Meet Our Writing Tutors

See photos and bios of all our writing tutors below!

Writing Tutors are Bates students just like you who specialize in assisting their peers with any and all writing and speaking assignments, tasks, and projects in and across all academic disciplines at Bates–and even for purposes, audiences, and occasions outside of academia. Most SWLC writing tutors complete two half-credit tutor education courses and several hours of tutoring practice before they begin tutoring:

  • EXDS 201: Writing Process, Tutoring Practice (.5 credits, offered every Winter semester) and
  • EDUC s19: Teaching and Tutoring Writing (With) Power (.5 credits, offered every Short Term).

You can seek help from a Writing Tutor at any time during your writing process, from brainstorming ideas to crafting outlines; from reading through drafts to incorporating instructor feedback; and from revising, to editing, to proofreading your writing and polishing it all up. Every Writing Tutor is here to support your growth as a writer over all four of your years at Bates and to guide your improvement on skills like organization, thesis statement construction, incorporation of outside sources, argumentation, and more.

Drop by and see a Writing Tutor anytime the SWLC is open–or search Penji to find and book an appointment with the best tutor for your needs and let them know what you would like to work on. They provide an empathetic and non-judgmental, collaborative environment that is centered around your questions and goals.

In SWLC, we also seek to foster and promote the use of diverse languages at Bates while also providing support in English to improve academic writing and speaking skills.  Our Writing Tutors are trained in foundational approaches to support English Language Learners and multilingual speakers. If possible, we can arrange a one-time appointment–or regular weekly appointments–with a writing tutor who is also fluent in your first language. Please email swlc@bates.edu to get set up with a specific tutor for your English language learning needs!

If you are interested in becoming a Writing Tutor and working for SWLC, please visit this page for information about hiring, training, and employment.

Tife Agunloye ’25 (he/him)

Hi! I’m Tife Agunloye (he/him) and I’m from Monroe, Connecticut. I’m a senior double majoring in Economics and Philosophy and minoring in Digital and Computational Studies. This is my third year working in the PLC and my goal is to make learning feel less like a chore and more like an adventure. I’m a firm believer that learning should be a journey, not a destination—and that everyone’s path is unique. When I’m not tutoring you can find me sipping coffee, attempting to make clothes, or hanging out with some friends. I’m all about creating a supportive, collaborative environment (minus the judgment, plus the expertise). Let’s explore new ideas, tackle tough subjects, and celebrate your growth together!

Esme Alfaro ’24 (she/her)

My name is Esmeralda Alfaro, but I prefer to go by Esme! My pronouns are she/her and I am from Waukegan, Illinois. I am a senior majoring in Classical Medieval Studies. I have been a Writing Tutor for the past three years and I have had experience supporting students in the Spanish language. I was also a Student Manager for two years. A word that describes my tutoring is “attentive.” I try my best to help students understand and navigate their writing needs in a way that allows them to understand how to best carve out a writing path for themselves that strengthens them as a writer. In my free time I can be found taking a walk around campus!

Benjamin Auerbach ’25 (he/him)

Hello! My name is Benjamin Auerbach (He/Him) from Marin County California. I go by Ben and this will be my second year working as a writing tutor at Bates. My goal is to help you work through any struggles as much as I can and make you feel welcome at the PLC. I am a hispanic studies major but I am also hoping to go to medical school after I graduate from Bates. If you want to talk about how bad the SF Giants are or how good the Niners are I’m more than willing.

Nick Brown ’25 (he/him)

Hello! I’m a Senior economics and history major here at Bates, and this will be my 3rd year as a SWLC writing tutor! I’m very grateful for the connections I’ve been able to make and the valuable lessons learned through my time here. I’ll also be a CAT for Econometrics this semester. Outside of the Peer Learning Commons, you may find me jogging for the cross country team. Personally, I’m trying to read more (currently working my way through The Stand by Stephen King), and am trying my hand at Turkish on Duolingo. Happy to help with a range of academic/personal/professional writing. Güle Güle!

