Meet the UWC Team
Faculty Writing Consultants
UWC Associate Director of Writing
Jared Featherstone, M.F.A.
Jared Featherstone directs the University Writing Center and teaches courses in the School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. He has an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. His interests include mindfulness, cognition, contemplative writing, and pedagogy. He is a certified Koru Mindfulness Meditation teacher.
Assistant Professor of Writing and Liaison to CHBS
Lucy Bryan Malenke, M.F.A.
Lucy Bryan Malenke is the Writing Center liaison to the College of Health and Behavioral Studies. She also serves as outreach coordinator for the UWC and a writing consultant for students and faculty. She holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Penn State University and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her personal essays, short stories, reviews, and journalism have appeared in Nashville Review, Sojourners, The Georgia Review, and other literary journals and magazines. In addition to all kinds of writing, her interests include wilderness preservation and philosophy, sustainable agriculture, and service learning.
Faculty Associate
Kevin Jefferson, M.A.
Kevin Jefferson is a Faculty Associate from the School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. He has a background in 19th- and 20th-century British and American literature and a history of long road trips. His teaching and research interests include first-year composition and editing; rhetorics of place, the environment, and the West; and publishing student writing. He works with the student editors and faculty reviewers of the James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ) to promote, publish, and share undergraduate scholarship from all JMU disciplines.
Writing Center Specialist
Rodolfo ("Rudy") Barrett, M.S.
Rodolfo "Rudy" Barrett is a Writing Center Specialist in JMU's Learning Centers and a lecturer in the School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. He has worked in the UWC as both an undergraduate peer consultant and a graduate teaching assistant. Rudy's research interests include composition pedagogy, intercultural communication, and rhetorics of gaming.
Graduate Writing Consultants
Graduate Assistant: Digital Specialist
Samantha Haling
Samantha is a graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling (M.A./Ed.S.) program. She has experience tutoring both writing and English as a Second Language. As the UWC's resident Digital Specialist, she consults with students on their digital projects and works with faculty to deliver presentations and workshops on digital storytelling platforms, content creation tools, and e-portfolios. When Samantha is not in the Learning Centers or out doing graduate work, she loves creating art and spending quality time with friends, especially if good food is involved.
Graduate Assistant
Lacie Knight
Lacie is a graduate student in the Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication (M.A.) program. She has interests in visual design, disability rhetoric, and legal writing. Her goal after graduating is to attend law school. Outside of school, she enjoys working out, teaching colorguard, trying new foods, and volunteering at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market.
Undergraduate Writing Consultants
Peer Consultant
Caroline Abramowitz
Caroline Abramowitz is a senior Psychology major. She volunteers with the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad and Big Brothers Big Sisters and serves as the VP of Membership for JMU’s honor organization, Sigma Alpha Lambda. In her free time, Caroline enjoys coloring books, Parks and Rec, and thinking about how much she misses her dogs. She hopes to pursue a career in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.
Peer Consultant
Amanda Boivin
Amanda is a senior English major with minors in Secondary Education and American Studies. On campus, she is a member of BNL and volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Outside of school, she enjoys hiking, listening to podcasts, going to coffee shops, and cooking vegan food. She hopes to become an English teacher so that she can continue inspiring students to appreciate literature and writing.
Peer Consultant
Ken Brown
Ken is a senior WRTC major and a Humanitarian Affairs minor. She serves as Historian for the Humanitarian Student Association and plans to work abroad after she graduates teaching English to English Language Learners. When not on campus, Ken photographs Harrisonburg and her hometown, Richmond. Her greatest legacies so far are her two cats, Maggie and Vanilla.
Peer Consultant
Leah Coffey
Leah is a senior WRTC major with a Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies minor. She is an active member of Gamma Sigma Sigma, a service sorority on campus. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering within the Harrisonburg community, hanging out with friends, and binge-watching Netflix with no regrets.
Peer Consultant
Julia Dalton
Julia is a junior Marketing major with a minor in Spanish and Honors Interdisciplinary Studies from Vienna, VA. In her free time, she enjoys running, cooking, or watching any Marvel movie. She is an active member of Outriggers, a peer consulting program outside of JMU's Student Activity and Involvement Office, and serves as Philanthropy Chair in her sorority. She hopes to work with events marketing in her future.
Peer Consultant
Mary Davis
Mary is a junior Health Sciences major with a double minor in Pre-OT and Special Education Non-Teaching. Outside of the Writing Center, she is involved in the JMU Club Gymnastics Team. Mary spends her free time at UREC, watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or indulging in a Lava Cake whenever she can get her hands on one. She hopes to pursue a career as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist.
