Caitlyn McCarthy

I am an English major, scheduled to graduate in May of 2010 and am from Annapolis, Maryland. I have always loved to write, a fact that did not go unnoticed by my English 1000C professor, Harry Denny, who offered me this position during the fall of 2006, my first year at St. John's.

I am a very energetic and fun person, a trait that I love to bring to my tutoring sessions. I am of the mindset that ideas and conversation flow much better when the tutor and the student are not only comfortable with each other, but when both want to be there. I feel like when I allow a student to laugh or smile, I am allowing them to be themselves and to truly bring their own unique and creative ideas to their own paper. Though I admit that my approach may not work for every student, it is a great joy to me to see so many of the students I have tutored return to the writing center based on their positive experiences not only with me, but with all of our tutors.

My work at the Writing Center has allowed me to grow as a person and has allowed me to become more confident in myself. I have acquired conversational skills that I otherwise would not have had the opportunity to obtain. Also, I feel like working at the Writing Center has directly influenced and encouraged my great involvement in campus activities and organizations, and has helped me to be able to critique my own work in a critical, yet positive way. I hope to take these skills and this confidence on to gain success at law school; I believe that the skills like critical and close reading, conversational and people skills, and the tenacious spirit that I’ve learned from working in the Writing Center will aid me in my future academic and professional aspirations.

Major
English

Academic Interests
creative writing, art, history

Extracurricular
Delta Kappa Delta sorority, choir, volunteer work

Publications
"An Old Man's Tales." Collection of Young Poets. 2006.