Hi, there! I'm Emily Morris, associate professor of English and co-lead mentor of ACES. My motivation for mentoring is rooted in our shared humanity and an understanding that none of us were ever meant to do any of this alone. Without guidance and support from faculty and advisors when I was a college student, my failures would not have led to my success, and I would most certainly not be here today.

I know first-hand how important – and how difficult – it is to get help when you need it. My hope is to make that experience easier, meeting you where you are to foster a mentorship tailored specifically to your academic journey in a judgment-free, safe space. All are welcome. I'm so glad you're here.

Favorites

• Movies – "Everything Everywhere All at Once"
• Books – "The Crying of Lot 49" by Thomas Pynchon, "White Teeth" by Zadie Smith and "Beloved" by Toni Morrison
• Hobbies – I've started singing in a choir again after taking a 17-year hiatus, and it has reminded me how important nurturing our passions is. Play is as important to life as work is, despite what society seems to say.

Hi, all! I'm Eileen Sweeney, one of the ACES co-leads and a professor of English. I've sort of failed-up, having not done well in my first attempt at college. I worked for a large bank after dropping out, then returned to school, finishing my degrees in record time because I found the programs and colleges that fit my needs and personality.

Working in ACES allows me to share my experiences with students, help others in the same place I was and build relationships with students to help them, outside of the structure of the classroom.

Favorites

• TV – "The Office" (I did my graduate work in Scranton, Pa.; ask me anything)
• Books – Everything by Barbara Kingsolver; most by Stephen King, especially "Under the Dome" and "11/22/63; and John Steinbeck, especially, "East of Eden" and "The Grapes of Wrath"
• Hobbies – I crochet to relax, walk my dogs far too much and enjoy working in the yard.

Hi! I am Kelli Keltz, associate department head of the English Department and leadership liaison for the ACES program. Since its inception, ACES has been a true labor of love for me. I wanted to create a support service that was different, one that offered services similar to those provided by our Tutoring and Learning Centers but one that prioritized relationship-building and outreach, adding a more personalized and holistic approach to writing support.

The members of our ACES team are writing experts, but they are also cheerleaders who approach their roles with a "can-do" attitude and sincere belief that every student has the potential to succeed! I hope you will read their bios, and I also hope you will contact us. We would love for ACES to be a part of your academic journey!

Hello! I'm Melody Cooper, an English instructor and ACES mentor. My love for mentoring comes from my upbringing. I was not prepared for college and struggled consistently with dyslexia, dropping out in my first year.

Without the care and support of professors and mentors, I would not have finished my degrees. I hope to provide the same support. I want each student to know that they are valuable and that the stories they bring with them are an important part of the academic journey. While working together, we can create goals that ensure you are working toward personal and academic success.

Favorites

• Movies – "Jurassic Park," "Psycho" and "The Lost Boys"
• Books – "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys, "Dracula" by Bram Stoker and "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius
• Hobbies – In my spare time, I like to outdoor rock climb, write poetry and needlepoint

Hey, everyone! I'm Tori Halbert, an English instructor and ACES mentor. I genuinely love getting to connect with students. Chatting with them about their interests, helping them overcome hurdles and celebrating wins with them are some of the best perks of my job. On top of this, my background in the service-end of higher education helps me understand how the choices students make in the classroom affect and are influenced by lots of external factors. Being a mentor lets me be a person students can vent to without judgment, brainstorm with and turn to when life gets hard. I can't wait to be that person for you!

Favorites

• TV shows – "Abbott Elementary," "The Haunting of Hill House," "The Last of Us"
• Books – "Babel" by R.F. Kuang, "The Broken Earth Trilogy" by N.K. Jemisin, "Piranesi" by Susanna Clarke, and "Hamnet" by Maggie O'Farrell
• Hobbies – I'm obviously a big reader (hence the two English degrees), but in the spring and summer, I spend a lot of time tending to my vegetable garden. I also love to bake, especially fresh bread, year-round.

My name is Anna Kirby. I am an English instructor and ACES mentor. When I heard about the ACES mentoring program, I immediately wanted to become involved. I enjoy mentoring because I can be someone's go-to person who supports them, encourages them, guides them and pushes them to embrace their character and drive.

Believe it or not, I failed more than one class in college, and I know quite a few other professionals who did as well. These failures were uncomfortable at the time, but they did not hold me back in the pursuit of my career – and, importantly, they weren't reflections of my abilities or potential. I believe the same is true of the students I mentor, and I look forward to helping you embrace this truth about yourself.