Peer Consultant
Nicholas Dunard
Nick is a senior Intelligence Analysis major with a minor in Political Science. He hopes to join the Peace Corps and later work in the US Intelligence Community. In his free time, Nick enjoys playing video games, going to concerts, traveling, and watching TV.
Peer Consultant
Skylar Ellery
Skylar is a senior Psychology major with minors in Political Science and WRTC. She is also an active member in Phi Alpha Delta Pre-law Fraternity. In her free time, she enjoys binge-watching movies, traveling to new places, and relaxing on the quad. Skylar hopes to attend law school after her time at James Madison.
Peer Consultant
Emma Fantuzzo
Emma is a senior History and WRTC major. She serves as the Vice President of the Italian Americans of Madison and is an active member in Phi Alpha Delta prelaw fraternity. In her free time, Emma enjoys hiking, reading long books, and baking. She hopes to pursue a career in journalism or law.
Peer Consultant
Madison Farabaugh
Madison is a senior Communication Studies major with a concentration in Public Relations and minors in Spanish and Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. She is a member of InterVarsity, Italian Americans of Madison, and PRSSA. In her free time, you can find Madison eating some sort of dessert, gettin’ those gains at UREC, listening to country music, or finding new adventures with friends. Madison hopes to pursue a Public Relations career that involves any combination of fitness, media/event planning, community outreach, or the opportunity to travel.
Peer Consultant
Kenny Graham
Kenny Graham is a senior WRTC major with a focus in Writing and Rhetoric. A transfer student from the Philadelphia area and an aspiring educator, Kenny hopes to use his interests in learning and composition to someday teach as a professor. When outside of the classroom and the UWC, he enjoys reading and reviewing fantasy and sci-fi fiction and has recently taken an interest in learning how to cook for his friends.
Peer Consultant
Taralyn Guthrie
Taralyn is a senior Nursing major from Junction City, Kansas. She is a member of JMU Nursing Student Association and a frequent group exercise participant. Taralyn enjoys traveling, listening to live music, and cooking/baking. She hopes to pursue a career in labor and delivery nursing after graduation.
Peer Consultant
Lanie Harmeyer
Lanie is a senior Political Science major with a minor in Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication on the Pre-Law track. She is involved in Student Ambassadors, the Student Government Association, and Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity. Outside of school, she loves to read books, run, and drink lots of coffee. Lanie hopes to attend law school.
Peer Consultant
Renee Jorgensen
Renee is a senior Communication Sciences Disorders major with a minor in Family Studies from Harvard, Massachusetts. She hopes to be a speech pathologist for young deaf and hard of hearing children, and she aspires to learn sign language and Spanish. Renee is part of the co-ed business fraternity Pi Sigma Epsilon and loves hanging out with the other members. In her spare time, Renee likes to read, play with her cat, and go outside (except when it's cold).
Peer Consultant
Jordan Koenig
Jordan is a senior WRTC major with a minor in History from Midlothian, Virginia. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends, playing piano, and watching movies. She is passionate about writing, history, and writing about history. Jordan hopes to pursue a career in analytical writing after finishing school.
Peer Consultant
Catherine LeHanka
Catherine is a sophomore Psychology major and a Criminal Justice minor from Northern Virginia. She is an active member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority and of the JMU Rock Climbing Club. Catherine loves reading, listening to crime podcasts, and spending quality time with friends and family. She hopes to attend law school and pursue a career as a criminal defense attorney.
Peer Consultant
Jack Mairs
Jack is a junior from Richmond, Virginia, majoring in Marketing. When he isn't studying, Jack enjoys hiking, playing video games, overanalyzing pop culture, and hanging out with friends.
Peer Consultant
Paige McKenzie
Paige McKenzie is a senior Media Arts and Design major from Williamsburg, Virginia, with a minor in Spanish. Her interests include making new memories with friends, painting, hand lettering, or listening to all different genres of music. She hopes to pursue a career in media planning and advertising.
Peer Consultant
Ayana Oancea
Ayana is a sophomore Engineering major with a minor in Mathematics from Merrick, New York. In her free time, Ayana enjoys cooking, traveling to new places, spending time with her friends, and listening to music. She hopes to work as a coastal resilience or structural engineer on climate change issues such as sea level rise.
Peer Consultant
Megan Petersen
Megan is a senior English and SMAD journalism major from Warren, New Jersey. She is a writer for the Breeze and enjoys spending time with friends, going for drives, and watching Netflix. After JMU, she hopes to pursue a career in investigative journalism.
