Meet Our Staff

Director of the Writing Center:

Writing Consultants:

Vivian Aladren

Vivian Aladren graduated from Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College with a BA in Theatre Performance and Playwriting, as well as from Rutgers School of Law. She works as an adjunct here at NJIT, and also as a media critic and video essayist online. Her work focuses on exploring the narratives, themes, and ideas expressed in multiple forms of art, including video games, music, television, and film. She also has released independent albums, and runs a growing Youtube channel where she publishes her essays.

David Bushman

David Bushman is the author of five books, most recently Murder at Teal's Pond: Hazel Drew and the Mystery That Inspired Twin Peaks (January 2023) and Forget It, Jake, It's Schenectady: The True Story Behind 'The Place Beyond the Pines.' (June 2023). He spent two decades as a TV curator at The Paley Center for Media (formerly The Museum of Television + Radio). He's a board member of the New York chapter of Mystery Writers of America and cofounder/copresident of two indie publishing houses, Fayetteville Mafia Press and Tucker DS Press.

Jennifer Fischl-Kruger

Jennifer Kruger began her career as a journalist writing for FinancialWorld Magazine, United Press International, and other business publications. After graduating from Rutgers-Newark with a masters in English in 2009, she taught developing writers at Morris County College. Teaching first year writing since 2012 and ENGL 99 for the past two years, she has worked with native speakers and English language learners at NJIT.

Peer Tutors:

Isa Ali

I'm Isa, an Honors student majoring in Information Technology with a Computer Science minor. I'm the mixture of Vincentian and Pharaonic ancestry. I enjoy playing soccer and rollerblading. I am a resident assistant, an orientation leader, a student ambassador, a peer tutor, and a public relations executive at NICC. I enjoy nature, listening to music, and watching movies. My favorite ice cream flavor is Biscoff. I love helping and mentoring people. I'm passionate about pursuing a career in modeling.

Elaria Boutros

Elaria Boutros is a third-year honors student studying biomechanical engineering. She transferred to NJIT from Maryland and is passionate about writing, literature, and STEM. She hopes to eventually study law in the future and loves to discuss different writing styles. In her free time, Elaria enjoys reading, knitting, and playing music.

Emma Fernandes-Santinho

Emma Fernandes-Santinho is a third-year architecture student with a double minor in history and sustainability. She has many interests outside of writing and design, including sketching, painting, sewing, collecting records, reading (poetry, philosophy, pedagogy), thrifting, and skeletons (endo- and exo-). In the far-off future, Emma would like to earn a Ph.D., publish books, make weirder art, and start a space for other artists to share their own weird art. Presently, when Emma is not scheming her next project, you can find her reading in a local cafe with a cup of chai, singing to her cat, or spilling paint on herself and others.

Drew Green

Drew Green is a second-year computer science major born and raised in New Jersey. He offers an open-minded and patient tutoring experience, combining both his technical skills and his desire to help others further their writing capabilities. Outside of academics, his hobbies include personal programming projects, cooking, and playing trumpet.

Divija Gullapalli

Divija Gullapalli is a second-year Biology student in the accelerated BA/DMD program with Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. At the Writing Center, she hopes to help students find their own voice in writing. In her free time, she likes to read, crochet, and dance.

Nithya Kanthan

Nithya Kanthan is a third-year student, senior by credit, majoring in Financial Technology with a minor in Business. She is passionate about inspiring a love for learning and is dedicated to helping students build confidence in their writing skills. On campus, Nithya is a Resident Assistant and serves as Vice President of Internal Communications for the Salesforce Club. Beyond academics, she is working on publishing her first book for young readers. In her free time, Nithya enjoys content creation, singing, and spending quality time with friends.