Lydia Carlos ’25 (she/her)

Hi my name is Lydia Wong-Carlos! I am a senior majoring in biology and am working on my research thesis on rodent physiology, specifically the HVR in rats! (ask me about it, I love talking about what i’m specifically doing!!) I am from Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts and have two amazing cats! I have been a writing tutor for a year and I absolutely enjoy collaborating and love when people stop by to chat. Im Bilingual and speak english and Brasilian Portuguese.I like writing in the sciences and can help with lab reports and research papers, but I am also enthusiastic and have experience writing in the humanities- philosophy, anthropology, cultural politics etc. Come and stop by to get support on writing, or to chat about life at Bates, college in general, other classes, and life, I’m open to anything!

Danny Cronin ’25 (he/him)

Hey! My name is Danny. I’m a senior this year at Bates and I’m so excited to finish my time here on a strong, memorable note. I’m a Biology major and Educational Studies minor. This is my third year working for SWLC. My specialty is writing in biology, but I am a fairly versatile writer-tutor and can help with most forms of writing. My goal as a tutor is to facilitate a low-stakes, personable environment where we can take meaningful steps to make your writing as effective as possible. Outside of my time in SWLC, I enjoy gaming, running, movies, coffee, and music.

Julianne Massa ’25 (she/her)

My name is Julianne (she/her), and I am a Senior at Bates, majoring in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and minoring in Japanese. I am a general writing tutor in the SWLC with a specialty in the Humanities, but I love to tutor writing in other subjects, as I usually end up learning something new! I am an inquisitive and goal-oriented tutor. I begin sessions by asking tutees what they would like us to accomplish together, and I find that asking purposeful questions is the best way for me to help students in developing their writing style and voice. I drink a lot of tea, and I read a lot of books, and sometimes, I do both at the same time.

Emma Sablan ’25 (she/her)

HI! My name is Emma Sablan (she/her), and I’m from Norwich, VT. I’m a senior double majoring in English and Rhetoric with a French minor. This will be my second year as a SWLC writing tutor! I would describe my tutoring style as collaborative, and my goal is to help other students feel more confident in their writing processes! I’m also excited to explore more of Maine this year and to start (and keep!) a Duolingo streak.

Cerise Stanley ’25 (she/her)

Hello friends! My name is Cerise (she/her), and I’m a senior from Portland, Maine majoring in Economics and double minoring in Earth & Climate Science and Anthropology. As a returning SLWC Writing Tutor, I aim to support students at all stages of the writing process through personalized, collaborative, and conversational peer-tutoring. If you have any questions and need help with writing in the natural or social sciences, please swing by!

Joaquin Torres ’25 (he/him)

Mabuhay! I’m Joaquin (they/them), a senior hailing from the Philippines majoring in Neuroscience and Theater with a minor/GEC in DCS. In the PLC, I work as both a Writing Tutor for SWLC and a CAT for SASC (DCS 105), and I specialize in all things STEM and the arts. I love getting to know people, and I make sure that every tutoring session (whether it’s writing or otherwise) is centered around you, the tutee, and your process. Outside the PLC, I am the Artistic Director of the student-run theater club Robinson Players, Vice President of the Southeast Asian Society, and active member and social events coordinator of the men’s ultimate frisbee team Orange Whip. I’m so excited to get to work with you at the PLC, where you’ll definitely see me either working on my theses or juggling!

Henry Welch ’25 (he/him)

Hi! My name is Henry Welch, I’m from Istanbul, Turkey and I’m a senior majoring in politics and minoring in hispanic studies. This is my second year as a writing tutor and I’ve also worked as a WCAT for an education FYS.

This year I strive to be a writing tutor that is easy to talk to and one that my peers are not afraid to make/show mistakes infront of. I am excited to meet new people who are using the writing center for the first time and people who I’ve already worked with to learn more about them. Writing and writing tutoring is a collaborative process where both sides learn about eachother as people and writers. Understanding the whole writer is a prerequisite for successfully helping bring out one’s own voice in their writing.

I think the perfect archetype for a tutor is Yoda. He values relationships with his peers and patience with learning. I’m excited to get to know you guys!

