Tutor of the Week: Renee Okenka

Our next Tutor of the Week is Renee Okenka, a secondary education student with a concentration in English and a minor in English as a second language.

Here is what she had to say about her time at the Writing Center:

Renee (right) hanging out with a friend.

"This is my fourth and final semester working at the Writing Center, however I cannot say enough how much this experience has and will continue to impact me. The Writing Center has not only taught me strategies to work with all types and levels of writers, it has also taught me how to be a better writer. In addition, the Writing Center has presented me with so many valuable opportunities, such as traveling to Japan and tutoring at our sister university in Tokushima, Japan. From that experience, I was able to present at different conferences about research that I co-conducted while there. I have been able to travel to a regional and international conference to present findings to others in the field across the nation. The conferences I attended not only helped develop my public speaking skills, they also broadened my view on what writing centers are and can be."

Renee also spoke to us about her beliefs about writing:

"I believe that writing is a skill and a powerful tool to communicate. It takes practice and commitment and good writing doesn’t happen overnight. In my four years at SVSU, my writing process has evolved and become better, but is still not perfect. My years at the Writing Center have not only allowed me to help others with their writing, but have improved mine as well through me teaching the concepts and being surrounded by writing every day. Writing also doesn’t have to just be essays, it can take any form and can be used to spread ideas around the world."

In addition to her work at the Writing Center, Renee is also highly involved in other activities on campus:

"I’m a person who really enjoys staying busy. I also work as a tour guide on campus and a Resident in the First Year Suites. Although most of my time right now is being taken up by fieldwork, I like to relax by going outside, travelling, binge-watching Netflix, accumulating plants and then accidentally killing them, and continuously learning new things. After I graduate, I hope to move to a larger city somewhere and teach English. As of right now, I have no idea where that will be, but that excites me rather than scares me."