Meet Our Student Staff
Alby, History Tutor
Alby is an undergraduate student working on a bachelor's degree in History with plans to obtain their Master's Degree in Secondary Education. In the future, Alby hopes to become a high school history teacher and eventually work on their Ph.D. to become a history professor specializing in U.S. and Middle Eastern history. Outside of academia, Alby has a love for all sorts of arts ranging from music, fashion design, graphic design, reading, photography, and spray painting.
Fun Facts: Alby has a pet parrot named Rocky and enjoys their free time playing guitar, cooking, and film photography.
Brian, Math Tutor
As a math major, Brian is excited to be a member of the LSC/CAW tutoring team. He graduated with a paraprofessional certificate from Harper College in 2023 with the goal of becoming a high school teacher.
Fun Facts: Brian can be found around campus jogging, biking or working out at Campus Rec.
Dhruv, Math Tutor
Dhruv is a math tutor pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Science with a strong passion for artificial intelligence and machine learning. Beyond academics, he enjoys learning about space and exploring the universe through books. Soccer is also a big part of his life—he loves playing the game, watching it, and supporting his favorite team, FC Barcelona.
Fun Facts: Dhruv rarely misses a FC Barcelona match. He enjoys collecting FC Barcelona jerseys and buys all new ones each season.
Emily, Front Desk
Emily is currently pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at NEIU. She received her MFA in Studio Art with a concentration in photography from Northern Illinois University in 2013 and has worked as a freelance artist ever since. Originally from Metro Detroit, Emily has lived in Chicago for 12 years.
Fun Facts: Emily loves gardening and makes her own fruit preserves and pickles - this hobby led her to a job at a restaurant doing canning with in-season produce from local farms. She loves to discuss gardening, cooking, and food preservation!
Fareeha, Biology Tutor
Fareeha is an undergraduate student majoring in Biology and is an international student from India. After graduating, she wants to work in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry. Eventually, her plan is to pursue a master's degree. As an international student, she hopes to gain as much experience as she can and participate in research and internships before graduation.
Fun Facts: Fareeha loves trying out different coffees and playing badminton. She spends most of her time watching k-dramas and anime. She recently discovered an interest in press-on nails and hopes to create her own press-on nail designs.
Gabe, Writing Tutor
Gabe is currently pursuing a master’s degree in English Composition. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Justice Studies with a minor in Creative Writing from NEIU in December 2021. His passion for writing led him back to NEIU, where he began his journey to a master’s degree in Fall 2022. He is also the Campus Arts and Life Editor for NEIU’s newspaper, The Independent.
Fun Facts: Gabe works for his family-owned fencing company. In his spare time, he enjoys long walks, cooking, spending time with his family, and traveling.
Jaz, Front Desk
Jaz is an undergraduate student working towards a BA majoring in Latin American Studies and with a minor in creative writing. She intends on spending most of her time post-degree raising her child, working in/for/around her community, and publishing as much work as she’s able to comfortably put out.
Fun Facts: Jaz loves puzzles, riddles, and board games. They’ve spent an obscene amount of time playing Dnd and love to nerd about it.
Jessica, Writing Tutor
Jessica earned her B.A. in Creative Writing with a minor in Education from Columbia College Chicago in 2019. She is currently pursuing a M.A.T in Secondary Education and in the future hopes to help middle and high school students discover a love of reading and writing.
Fun Facts: In her free time, Jessica loves writing poetry and doing volunteer ecological restoration work on Chicagoland’s plentiful prairies. Her dog, Sully, is named after Sully in Monsters, Inc.
John, Psychology Tutor
John is an undergraduate student in psychology. He is a McNair Scholar and Honors student with a full-ride scholarship to NEIU. John plans on applying to Ph.D. programs in clinical psychology to follow his dream of becoming a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC). John also intends to stay involved in research and academia, perhaps one day becoming a professor.
Fun Facts: When he is not tutoring, studying, or hanging out with his lovely girlfriend, John is likely training Brazilian jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts. He’s also a huge "Star Wars" fan.
