THE SPRING 2025 FIRST-YEAR WRITING SHOWCASE
Each semester, the First-Year Writing program invites program faculty to nominate student writers whose work shines for features like idea development, critical thinking, organization, voice, creativity, language use, and writing and research processes. A faculty panel reviewed the nominated works and selected eleven pieces reflecting a variety of genres, including Narrative, Rhetorical Analysis, and Research Argument. This semester’s selections represent writers enrolled in ENG 10300 The Essay, ENGL 11100 College Writing 1; and ENGL 11200 College Writing 2. We hope you enjoy meeting these writers and listening to their voices and ideas through their written work!
THE Spring 2025 SHOWCASE WRITERS
Christian Bivian
“Free Education and Why it Should be Implemented in the United States”
College Writing 2 - Prof. Michelle Lorenzen
Meda Brazas
“From Mispronunciation to Identity: My Name’s Journey”
College Writing 1 - Dr. David Nowak
Fernanda Diaz Hernandez
“Bouncing Back From the Bottom”
The Essay - Prof. Therese Jones
John Keslin
“No Turning Back Now”
College Writing 1 - Dr. Morgan Frank
Katelyn Perritano
“Implementing Music for Mental Health: Strategies for College Wellness”
College Writing 2 - Prof. Michelle Lorenzen
Camden Rappis
“Swimming Out of a Hole”
College Writing 1 - Dr. Jen Consilio
Sara Ryan
“Flipping Through the Pages”
College Writing 1 - Dr. David Nowak
Yulisa Pena-Sanchez
“Healing Through Connection”
College Writing 1 - Dr. Jen Consilio
Mariama Sow
“From Tradition to Triumph”
College Writing 1 - Prof. Steve Blythe
Luciana Triolo
“Freedom of Faith or Freedom to Love”
College Writing 1 - Prof. Therese Jones
Additional Showcase Nominees
- Mariam Alsaraj, (Prof. Steve Blythe)
- Layan Awad, (Dr. David Nowak)
- Saul Balderrama, (Prof. Michelle Lorenzen)
- Andrew Barrios, (Dr. Morgan Frank)
- Marco Castanon, (Prof. Steve Blythe)
- Andreas Demakis, (Prof. Allyson Howard)
- Madison Findlay, (Dr. Jen Consilio)
- Alejandra Garcia, (Dr. Jen Consilio)
- Gabriella Garnica, (Dr. Jen Consilio)
- Eve Sofiya Garvey, (Dr. David Nowak)
- Erica Hernandez, (Dr. Morgan Frank)
- Megan McPherson, (Prof. Allyson Howard)
- Alyssa Orozco, (Dr. David Nowak)
- Olivia Pastovich, (Prof. Steve Blythe)
- Jordan Ramirez, (Prof. Allyson Howard)
- June Sichak, (Prof. Steve Blythe)
- Quinn Stevens, (Prof. Therese Jones)
- Klaudia Szwarc, (Dr. David Nowak)
- Ellie Szalankiewicz, (Prof. Steve Blythe)
- Avelynn Wenn, (Prof. Jasmine Castillo)
Thank You
Thank you to all of our writers for creating and sharing their work. And thank you to all who directly support our first-year writers: our instructors, the Writing Center staff, and the Library Research instructors. We appreciate all you do to support first-year writers. And many thanks to our program Graduate Assistant, Michelle Lorenzen, for all her help in coordinating the Showcase process.
Congratulations to all of our nominated and selected writers. Keep writing!
Jen Consilio, Ph.D.
Professor of English Studies
Director of the First-Year Writing Program
"Write, and your world
will explode with meaning."
--Donald M. Murray
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