A few months ago, we were thrilled to welcome our newest essay coach Ian to the DC College Counseling team! He’s been so busy working with our students that he hasn’t had a chance to formally introduce himself–until today! Read on to learn more about Ian, including why he loves tutoring students and which videos he can’t get enough of on YouTube.
Hi there! I’m Ian, and I’m happy to join the DC College Counseling team as an essay coach! I’ve been obsessed with writing ever since the fourth grade, when I was assigned the task of writing my first-ever short story. I’ve come a long way since then, but my interest in reading and writing has only gotten stronger.
I graduated summa cum laude as an Outstanding English Major from Oklahoma Christian University in 2017, and then pursued my M.A. in English at Georgetown University. I passed my M.A. thesis with distinction, and graduated in the spring of 2020. That fall, I matriculated in the Ph.D. in English program at the University of Virginia, where I am currently a doctoral candidate, having finished coursework and passed my qualifying exams. I’ve begun work on my dissertation, and hope to earn my doctorate by the spring of 2025. I’m especially interested in contemporary fiction.
I worked as a writing center tutor in both college and at Georgetown, and this is really where my love of essay coaching began. There are few things I find more rewarding than talking to someone one-on-one about their writing: how to make it sharper, clearer, and more able to express the ideas they want to convey. I’ve also worked as a teaching assistant at all levels of my undergraduate and graduate education. I have been the instructor of record for a first-year, essay-focused writing class at UVA, and I have extensive experience in helping high school students, college students, and veterans with their writing.
Being a student, teacher, and tutor simultaneously has allowed me to engage in the writing process from all sides, and it’s deepened my appreciation for writing across disciplines and contexts. I’m so excited to have begun essay coaching at DC College Counseling, and I’m looking forward to helping everyone embark on the writing process!
Ian is currently working toward his Ph.D. in English at UVA. Maybe you’ll run into him as your first-year writing instructor one day!
To learn more about ian, we thought it would be fun to have him answer some of our favorite supplemental essay prompts and short questions from previous admissions’ cycles.
We’re interested in learning about some of the ways that you explore your interests. List some resources and outlets that you enjoy, including but not limited to websites, publications, journals, podcasts, social media accounts, lectures, museums, movies, music, or other content with which you regularly engage. (Columbia University)
I love going to museums — the National Gallery of Art and the Hirshhorn are two of my favorites. And I love watching Architectural Digest house tours on YouTube!
What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? (Stanford University)
I wish I could have seen the moon landing in real time!
What’s your favorite word and why? (UVA)
My favorite word is “plangent” — a word that sounds just as evocative as its definition: “(of a sound) loud, reverberating, and often melancholy.”
Dream trip…(USC)
I would love to make a return visit to the North Island of New Zealand — the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.
Which Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor (real or imagined) best describes you? (University of Vermont)
I would have to go with Cherry Garcia: sweet with cherries, but also with chocolate chunks!
In keeping with Rice’s long-standing tradition, please share an image of something that appeals to you. (Rice University)
Cheval Rouge by Alexander Calder, in the National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden -- one of Ian’s favorite places in DC!
want to book a meeting with ian?
You can schedule an essay coaching session with Ian here.