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
“Swimming as a Journey”
The Essay, Ms. Therese Jones


Sarah Bestwina
“How My High School Extracurriculars Helped Further Develop My Literacy Skills”
The Essay, Ms. Therese Jones


Zoie Chiarella, “Taking the Road Less Traveled"
College Writing 1, Dr. Pramod Mishra


Joanna Chodorowicz
“The Climate Crisis: Seeking Help from Health Professionals”
College Writing 2, Dr. Tommy Pfannkoch


April Clancy
“The Black and White Sides of News”
College Writing 2, Dr. Richard Foss


Erin Cunningham
“Tick-Tock”
The Essay, Dr. Jennifer Fife


Emily Krivograd
“Technology’s Influence on Journalism"
College Writing 2, Dr. Jordan Canzonetta


Erica Lohr
“The Ellington Experience”
College Writing 1, Dr. Tommy Pfannkoch


Allen Malit
“The Journey to Achieve the Best Version of Myself”
College Writing 1, Br. Lawrence Oelschlegel


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


Lauren Raimbault
“The Inciting Incident”
College Writing 1, Br. Lawrence Oelschlegel


Nancy Reyes
“Cultural Identity Puzzle”
College Writing 1, Dr. Ana Roncero-Bellido


Casey Smith
“Lessons From Failure”
College Writing 1, Ms. Chelsea Kuhel


Selena Tomas
“Teaching for the Future”
College Writing 1, Dr. Jennifer Consilio


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



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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