I am a graduate of Duke University, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Cultural Theory. I am currently completing my PhD in English Literature at the University of Virginia. My dissertation focuses on 20th Century U.S. Fiction, but I also have a strong interest in African-American literature, film studies, popular culture, and gender theory. At UVa, I have taught literature courses as well as first-year writing seminars, which have focused on topics including the American Dream, Gender and Sexuality, and Borders and Frontiers. My favorite things about teaching writing are working individually with students to help them brainstorm ideas and articulate their point of view in their clearest, strongest voice, and seeing their work become stronger across each draft they revise. When working with students in my literature classes at UVa and the North Carolina Governor’s School, I especially enjoy helping students develop strategies for careful, critical reading. My years of teaching and tutoring have led me to the firm belief that literary analysis and clear writing are not mysterious talents that you either have or you don’t—instead, I believe anyone can become a better interpreter of literature and a better writer with practice and encouragement. In my free time, I enjoy walking my dog, trying out new recipes in the kitchen, going to art museums, and catching up on “Game of Thrones” or “Project Runway.”