Meet the Center Staff: Melanie & Brandon

Once a week, we'll be featuring one or two WC staff members on the blog. This is a way for you to get to know the people who spend most of their days down in the basement, in Kellogg 1103.

Today's "Meet the Center Staff" features Melanie and Brandon! First up, Melanie.



WC: Melanie, how long have you worked at the CSUSM Writing Center?

Melanie: I started working here in Spring of 2009.

WC: What's your major? Do you have a minor, and what is it?

Melanie: Political Science. And a minor in Literature and Writing.

WC: We're going to steal a few questions from James Lipton's Inside the Actor's Studio for the next few. First, what is your favorite word?

Melanie: It changes, but my favorite word for the last year has been "Why."

WC: What about your least favorite word?

Melanie: Rural. It is the worst word.

WC: What profession would you like to attempt?

Melanie: I want to be a professor. I want to be a lobbyist. I want to be a lawyer. I'd also like to be an infomercial sales person. And I really want to go on The Price is Right.

WC: What profession would you not like to do?

Melanie: So many. Anything in the corporate world.

WC: In this Writing Center, what do you consider your "specialty" with writing?

Melanie: (laughs). Specialty? I like brainstorming. I like getting students to think critically in casual conversation.

WC: Admit it. All tutors have bad habits when it comes to their own subject. What's your writing bad habit?

Melanie: I don't know if it's necessarily a bad habit, but if I can't think of a word I'll just write "peanut butter" or something until I can come back to it.

Thanks, Melanie! And now, Brandon:

WC: Brandon, how long have you worked at the CSUSM Writing Center?

Brandon: This is my second semester.

WC: What's your major? Do you have a minor, and what is it?

Brandon: I am majoring in Literature and Writing, and I have a minor in hanging out in the library.

WC: We're going to steal a few questions from James Lipton's Inside the Actor's Studio for the next few. First, what is your favorite word?

Brandon: My favorite word - spoonerism.

WC: What about your least favorite word?

Brandon: All God's words are beautiful in their own way.

WC: What profession would you like to attempt?

Brandon: So many (long pause). Base jumper.   

WC: What profession would you not like to do?

Brandon: DMV worker.

WC: In this Writing Center, what do you consider your "specialty" with writing?

Brandon: Thesis statements. How to write them, how to come up with them.

WC: Admit it. All tutors have bad habits when it comes to their own subject. What's your writing bad habit?

Brandon: I like to write backwards. I like to start with my conclusion and go towards the beginning. Sometimes I even write words backwards.

Thanks Brandon! 

That's our "Meet the Center Staff" for this week. Join us next week when we'll feature two more friendly faces from Kellogg 1103.