Sai Katuri

Sai Katuri is originally from India and grew up in Ireland and Saudi Arabia before coming to NJIT to pursue the B.Arch. program. She speaks Telugu and English fluently and understands a few other languages, including French. Passionate about communication across cultures, Sai hopes to continue learning more languages in the future. At the Writing Center, she aims to help students express their ideas clearly and creatively, and she believes that writing - similar to architecture - is a process of shaping thoughts into meaningful forms. Outside of tutoring, Sai loves to play soccer, watch movies, and make to-do lists!

Hillary King

Hillary King is an honors Biology major in the accelerated BS/DMD program with Rutgers. She is passionate about helping others with communication and writing. While she is fluent with English, she is also able to speak a rudimentary amount of Mandarin. On campus, Hillary is a student research assistant for Zhang’s lab as well as the ECRL. Outside of academics, she is a registered EMT. Her hobbies include reading, gaming, and talking about her 3 cats.

Jonathan Morse

Jonathan Morse is a third-year computer science major from Texas interested in the intersection of finance and artificial intelligence. He brings a patient, curiosity-driven approach to tutoring, combining interests in history, literature, and technology. Outside the writing center he referees flag football, volunteers at the Newark Public Library, conducts AI research, and plays guitar. He’s eager to help students gain clarity and confidence in their writing.

Marlene Muhammad

"I am a junior studying forensic science with a concentration in biology. I aim to become a forensic technician working both on and off scene. My first language is English, but I am fluent in Arabic. My goal at the writing center is to aid students as best I can in developing their writing skills."

Lasya Musty

Lasya Musty is a third-year B.Arch student in the Honors College from Maryland. She’s co-Editor-in-Chief of HCAD’s in-house architectural newsletter, Iteration, and has been published in the AIAS National yearly magazine Crit 92. You may also see her on-campus behind the desk at the Van Houten Library. Growing up, she spent time in a lot of different academic spheres, so she’s able to offer insight to students of many different majors. She spends her free time staring at photos of round birds.

Luke Puchnowski

I'm a sophomore majoring in Information Technology with a concentration in network security. My eventual goal is to become a senior network administrator and potentially branch into a career in SecOps. I'm fluent in English and Polish, and also conversational in Spanish. My aim at the writing center is to help students become more confident in their writing abilities. In my free time, I enjoy hiking and playing tennis.

Aneri Shethji

Aneri Shethji is an honors sophomore Biology student in the accelerated BS/MD program with Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School. Originally from Pittsburgh, Aneri is excited to share her love for written communication with students at NJIT. Outside of academics, she enjoys music, staying active, and reading.

Salma Ullah

Salma Ullah is a second-year Mechanical Engineering student, native to New Jersey. While she has much enthusiasm for STEM, she has just as much enthusiasm for writing. She has published several poems and short stories through competitions, and plans to make an independent publication someday. When she's not studying or helping her peers at the writing center, Salma spends a lot of time with her family, whether it's going out for food and fun, or staying indoors and watching movies. Salma is enthusiastic to helping students gain confidence and clarity in their writing.

Keerthana Venkatesh

Keerthana Venkatesh is an undergraduate student majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in Biomechanics. She is also an Emergency Medical Technician, a student researcher at the NJIT CORE Lab, Project Manager of Prosthetics Club, and Secretary of NJIT Thillana. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, reading, and baking.

Carlin Verano

Carlin Verano is a second-year student studying computer science in NJIT’s Honors College, with a special interest in the intersection of physical and virtual realities. She grew up in Singapore, where she became fluent in both Mandarin and English. When she is not studying for tests or doing homework, she is playing the guitar, reading about history, or honing her creative writing skills.

Student Outreach Coordinator:

Chevanique Tulloch

Chevanique Tulloch (pronounced Sh-eh-van-eek Tuh-low) is a first- year Architecture student in the 5 year B.Arch program here at NJIT. She was born in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in St. Catherine, Jamaica. Besides architecture and academic achievements, Chevanique has many other interests! She spends her free time cooking, reading, crocheting, painting, and creating social media content. Her goal for the end of her 5 years at NJIT is to graduate as Architect, with a concentration in Architectural Engineering.