Michael: Aurora tutor

Certified Tutor

I am a writing and communication tutor who is passionate about helping students improve their academic writing and public speaking. I have eight years of tutoring experience working with 1,500+ students at the College of Southern Nevada and at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from UNLV, where I won the Undergraduate Student Paper of the Year Award for my essay, "Yucca Mountain: A Rhetorical Situation." I am a certified CRLA International Tutor through the College Reading and Language Association. I'm also an active member of the Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and ACES: The Society for Editing, where I engage with a community of fellow editors and stay up-to-date on industry trends.

Additionally, I volunteer as a writer and editor for the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art on the UNLV campus, where I copyedit essays and articles for their art publication. I have written over one hundred artist biographies and numerous art critiques for both the Barrick Museum and the Lilley Museum of Art at the University of Nevada, Reno. I have also done technical writing for Ocean Spray Cranberries.
I help students with academic writing, reading comprehension, and classroom speeches. This may include brainstorming, thesis statements, grammar, sentence structure, citation format, and research techniques. I am well versed in the most recent editions of MLA, APA, and the Chicago Manual of Style.

I have worked with college students of all age groups, ranging from high school students enrolled in college courses to older, non-traditional students who are pursuing higher education for the first time. I have worked with students from diverse cultures, many of which English is their second language. I have helped students with learning difficulties, including those who have ADHD, Dyslexia, and Autism.

My tutoring objective is to equip students with the skill set and the confidence level they need to succeed throughout their academic journeys. I do this by engaging with them in an easy-going, collaborative manner, encouraging their input, offering suggestions for improvement, and helping them to determine what learning strategies work best for them

In my spare time, I enjoy reading a variety of book genres, including science fiction, fantasy, and mystery, as well as many of the classics. I am also passionate about creative writing. I take every opportunity to enhance my writing skills through professional development courses. I am currently enrolled in the University of California, San Diego's copyediting certificate program through their Division of Extended Studies.