Nnennaya, Writing Tutor
Nnennaya is a graduate student in Public Health with a concentration in Health Promotion. She holds a Doctor of Optometry degree (OD) from Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria. She is currently a student researcher and hopes to work with the World Health Organization as a Public Health Expert upon graduation. Nnennaya loves helping students piece together their ideas and make them feel confident in their writing!
Fun Facts: Nnennaya is an ardent medical volunteer in eyecare, giving back to the community through outreach. In her spare time, she enjoys bowling and seeing movies.
Remiyah, GES Tutor
Remiyah is an undergraduate Geography and GIS student who has a deep love for cities and city life. After graduation, she plans to get a Master’s degree in Urban Planning and do research supporting advocacy in the city. In her free time, she likes to read, play the saxophone, and collect fossils.
Fun Facts: Remiyah is a lifelong Pokemon fan and her favorite pokemon is Dhelmise, the Sea Creeper Pokemon.
Sarah, Anthropology & Linguistics Tutor
Sarah is a graduate student in the Linguistics Department and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her primary research interests are Algonquian, Romance, and Germanic languages.
Fun Facts: Sarah doesn’t like light roast coffee, blueberries are her favorite snack, and – clearly – enjoys talking about food. She is a frequent user of the term “y’all” and hopes to learn French in the future for her research interests and to connect with her Quebecois heritage.
Sharon, Writing Tutor
Sharon is a graduate student in Linguistics. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Literary Studies. She enjoys teaching and has taught middle and high school students. Coming from a diverse linguistic background, she finds the language acquisition process very fascinating. Hence, her desire to pursue a Ph.D. to eventually become a professor.
Fun Facts: Sharon’s favorite thing to do is snack on something light. Maybe that’s why you would always find her whipping up a new recipe she found on Instagram. Sharon also loves to share the proceeds from her cooking escapades with loved ones while spending time with them.
Stacey, Sociology Tutor
Stacey is an aspiring public health professional studying Sociology and Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. With more than 15 years of experience in healthcare finance and administration, she is passionate about health equity, community outreach, and improving outcomes for underserved populations. After graduation, she aims to continue this work by pursuing a Master of Public Health. Stacey is passionate about fostering community, mentoring peers, and empowering students through leadership.
Fun Facts: Stacey has a Cocker Spaniel named Dolly. She also has a not-so-secret affinity for teen angst books, is an aspiring event planner, and loves all things musical theater.
Tommy, Music & WIP SCED 311 Tutor
Tommy is a transfer student currently working on a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, with his voice as his primary instrument. He has always had a deep passion for performing and loves working with kids. This is why, once he graduates, he hopes to become both a music teacher and a professional performer!
Fun Facts: Tommy loves acting and dancing, and has a theatrical background. He has performed in many shows and hopes to write one himself one day.
Victor, Writing Tutor
Victor received an M.A. in History (medieval) from Northern Illinois University in 2022. He is currently working on an M.A.T. in Secondary Education and aspires to work with adolescents in Chicago. Victor has over a decade of experience as a writing and content tutor. He is fluent in Spanish and Italian and has a reading knowledge of Latin.
Fun Facts: Victor's black cat, Theodora, was named after the sixth-century Byzantine empress.
Will, Anthropology Tutor
Will is an undergraduate student majoring in Anthropology who hopes to also minor in History. After college, he hopes to use his knowledge to work in a museum.
Fun Facts: Will loves to play tennis, and, contrary to popular belief, believes Federer is better than Djokovic.
Yasmeen, Writing Tutor
Yasmeen is in her final semester of the MA TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) program. After graduating, she hopes to work with adult English language learners at a community college or four-year university. Her family is originally from Egypt, and she is fluent in Arabic. Yasmeen enjoys listening to Arabic music and watching classic Arabic films.
Fun Facts: Outside of school and work, Yasmeen spends her time journaling, walking or hiking, shopping for home décor, and exploring new restaurants and cafés around Chicago.