Meet Our Writing Tutors

Writing Tutors are Bates students just like you who specialize in assisting their peers with any and all writing and speaking assignments, tasks, and projects in and across all academic disciplines at Bates–and even for purposes, audiences, and occasions outside of academia. Most SWLC writing tutors complete two half-credit tutor education courses and several hours of tutoring practice before they begin tutoring:

  • EXDS 201: Writing Process, Tutoring Practice (.5 credits, offered every Winter semester) and
  • EDUC s19: Teaching and Tutoring Writing (With) Power (.5 credits, offered every Short Term).

You can seek help from a Writing Tutor at any time during your writing process, from brainstorming ideas to crafting outlines; from reading through drafts to incorporating instructor feedback; and from revising, to editing, to proofreading your writing and polishing it all up. Every Writing Tutor is here to support your growth as a writer over all four of your years at Bates and to guide your improvement on skills like organization, thesis statement construction, incorporation of outside sources, argumentation, and more.

Drop by and see a Writing Tutor anytime the SWLC is open–or search Penji to find and book an appointment with the best tutor for your needs and let them know what you would like to work on. They provide an empathetic and non-judgmental, collaborative environment that is centered around your questions and goals.

In SWLC, we also seek to foster and promote the use of diverse languages at Bates while also providing support in English to improve academic writing and speaking skills.  Our Writing Tutors are trained in foundational approaches to support English Language Learners and multilingual speakers. If possible, we can arrange a one-time appointment–or regular weekly appointments–with a writing tutor who is also fluent in your first language. Please email swlc@bates.edu to get set up with a specific tutor for your English language learning needs!

If you are interested in becoming a Writing Tutor and working for SWLC, please visit this page for information about hiring, training, and employment.

Molly Allison ’26 (she/her)

Hi there! My name is Molly, I am a senior studying Sociology and Gender and Sexuality Studies, and this is my third year tutoring in the SWLC. After my very first session with my FYS’ WCAT, I had a sudden realization that at Bates, nobody needs to write anything alone. I am a lover of the writing process and believe that collaboration between peers should be experimental and empowering. A (very) proud sister to two younger twin brothers, I have nearly perfected the art of patience in collaboration. Working with students in the SWLC has grown to be one of my favorite involvements in the Bates community, and though I offer tips and tricks from my years writing at Bates, I also love tutoring because of how much skill and style I have to learn from all of you. The PLC could not run without the incredible minds that visit us! Schedule an appointment! I look forward to working together in the PLC!

Sammy Freeman ’26 (she/her)

Hi! My name is Sammy Freeman (she/her) and I am a senior from Dallas, TX. I am a Politics major with a concentration in Philosophical, Literature, and Legal Studies. This is my third and final year as a writing tutor for SWLC. I am only fluent in English; however, I can speak some Spanish, and even a little bit of Dutch after coming back from a semester in Amsterdam last fall. I hope to be an empathetic and focused tutor that can help you in any and all steps of the writing process. I am excited to be in the writing center to support you this semester!

Samantha Gable ’26 (she/her)

Hello! My name is Samantha Gabel (she/her) and I am a senior from Los Angeles, California. This is my first year as a writing tutor at SWLC and I am very excited to work and learn with you! I am a double major in History and Art and Visual Culture (History & Criticism track) so I have lots of experience writing in the humanities fields. I am only fluent in English but I do know a little bit of Spanish. My majors have taught me to love the process of writing over the years, so I can’t wait to share some of that with you!

Eli Greenwald ’26 (he/him)

Hi, my name is Eli (he/him). I’m a senior from Scarsdale NY and it is my third year as a writing tutor. I am a History major and a Rhetoric, Film, and Screen Studies minor. I only speak English, but I can get by in Spanish and I know a little Dutch. I’m looking forward to helping people with their writing in my last, but hopefully best, year.

