Writing Center Staff

Ph.D., English, University of Georgia

Dr. Joy Bracewell earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of Georgia.  In addition to being the Director of the Writing Center, she teaches composition and first-year composition practices.

M.A. in English Language & Literature, Georgia College & State University

Kathryn Livingston earned her M.A. in English Language & Literature from Georgia College & State University. She specializes in English as a Second Language, international education, and composition. Her debut novel Epoch was published in May 2023.

Preston Brewer (he/him) is a first year English MA student. He grew up in Macon, Georgia. He is a double bobcat, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in Political Science from GC. In college and out, he worked with his hands and people– being a garbage man, a professional mover, and delivery driver for antiques. When Preston is not tutoring or in class, he is reading, writing, painting models, playing video games, watching movies and shows, socializing, and relaxing. He is familiar with MLA and has some experience with APA formatting. He hopes to inspire every student he tutors to learn from everything they do and to develop their own writing style, which makes the entire ordeal much more fun. 

Luke Circle (he/him/his) is a first year MA English student. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Education from MGA. He wants to continue his education in English to become a college professor. His love for writing led him to his position at the writing center and is excited to help others in their writing process. Luke enjoys all things that involve stories including books, comics, movies, shows, video games, and music. 

Jordan Curland (she/her) is a fourth-year marketing major. She is from Norcross, GA, where she attended Greater Atlanta Christian School. She discovered her love for writing at a young age and aspires to be a professional writer and editor in the future. Jordan specializes in poetry, personal narratives, and academic writing. She understands structure and is quick to spot grammatical errors. When she is not writing, you can find Jordan at the gym, painting sheet signs for her sorority, or playing intramurals! She hopes to see you soon in the Writing Center! 

Anna Durden (she/her) is a second-year English MA student. She grew up in Senoia, GA, and relocated to Milledgeville at the beginning of her undergraduate experience. She is a double bobcat, receiving her Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Painting from GC&SU as a member of the John E. Salstrom Honors College. Upon graduating with her master's degree, Anna would love to find her purpose in an education, non-profit, or creative setting. When she is not in the Writing Center, Anna enjoys sewing, painting, birdwatching, getting fresh air with her dog Ziggy, and watching nostalgic films. She is passionate about writing, words, and communication which makes her excited to help at any stage of the writing process (especially brainstorming!). Her experience equips her with a strong foundation in MLA formatting, though she dabbles in APA and Chicago style. She has fun with English essays, personal statements, and any other paper you could imagine. She looks forward to encouraging you through the writing process and guiding you to a successful paper!

Ash (they/any) Earnhardt is a first-year creative writing student in the fiction division. Ash is from Glendale, CA with family around North Carolina and Kentucky. They graduated in 2019 from UC Berkeley in International Relations and proceeded to teach in the Peace Corps in Kyrgyzstan. Ash has spent the last 2 years living with a Kyrgyz host family, riding horses and drinking tons of fermented mare’s milk. When they aren’t working at the Writing Center, you can find them writing sci-fi stories, hiking, baking breads, playing post-apocalyptic video games, and jamming out on some musical instruments. Ash has a lot of experience working with people from multicultural/ multilingual backgrounds, and is excited to help you find your writer’s voice and make assignments fun. They can help you with research papers, literature analysis, personal essays, and honing in on your writing strengths!  

Ridgley Fenters (she/her) is a first year English MA Student. She is originally from Greenville South Carolina, but now lives in Suwanee Georgia. She is a returning Bobcat to GCSU as she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. She hopes to one day be a professor teaching Shakespeare and Renaissance Drama, as well as publish a few books. Outside of the Writing Center she enjoys painting, reading, and traveling home to visit family and friends. She is most familiar with MLA format, and has experience in APA. However, she is always open to learning new ways of writing and helping anyway she can. 

Morgan Gosdin (she/her) is a third-year student with double majors in psychology and Spanish and a minor in LACLS. She is also a member of the Honors College, serves on the GCSU psychology club’s exec board, works as a Learning Center facilitator, tutors Spanish, and participates in the cognitive research lab on campus. Upon graduation, she plans to attend graduate school to earn her master’s degree and become a mental health counselor. Morgan was born in Canton, Georgia and spent a portion of her childhood in the Dominican Republic (and would be happy to look over Spanish papers as well as English ones)! She now lives in Canton with her family and dog. When she is not in the Writing Center, Morgan loves spending time at Kudzu, baking something new, and cheering on the Braves. She enjoys writing and can help with any part of the writing process—from brainstorming to drafting to revising. She would be happy to walk through any kind of writing assignment with you, including Spanish papers, nursing papers, and research projects (especially anything psychology related)!

Serena Kerkstra (she/her) is a first year Creative Writing MFA student. She is from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Public, Nonprofit, and Health Administration. She has coursework experience with a broad spectrum of disciplines, ranging from humanities to STEM, and is not limited in assisting with citation formatting. Serena is always looking for new methods to enhance her writing skills, and enjoys reading, binging television series, and playing the piano.  