Peer Consultant
Luke Pineda
Luke is a sophomore Political Science major with a WRTC minor from Fredericksburg, Virginia. He spends his free time being an epic gamer, writing music, and binge-watching lots of anime. After JMU, Luke hopes to pursue a career as a political commentator.
Peer Consultant
Mary Pat Quinn
Mary Pat is a junior Political Science major and a WRTC minor. Outside of the Writing Center, she serves on the Sigma Sigma Sigma Executive Board as the Panhellenic Delegate. She spends her free time hanging out with friends, watching YouTube, and dragging herself to the gym. She aspires to live in D.C. and to work on Capitol Hill.
Peer Consultant
Lauren Rustin
Lauren is a sophomore Graphic Design major with a minor in General Business. She is from Connecticut and spends most of her free time creating artwork, exploring new places, listening to R&B, and enjoying time with her friends. She aspires to move to D.C. and work for an advertising agency after JMU.
Peer Consultant
Monica Slater
Monica is a fifth-year music major concentrating in vocal performance with minors in WRTC and Interdisciplinary Studies. She is a member of JMU Opera Theater, JMU Opera Guild, and the Honors College. Most of her spare time is spent in voice lessons, practice rooms, opera rehearsals, and performances, but she loves to read, write, paint-by-numbers, and bake whenever she can. Recently, she was chosen as a Hillcrest Scholar. Upon graduating, Monica will pursue opera performance in tandem with technical writing.
Peer Consultant
Declan Sofield
Declan is a senior WRTC major with a concentration in Technical and Scientific Communication and a minor in ISAT. He spends his free time with his friends, attempting to cook, reading sci-fi and fantasy, or outdoors in the Shenandoah Valley. After graduation, he hopes to pursue a career in technical writing.
Peer Consultant
Faith Stynchula
Faith is a junior Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication major with minors in Business and Science, Technology and Society. She serves as the Secretary of the JMU Women’s Club Soccer team and loves to bake, hike, and travel to new places. She hopes to pursue a career in technical writing.
Peer Consultant
Hannah Topczewski
Hannah is a senior WRTC major with minors in sociology and environmental humanities. She is a member of JMU's service sorority, Gamma Sigma Sigma, as well as the Environmental Management Club. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga, taking UREC classes, and rewatching Parks and Rec. She hopes to pursue a career in the social justice / humanitarian field.
Peer Consultant
Michael Turner
Michael is a senior WRTC and Spanish double major with a minor in Creative Writing. On top of his studies, consulting, and making your favorite drinks at Dunkin, Michael likes to spend his time cooking, eating too much food, and laughing with friends. Upon graduation, he hopes to finally have figured out what he wants to do with his life. He's sure it'll include lots of writing.
Peer Consultant
Alison Weldon
Alison is a junior Communication Studies major with a minor in WRTC. She is from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and hopes to one day live in Philadelphia. She has loved to write since she was very young and wants a career that involves writing as much as possible. Her other interests include skiing, being with her friends and family, going to the beach, and shopping.
Peer Consultant
Jay White
Jay is a senior WRTC major concentrating in Technical Communication with a minor in Medical Humanities. In his spare time, Jay enjoys reading anything from historical novels to comics, cooking, and watching movies with his friends. After graduation, he intends to pursue a career in editing and publishing.
Administration
Director, JMU Learning Centers
Laura Schubert, Ph.D.
Laura Schubert is an Assistant Professor of Writing and teaches for the School of Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communication. She has a Ph.D. in Composition and TESOL and experience teaching English Language Learners. Her most recent project is a first-year writing textbook, co-authored with Dr. Kurt Schick, titled So What? The Writer's Argument. She conducts research on tutoring efficacy, writing mindsets, and tutoring outcomes.
Assistant to the Director, JMU Learning Centers
Joan Fahrney
Joan Fahrney's primary duties include administrative support to the Director, departmental human resource support for hiring, payroll, wage, and audit, data analysis and reporting, and coordination of the administrative support staff.
She is currently working toward her BA in Integrated Business Informatics and Human Resource Development. In her spare time, Joan enjoys time with her family, genealogy, and antiquing.
Program Support Technician, JMU Learning Centers
Adrienne Griggs
Adrienne Griggs (’10) is the Program Support Technician for the Learning Centers. She handles all of the hiring and payroll for student employees, supervises the office assistants, and oversees the program space. She founded and advises Campus Kitchen at JMU, a student organization that recovers and repurposes food to serve in the community. She is passionate about food insecurity and local food. When not on campus, you can often find her in the kitchen trying new recipes, or enjoying a game of fetch with her dogs, Paisley (chocolate lab) and Jasper (great dane).