Joel Hallkaj ’25 (he/him)

Hi! My name is Joel Hallkaj (he/him) ’25, a Writing Tutor and Neuroscience Major all the way from Albania. I like talking about almost anything but I especially like science, old movies, and literature. I am and will always be a language learner who is fascinated by the creativity afforded by writing or working in a second language but also the struggles that come with it. I speak Albanian, English, French, and some Italian but have tried to learn many more. As a writing tutor, I would love to work with peers about breaking down complex ideas, clearing up writing, and learning about what they are brainstorming about or writing!

Molly Allison ’26 (she/her)

Hi there! My name is Molly Allison (she/her); I’m a junior Sociology major, Gender and Sexuality Studies minor from Southern California. I am excited for my second year working in the SWLC, where I hope to encourage and empower individualized voices and highlight the many unique perspectives that the Bates community has to offer. I plan to foster an improvement-focused writing environment where we collaborate as peers and connect each other with a wider network of Bates thinkers. This year I am also the Team Leader in Rand Hall and am thrilled to be working with the Residence Life staff on campus. A fun fact about me is that I love birds and birdwatching. Schedule a session with me to work on any step of the writing process, talk about Maine’s beautiful birds, or both! I would consider it a privilege to work with you!

Sam Hallett ’26 (he/him)

My name is Sam Hallett. My pronouns are he/him, I am a Junior majoring in Earth and Climate Science. I am a Writing Tutor and I am excited to be returning for my second year in the SWLC. When I am working with others in the SWLC I emphasize empathy, honesty, and patience. I want to continue trying to understand my tutees as an individual, their writing process, and how I can best enhance their work.
Last semester I worked as a Teaching Assistant for EACS 104 and this past summer I had the pleasure of working as a Research Assistant and Associate for the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State.

Tong Ning ’26 (she/her)

Hi! 你好！こんにちは！My name is Tong Ning (she/her), and I’m from Beijing, China. I am a junior majoring in psychology and economics with a Japanese minor. I’m multilingual, and Chinese is my first language. I started learning English in primary school, learned Japanese after entering college, and gave up on French because it was too hard for me :(. Recently, I’ve been taking up some new hobbies, including playing guitar and knitting.
I am a writing tutor, and I hope to help you become more confident in your writing. I am also a student, so I hope to learn together with you in the tutoring session. Please feel free to chat with me. I would love to share some helpful insights.

Owen Wang ’26 (he/him)

你好(Hi), My name is Owen Wang (He/Him) a junior majoring in psychology and minoring in education. I am from Beijing, China, so I am fluent in Mandarin. I also took a year of Japanese at Bates so I may still have the basics. As someone who speaks 2.5 languages, I am comfortable tutoring in English and Chinese, whichever you prefer. English is my second language, so I am just glad how inclusive and welcoming SWLC is to multilingual students. So don’t be shy and come to us. Knowing a different language means having a different way of thinking so I might be able to provide some unique perspectives. But let’s collaborate and work together for your writing. This is my second year working as a writing tutor but I am still “young,” so if I make any mistakes during our session, feel free to point them out! I hope to meet all of you soon 🙂

Alannah Ardrey ’27 (she/her)

Hi all! My name is Alannah Ardrey (she/her), I’m a sophomore and from New York City. I’m majoring in Philosophy and Economics, and this will be my first year working as a Writing Tutor for the Bates SWLC. As a Writing Tutor, I hope to encourage a positive and relaxed environment for learning while collaborating together as peers on your writing pieces. Outside of classes, I’m a jumper on the Track and Field team and one fun fact about me is that I have moved homes over twenty times! I’m so excited to get to know you as a writer!

Tammy Namangale ’27 (she/they)

Hi! My name is Tammy Namangale. I am from Manhattan, New York and Lilongwe, Malawi. I am a Politics and Sociology double Major with a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies. I am so excited to get to know students as writers and as people! I believe in writing as a tool for growth and liberation and love discussing writing and different perspectives. I would love to help you with your writing in any way I can and help you grow as a writer!I am part of the sailing team at Bates and recently started to play the saxophone! I also work in the Harward Center and in the Admissions Office, as well as on the BCSG selection board. I can’t wait to see you in the PLC!