting, blasting music in the studio, and finishing projects in KTSA until 2 a.m.
Doug Burggraf ’27
Doug is a sophomore from Fairfield, Connecticut. He plans to major in Economics with a minor in Mathematics. In his free time, he enjoys watching football and baseball, learning the guitar, and playing pickleball.
Javier Garcia ’26
Siena Rose Girouard ’26
Off-campus. Siena is a junior Creative Writing major from Falmouth, Massachusetts. She loves being creative, spending her time playing, arranging, and listening to music; drawing or painting; and especially working on her upcoming dystopian romance novel, which she hopes to finish before she graduates in 2026.
Jaylaan Limon Ixehuatl ’26
Jaylaan is a junior from West New York, New Jersey, majoring in Biology with a minor in Hispanic Studies. On campus, you'll often find her making a beeline to Euphoria for her much-needed matcha fix after class. In her free time, she enjoys watching Rotten Mango's True Crime podcast and perfecting her gel manicures.
Elys Monje ’27
Olivia Stevens ’27
Olivia is a sophomore intending to major in Geosciences. She is from Lexington, Massachusetts, and loves to read, swim, and write in her free time.
Athalie Thifault ’27
Athalie is a sophomore from Long Island, New York (she hates claiming it though). She plans to major in Geoscience with a minor in Statistics. She has an affinity for rubber ducks, alternative music, cute plushies, fashion, Twizzlers, emojis, and all things PINK!!! A self-proclaimed foodie, she’s always daydreaming about her next meal. You can find her at the diner on Wednesdays chowing down on their (in her opinion) delicious mac 'n' cheese or picking up her Uber Eats outside her dorm. If she’s not in class, working, eating, or online shopping, she's most definitely napping. Stop by if you want to chat about a movie that she loves but all of her friends think is extremely off-putting (especially Bones and All and The Shape of Water).
Rosie Villa ’25
Helen Xin ’25
Helen is a Neuroscience major. She is from Louisville, Kentucky and loves going on hikes and reading during her free time.
