First-Year Writing Showcase

The Fall 2020 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, organization, voice, creativity, language use, and their writing and research processes. This semester, from the approximately seven hundred students enrolled in ENGL 103 The Essay, ENGL 111 College Writing 1, and ENGL 112 College Writing 2, a faculty panel reviewed sixty-three nominations and ultimately selected fifteen pieces. Featured here are the fifteen writers and their projects reflecting a variety of genres including Literacy Narrative, Rhetorical Analysis, Profile, and Research Synthesis and Argument. We hope you enjoy meeting these writers and reading their work.

The Fall 2020 Showcase Writers

Ryan Batjes
鈥淪wimming as a Journey鈥�
The Essay, Ms. Therese Jones


See Author's Piece >>


Sarah Bestwina
鈥淗ow My High School Extracurriculars Helped Further Develop My Literacy Skills鈥�
The Essay, Ms. Therese Jones


See Author's Piece >>


Zoie Chiarella, 鈥淭aking the Road Less Traveled"
College Writing 1, Dr. Pramod Mishra


See Author's Piece >>


Joanna Chodorowicz
鈥淭he Climate Crisis: Seeking Help from Health Professionals鈥�
College Writing 2, Dr. Tommy Pfannkoch


See Author's Piece >>


April Clancy
鈥淭he Black and White Sides of News鈥�
College Writing 2, Dr. Richard Foss


See Author's Piece >>


Erin Cunningham
鈥淭颈肠办-罢辞肠办鈥�
The Essay, Dr. Jennifer Fife


See Author's Piece >>


Emily Krivograd
鈥淭echnology鈥檚 Influence on Journalism"
College Writing 2, Dr. Jordan Canzonetta


See Author's Piece >>


Erica Lohr
鈥淭he Ellington Experience鈥�
College Writing 1, Dr. Tommy Pfannkoch


See Author's Piece >>


Allen Malit
鈥淭he Journey to Achieve the Best Version of Myself鈥�
College Writing 1, Br. Lawrence Oelschlegel


See Author's Piece >>


Anthony Moreno
鈥淭he Reality of First-Generation Students in Higher Education"
College Writing 2, Dr. Thomas McNamara


See Author's Piece >>


Lauren Raimbault
鈥淭he Inciting Incident鈥�
College Writing 1, Br. Lawrence Oelschlegel


See Author's Piece >>


Nancy Reyes
鈥淐ultural Identity Puzzle鈥�
College Writing 1, Dr. Ana Roncero-Bellido


See Author's Piece >>


Casey Smith
鈥淟essons From Failure鈥�
College Writing 1, Ms. Chelsea Kuhel


See Author's Piece >>


Selena Tomas
鈥淭eaching for the Future鈥�
College Writing 1, Dr. Jennifer Consilio


See Author's Piece >>


Michael Yerkes
"From Resentment to Respect: My Revelation on Reading"
College Writing 1, Dr. Jordan Canzonetta


See Author's Piece >>



Additional Showcase Nominees

  • Angel Andanar (Dr. Jordan Canzonetta)
  • Carrie Anderson (Dr. Mark Letcher)
  • Brian Avila (Dr. Rubye Taylor-Drake)
  • Patrycja Bafia (Dr. Tommy Pfannkoch)
  • Anthony Baudino (Dr. Jordan Canzonetta)
  • Brenna Bracy (Ms. Donna Robertson)
  • Hunter Brand (Dr. Jennifer Fife)
  • Anna Brown (Br. Lawrence Oelschlegel
  • Alexciana Castaneda (Dr. Mark Letcher)
  • Alexciana Castaneda (Dr. Jennifer Consilio)
  • Orla Clasby (Ms. Donna Robertson)
  • Justin Collins (Dr. Jennifer Fife)
  • Mario del Valle (Dr. Jordan Canzonetta)
  • Danika Eustaquio (Dr. Rubye Taylor-Drake)
  • Bryanna Fergus (Br. Lawrence Oelschlegel)
  • Faith Ford (Dr. Richard Foss)
  • Mirel Gallegos (Dr. Tommy Pfannkoch)
  • Nancy Green (Ms. Susan Mitchell)
  • Joe Jesse (Dr. Ana Roncero-Bellido
  • Maggie Joutras (Dr. Mark Letcher)
  • Connor Keating (Dr. Tommy Pfannkoch)
  • Alyssa Khuffash (Dr. Jennifer Fife)
  • Savanah Klozick (Dr. Jordan Canzonetta)
  • Rosalynn Knoble (Dr. Jordan Canzonetta)
  • Marciana Kozuch (Dr. Ana Roncero-Bellido)
  • Jenna Lack (Dr. Richard Foss)
  • Jessica Leasure (Ms. Susan Mitchell)
  • Earl Lim (Dr. Jordan Canzonetta)
  • Laila Mahrat (Dr. Jordan Canzonetta)
  • Jacob Moore (Dr. Ana Roncero-Bellido)
  • Leonimar Mapa (Ms. Patricia Leonard)
  • Sydney Mason (Br. Lawrence Oelschlegel)
  • Leonardo Matera (Dr. Tommy Pfannkoch)
  • Miles Mena (Ms. Donna Robertson)
  • Jackson Mugg (Dr. Thomas McNamara)
  • Loren Pala (Ms. Therese Jones)
  • Norman Paz-Ramirez (Ms. Therese Jones)
  • Areli Ramos (Dr. Tommy Pfannkoch)
  • Wendolyn Reyes (Ms. Patricia Leonard)
  • Julian Rocha (Dr. Jennifer Fife)
  • Sean Sajdak (Ms. Susan Mitchell)
  • Rebeca Sanchez (Ms. Donna Robertson)
  • Matthew Schieffer (Br. Lawrence Oelschlegel
  • Aaron Skonieczny (Dr. Tommy Pfannkoch)
  • Aubrey Smith (Br. Lawrence Oelschlegel
  • Connor Wagner (Dr. Jennifer Consilio)
  • Bridgette Zarazua (Dr. Rubye Taylor-Drake)
  • Mirlinda Zulbeari (Dr. Jordan Canzonetta)

Thank You

Thank you to the writers for sharing their work and to all the participating instructors. And many thanks to our program Graduate Assistant, Crystal Zepeda, for coordinating the Showcase documents. 

Congratulations to all the nominated writers! Keep writing!

Sheila M. Kennedy, Ph.D.
Professor of English Studies
Director of the First-Year Writing Program

Crystal L. Zepeda
Graduate Assistant

"Write, and your world
will explode with meaning."

--Donald M. Murray

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