Noah Lorey (he/him) is a first-year MFA student originally from Wisconsin who has spent the last eight years in and around Atlanta. Noah attended Emory University where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in both Creative Writing and Sociology. Upon completion of his MFA, Noah would like to write fiction professionally, including for film and television. Apart from his academic work, Noah has spent time as a coverage reader for a screenwriting software company, as a camp counselor and instructor for a summer camp primarily serving young immigrants, refugees, and the children of immigrants and refugees, and as a communications and outreach coordinator for a nonprofit community center. Noah is most familiar with MLA formatting but as a lifelong leaner he is growing more comfortable with other formats as well. In his free time, Noah enjoys spending time outdoors hiking and exploring Georgia’s many wilderness areas, as well as gathering with friends to play games of all sorts, including tabletop roleplaying games. 

Richard Lassiter (he/him), is a first year Creative Writing MFA candidate. He is originally from Washington State where he attended Washington State University for his Bachelors and Masters in English Literature. Before being accepted into GCSU’s MFA, he was (and still is) a licensed funeral director. Beyond the page, Richard enjoys film photography, music (he’s a Swiftie), and finding ways to make others smile. Richard has always been a teacher at heart, believes in writing as a process, and employs careful patience when working with others.

Bridget Mainor (she/her) is a second-year student with double majors in Philosophy and Psychology and a minor in English. She is a member of GCSU’s honors college and plays club ultimate frisbee, where she serves as her team’s spirit captain. She lives in Savannah with her mom, sister, and dog. When she is not in the Writing Center, she enjoys reading novels, thrift-shopping, hiking, cooking delicious meals, and daydreaming in coffee shops. She is passionate about writing and can help with any stage of the writing process. Her dual major provides her with experience in both MLA and APA formats. Specifically, she has strengths in writing philosophy research papers, psychology research papers, and English essays. She would love to help you gain confidence in any field of writing, and she hopes to see you soon!

Ziv Moench (she/they), is a senior environmental science major with a minor in biology. Aspiring to further their education, they plan on pursuing a PhD in the wildlife sciences and to one day become a professor. They are a part of the GCSU Herpetology Lab, where they are working on an individual project which is actively presented at conferences. Other than the sciences, they are very driven in exercise, writing, the outdoors, and everything pertaining to animals/wildlife. They can help students with a variety of paper topics, as well as assist in the writing process from general brainstorming to revising. Due to being a STEM major, they have strengths in scientific-based writing, such as research papers, lab reports, APA formatting, etc. With the addition of MURACE to the Writing Center, they are also able to relate to the anxiety surrounding conferences and assist students in the process. Overall, Ziv hopes to inspire others to become more comfortable with the writing process. Sometimes, STEM-based papers can be intimidating, and they are here to tackle it with you!  

Sunita Oliver (she/her) is a first-year nursing student here at GCSU. She hopes to join the nursing cohort next year and eventually use that degree to become a geriatric and/or hospice nurse and take care of senior citizens especially those with memory issues. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering throughout the community like at the retirement home and veterans' home. Outside of school and extracurriculars, Sunita likes to read, go to the theater, play tennis, and skateboard. She is passionate about classic literature and history. Sunita has the most experience writing research papers in APA format. As a nursing student, she also has strengths in nursing papers. In the writing center, Sunita hopes to help students find their writing style and grow their confidence in writing

Julia Olteanu (She/Her) is a second-year student in middle-grade education with a concentration in Social Studies. Aspiring to further her education by getting a master's in teaching and a certification to become a high school teacher. In and out of college Julia has worked with students of all ages as an Art Teacher and is a hands-on person who continues to work until the job is done. Julia loves to relax with music and throw on a pottery wheel. She also loves to watch movies, color, and socialize with everyone. She is familiar with MLA formatting and APA formatting. However, Julia is open to learning new styles and ways of writing and hopes that she can give students confidence in their writing.

Cat Wall (she/her) is a junior English major with a minor in Spanish Language and Culture. She is a part of the Honors College here at Georgia College. She hopes to apply to Law School after completing her undergraduate degree and pursue either criminal or business law. Outside of the Writing Center, she enjoys reading, painting, Spotify, and spending time with her pets and family back in Atlanta. She has had a love for writing since she was young and wishes to help anyone with anything they need in order to produce a successful paper with any aspect of the writing process. She is familiar with MLA format but has experience with APA and Chicago Style and is willing to help in any way she can. She hopes she can help others grow to love writing and become more enthusiastic about it.

Elissa Williams (she/her) is a first year MFA Creative Writing student. She is originally from Charleston, South Carolina and moved to Milledgeville to continue her studies. She obtained her Bachelors of Arts in Biology degree from Coker University in Hartsville, South Carolina. Elissa worked at a daycare as the toddler teacher for 7 months before leaving to attend GCSU. In her free time, Elissa likes to play various video games and do arts and crafts, like crocheting and creating shapes with colorful pipe cleaners. She writes fictional short stories (she wrote a children’s book!) and also has an interest in creative nonfiction works. After obtaining the MFA, she will pursue education and become a preschool or kindergarten teacher. Along with this, she will continue to write short stories and live life with her dog and bunny.