Meet Our Staff
Dr. Jayetta Slawson
Director
The Southeastern Writing Center provides one-on-one student-led tutoring services, Supplemental Instructional study groups, speakers, workshops, and exciting special events in our pursuit of developing and celebrating a culture of writing. The Center is staffed by graduate assistants, supplemental instruction leaders, work study students, and volunteers who offer a captive audience and an attentive ear to the writing needs of students. Our philosophy is that all writers benefit from getting in touch with an interested reader (and practicing writer) on a regular basis. We welcome you to peruse the bios of our graduate assistants, and to make an appointment to meet with one of them for conferencing. We also hold a daily “open house.” So, please stop by to join us for coffee, to use a computer, to study, or to just talk. We hope to see you soon!
Melanie Marse
Assistant Director
In December 2005, I received my Bachelor's degree from Southeastern in English with minors in History and Professional Writing. Currently, I am a second year graduate student working on my Master's degree in English with a concentration in Professional Writing. This is my fifth semester working in the Writing Center, and my second semester as the GA Assistant Director of the Writing Center. I am also working with the Center’s online consultation services provided to all English 101 and 102 students. With these exciting online programs and our wonderful staff members, we are having an exciting semester in the Writing Center. I hope you take advantage of the services we have to offer, and I look forward to seeing you soon!
Emily Aucoin
Editor, The Pick
As Elle Woods so fittingly quotes of Aristotle at the conclusion of Legally Blonde, “The law is reason free from passion.” After practicing law for a year and trying my hand at being “Elle,” I realized that I missed my true passion—writing—and am thrilled that I now am rediscovering it through the English graduate program and Writing Center here at Southeastern. Prior to law school, I received my Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Louisiana State University and considered entering the Master’s Program for English; however, I took the LSAT and decided to attend law school, instead. On the first day of law school in my “Legal Research and Writing” course, I was told that I would have trouble transitioning to this style of writing, since I had been an English major. Although I eventually found legal research and writing, as well as my work on law review, to be the most enjoyable parts of law school, my professor’s warning should have served as my first “clue” that law was not the field for me. Nevertheless, after much trial and error, I have found my way back to the world of English, and, through my work with the Writing Center and as Editor of The Pick, I hope to bring the same joy that I find through research and writing to my fellow students.
Sherman FitzSimons
Editor, Gambit
In December 2006, I graduated magna cum laude with my Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts Studies, concentrations in English and Spanish, and minors in Hispanic Ethnic Studies, History, and Creative Writing, from Southeastern. In 2007, I won the award for Outstanding Student in Liberal Arts Studies. After some soul-searching, I decided to pursue my creative ambitions and continue my education at the graduate level, working towards my Master’s degree in English with a Creative Writing concentration. It’s been over a year since I first started working in the Writing Center as a graduate assistant, and what a time it has been! Besides my normal duties of tutoring all types of students one-on-one, I am in charge of maintaining the Writing Center web site and work to keep the Center operating. Also, this semester I am serving as Editor for Gambit, the English Department’s creative writing journal. Outside of the Writing Center, I am President of LA Literati, Southeastern's official creative writing organization. Mostly I write fiction and poetry and have been published in Yada Yada magazine and Gambit. As a writer, I encourage each and every one of you out there to pay us a visit, and we’ll help you become a better writer one step at a time.
Alysia Catanzaro
Writing Tutor
Aaron Duplantier
Writing Tutor
I graduated from Southeastern in August 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in English and am now beginning my graduate career. My philosophy is that writing is innate. It is the natural way we eject the contents of our brain onto the page. If what you want to say doesn't get ejected properly, then that's where we try to help with the language obstruction. I would like to be your plumber—of sorts. Drano, anyone?
Garrett Hines
Writing Tutor
Hey, I'm returning to Southeastern for my graduate studies after completing my undergraduate degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. My first dramatic performance monologue, Ghosts, was performed in the Student Union Theatre during the spring 2005 semester, which helped me get the 2005 Coumes Scholarship. I've since performed a staged reading of portions of my play 72 Rebecca Lane at the 2006 PCA/ACA Pop-Culture Conference in Atlanta, as well as various readings and performances (I played Jack Ruffin in Faith's Affair in the Vonnie Borden Theatre in 2006). I'm trying my best to pursue a film acting career (I recently became a member of the Screen Actors Guild) but am here in the Writing Center to tutor and serve as the Drama Editor for Gambit. I write a bit of everything (drama, short stories, and poetry) and have completed my fair share of academic papers, so don't be bashful: come for the help, stay for the coffee.
Ryan Lamy
Writing Tutor
I'm a new Graduate Assistant working on my Master’s degree in English, Creative Writing. I graduated from Louisiana State University in 2001 with a Bachelor’s degree in English, Creative Writing, and a minor in Theater. I moved to Los Angeles and worked at MTV, on Fox's 24, and for some top movie producers. In 2003, I sold my first screenplay and was admitted into the Writers Guild of America West. In the last few years Louisiana has become third only to Los Angeles and New York in film production, so I came home to participate in the boom. I recently performed in a local film called Dirty Politics and am currently the Film Editor of Gambit, as well as a tutor in the Writing Center. I'm excited about all the opportunities Southeastern has for our local creative community.
Jessica Malinski
Writing Tutor
In Spring 2007, I received a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Print Journalism from Southeastern Louisiana University. After realizing that straight news stories weren’t expressing my creative side, I decided to apply for graduate school. Now, I am working on my Master’s degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. I work as a graduate assistant in the Writing Center and the English Lab. One day, I plan to be the editor of my own magazine, so I am honored to be the Associate Editor of The Pick. I am really excited about continuing my education at Southeastern and looking forward to helping you this semester!
Rebecca Rainier
Writing Tutor
This is my first semester as a Graduate Assistant in the Writing Center. I received a Bachelor’s degree in Radio/Television Production from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2000. After that, I worked as a Writer/Producer for television stations in New Orleans and San Antonio. I soon figured out that I like the writing side of the business rather than the technical side. Right now, I’m working on my Master’s degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. I like to write fiction and comedy, and I look forward to reading what you all write!
Rachel Lee
Supplemental Instruction Leader
Mechelle Rouchon
Supplemental Instruction Leader
Nicole Smith
Supplemental Instruction Leader
Justin April
Work Study Assistant
Chantel Terrell
Work Study Assistant
Contact Us:
Southeastern Writing Center
383 D. Vickers Hall
(985) 549-2076