Sam Hallett ’26 (he/him)

Hi everyone! My name is Sam Hallett, my pronouns are he/him, and I am from Pittsburgh, PA. I am excited to start my third year as a writing tutor specializing in Earth and Climate Science and Educational Studies writing. I feel good knowing that I help people not just get A’s in classes, but I prioritize helping tutees build skills that will enable them to excel in their personal and professional lives. My tutoring philosphy is engaging with the tutee as a peer where I emphasize knowing the full individual and their preferences for learning to their best ability. When working with others, I focus on honesty and patience in order to accommodate and facilitate an environment that leads to successful learning. I am particularly strong at assisting peers with structure, preparation, and planning in the writing process. I have worked as a Teaching Assistant for EACS 104 and have summer research experience from the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State and the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences within the Geology and Environmental Science at the University of Pittsburgh. I am looking forward to bringing my expertise from these experiences into my last year as a writing tutor at Bates!

Lexi Inger ’26 (she/her)

Hi! My name is Lexi Inger (She/Her), and I am a senior from Yarmouth Maine. I am a biochemistry major and a double anthropology and education minor. This is my first year as a SWLC Writing Tutor. Last year, I studied abroad in Maastricht, the Netherlands the Fall of 2024. I am a native English speaker and speak a little Dutch and Spanish. On campus, I am a tour guide and I am a part of Takenote- one of two all gender a cappella groups at Bates. This year, as a writing tutor, I hope to be a good listener, encouraging, and supportive for everyone!

Omer Kitov ’26 (he/him)

Hi! My name is Omer Kitov, I use he/him and I’m a Senior from Boston. I’m a Psychology major with an Educational Studies minor and I’ve been a writing tutor at SWLC for the past three years. As someone for whom English is a second language (Hebrew is my first), I care a lot about supporting multilingual learners in their writing process. Also, I’m the co-president of the Hip-Hop dance club 2BEATS, I love skiing, and I have two beautiful dogs!

Whitney Miller ’26 (she/her)

Hi! My name is Whitney Miller (she/her) and I am a senior from Brooklyn, NY majoring in History. I speak some Spanish, a little Vietnamese (I studied abroad in Vietnam), and a tiny bit of Japanese. Outside of the writing center, you can catch me taking a lengthy walk, drinking tea with friends, working at Multifaith, or doing a crossword puzzle. This is my third year working as a writing tutor here at the SWLC. I love supporting writers at every stage of the writing process, and am super excited to help support you all in any discipline!

Catalina Passino ’26 (she/her)

Hi, my name is Catalina (she/her/hers). I am a senior from Leesburg, VA. As a writing tutor, I value empathy, growth, and a collaborative/conversational atmosphere. My priority is you and your goals as a writer, so don’t feel like you need to come in with a polished draft. I am happy to work with you at any stage of the writing process.

At Bates, I major in Psychology and minor in Gender and Sexuality studies. Last semester, I studied in Sweden and learned a bit of Swedish. This year, I am also continuing my 6-year-long attempt to learn Spanish. Outside of class, you can find me recruiting for The Bates Student, in the ceramics studio, or baking a four-layer cake.

Owen Wang ’26 (he/him)

你好(Hi), My name is Owen Wang. I use Hi/Him pronouns. I am a senior majoring in psychology and minoring in education studies. I am from Beijing, China, and therefore fluent in Mandarin. I am excited to be a speaking buddy for the Chinese language, so if you’d like to practice with me, I am happy to do so. We respect and admire multilingual speakers here at SWLC. As someone who speaks 2.5 languages (did Japanese a year here at Bates), I am comfortable tutoring in English and Chinese, whichever you prefer. English is my second language, so I am glad that SWLC is inclusive and welcoming to multilingual students. So don’t be shy and come to us. Knowing a different language means having a different way of thinking, so I might be able to provide some unique perspectives, and you may provide another insight as well. So let’s collaborate and work together on your writing. Also ,this is my third and last year working as a writing tutor, but I am still actively learning from all of you, so if I make any mistakes during our session, feel free to point them out! I hope to meet all of you soon 🙂

Avery Welch ’27 (she/her)

Hi! My name is Avery (she/her) and I am a W-CAT for FYS 442A: Shaking it Out: Writing and Critiquing Personal Narratives and a general writing tutor.

I’m from the Bay Area, CA and a junior majoring in Psychology and minoring in Education. This will be my second year fulfilling both of these tutoring roles at Bates, but I also had experience in high school.

In my Bates career I am most proud of the connections I have made with others and my work in the RYSE-Well psychology lab. My tutoring philosophy is to prioritize supporting the whole student, meeting people where they are at, and approaching everyone with empathy and compassion. I am so excited to work with you, see you soon!