Administration & Staff

Jess coordinates the daily operations and supervises student employees of the Writing Center.

What languages do you speak?
English (fluent), Kapampangan (can fully understand but can only speak words or phrases), and Tagalog (learning - beginner).

Where are you from? How do you identify or describe your ethnic backgrounds?
I was born and raised in the U.S. (California), but my family is from the Philippines (Pampanga province). My mom is from Guagua, and my dad is from Masantol. As such, I consider myself Filipino American.

What are your horoscope signs?
Capricorn (sun and rising), Cancer (moon).

Current Favorite Food?
Sushi!

Current Favorite TV Show/Movie?
The Legend of Korra, specifically seasons 3 and 4. The Lord of the Rings trilogy! I watch the extended versions around Christmas time every year.

What languages do you speak?
English.

What are your horoscope signs?
I am a Pisces. I will never know my true moon sign because there is no way to find out what time I was born. My parents don't know and they say it was just around "dinner time" between 5-7PM and Missouri birth certificates do not include the date. So I may just never know?

What has been your best tutoring experience so far?
I've made some friends through some graduate students making repeat appointments and that has been really great!

What do you want to do after you graduate? 
I'll hopefully be a clinical psychologist, working with children and teens!

What is the most significant educational experience you have had so far?
My undergrad degree was in communications, and I got to move out to LA and work on the Emmys, which was pretty great! Now that I’m in the psychology world, I’ve been getting to present to both students and parents on the importance of means restriction. Means restriction is the act of locking up your guns at home, locking away medications, and anything else that can be used to harm oneself to prevent suicide. I’m writing my dissertation on this, and being able to speak to folks about something I’m so passionate about has been amazing.

How would you recommend graduate students to consider working at the Writing Center? (see the video below)

What languages do you speak?
Hindi is my first language and English is my second language.

Where are you from? How do you identify or describe your ethnic backgrounds?
I am from India, specifically from northern part of the country. I was born and brought up in Delhi, but my roots belong to Haryana, neighboring state to Delhi. I am a Jain and a core believer of live and let live, and I have been brought up in the environment where you respect people and their beliefs. We also believe in spirituality, elements, and energies that are beyond science.

What do you want to do after you graduate?
I will enroll for my doctorate program in Clinical Psychology and work towards becoming a therapist/clinical psychologist. I also plan to work as a professor and teach mental health.

Current Favorite TV Show/Movie?
Harry Potter

Current Favorite Food?
Lentils and rice

What languages do you speak?
Arabic is my first language. I'm also fluent in English, and I know a bit of French.

Where are you from? How do you identify or describe your ethnic backgrounds?
I'm from Egypt. I would describe that as being Middle Eastern.

What is the most significant educational experience you have had so far?
For me, the most significant educational experience was getting accepted into the Fulbright Scholarship Program. It was a rigorous process but it was really worth it. It's something that I'm very grateful for and really proud of.

Current Favorite Food?
Right now, Asian food, especially sushi, and anything chocolate flavored!

Current Favorite TV Show/Movie?
I'm currently watching all kinds of reality tv shows, and I'm also enjoying Stranger Things, Gilmore Girls, and Only Murders in the Building.

What languages do you speak?
I only speak and understand English, however I grew up around Tagalog, and know a very, very little amount of high school-level French.

Where are you from? How do you identify or describe your ethnic backgrounds?
I was born in Northridge, California, and I grew up in and around the Los Angeles Area — primarily in the San Fernando Valley — before moving to Simi Valley at 16. Ethnically, I’m roughly 50% Filipino, 25% Mexican, 25% White-European. But with having grown up primarily around the Filipino side of my family, I usually identify as Filipino or Asian.

What do you want to do after you graduate?
My goal is to write fiction novels, but I'd like to work in story development and/or screenwriting for TV and Film (as well as in the marketing side of it if I get the chance!)

Current Favorite Food?
I love sushi, as well as lots of other things. But it rotates almost daily.

Current Favorite TV Show/Movie?
My all time favorite movies are Garden State and Almost Famous. I'm not a big show watcher, but I always find myself coming back to Derry Girls.