Favorites

• Movies/TV shows – "Best in Show," "The Silence of the Lambs," "Veep" and "Silicon Valley"
• Books/authors – The complete "Dune" series by Frank Herbert and anything by Cormac McCarthy
• Hobbies/interests – Art (I make collages, and I have been fortunate enough to have many displayed in art galleries.), nature and laughter

My story is that I came into college, in many ways, woefully unprepared. I was a pretty big slacker with a pretty big ego. Two years into my college career, I was scraping by, barely passing classes, occasionally retaking them and looking for a way to turn my college career around. Thankfully, I had college professors at different points of my college career that took the needed time to work with me one-on-one. Some of them gave me straight-talk advice about how to navigate college. Some of them worked with me one-on-one when I found myself struggling with the material. They all did it with a mix of humor and empathy. In many ways, I owe my success in college to people that were willing to just simply be there when I had a question or two.

This is my guiding principle as mentor for ACES. Ultimately, I find being a mentor is a rewarding experience for both the student and the mentor. I get to be the kind of professor that I loved as a student. And students get to experience the kind of guidance that I received.

On a personal level, I'm a pretty big nerd. I love to read. I love watching movies and bingeing TV. I also spend a great of time on the tennis courts working on my groundstrokes.

For ACES, I'm known as the afternoon or evening guy in this program. If your need is mostly meetings in the afternoon or early evening, call on me.

Hi everyone! I am Joanna McQuade, an English instructor and ACES mentor.

I was a first-generation college student, and I remember how confusing it felt to navigate college. I didn't really understand how to access programs on campus, get help or even ask my professors for guidance. I struggled a lot more than I needed to just because I didn't feel confident.

Now that I've gotten this whole college thing figured out, I try to be the kind of mentor I needed when I was a student. When it comes to supporting students, a healthy mix of honesty and compassion can go a long way. Every student has strengths and challenges, and the best part of this job is getting to know the unique perspectives, histories and talents of students. I look forward to helping you on your journey through college.

Favorites

• Movies/TV – "Pan's Labyrinth," "Moonlight," "My Beautiful Laundrette," "The Birdcage" and "Drag Race"
• Books/authors – Elena Ferrante, Clarice Lispector, Arundhati Roy
• Hobbies/interests – Crafting, learning languages, hiking and trying new restaurants

My name is Louie Nenni. When I was a sophomore in college, after three semesters of an undecided major, I told my advisor I wanted to be an English teacher..He said, "That will be a lot of work and a lot of reading." I quickly said, "Never mind!" It has been a while since then, but needless to say, I got where I wanted to go, but it wasn't easy.

After muddling through college with a 2.9 GPA and a journalism major, I realized there weren't a lot of jobs in an ever-changing field. So, I went back to school to get a master's in teaching and English. I found a love for reading and writing I had never tapped into. Eventually, I was teaching English and enjoying helping others find the same passion for reading and writing that I had discovered.

These days, I have taught adults, teenagers and even military members in the Middle East. I love reading and writing, but my true passion is teaching. So, as an ACES mentor, I look forward to helping students one on one, as it is so rare to have time for it with a busy teaching/class schedule. I look forward to helping students find success in a difficult field and get the grades they want.

When I am not at Wake Tech, my happy place is on the beach in Emerald Isle, with a full cooler, classic rock on the speaker and a sci novel on my Kindle.  I'm married with three boys, so that doesn't happen very often, but when it does, I'm a happy camper!

Hi! My name is Susie Potter, and I'm an assistant professor of English and a devoted ACES mentor. I love mentoring because I have had some wonderful mentors in my life! As a survivor of childhood homelessness, I struggled greatly in high school and arrived at college vastly underprepared. After my very first college class, I cried and asked myself, "What was I thinking? There's no way I can do this." I wanted to go home right then and there, but I didn't. Instead, I learned to believe in myself and seek help from my professors.

Today, I have two graduate degrees and find great joy in supporting students in similar situations. I believe every student is capable and that we all have unique skills that can benefit us in school and in life, and I invest time in getting to know each student on a personal level. My goal is to help students see their value, recognize their strengths and achieve their own personal definitions of success. I believe in you!

Favorites

• Movies – "Clueless," "Jawbreaker" and "Drop Dead Gorgeous"
• Books – "The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger, "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac and the entire "Baby-Sitters Club" series
• Hobbies – I enjoy creative writing, running, competitive figure skating and ballet.

Hello, all! I'm Kimberly Shoulars, an English instructor and ACES mentor. As a student, I faced challenges that affected my academics and led me to take a break from college. But when I returned years later, juggling full-time work and family responsibilities, I leaned on the resources available to me – not just to finish my undergraduate and graduate degrees, but to truly thrive. That experience showed me just how important support and guidance are for student success, and it's what drives me to give back.

I'm excited to partner with ACES students, helping them navigate obstacles and reach their goals. With individualized support, I want to create a space where every student feels valued, encouraged and confident in their ability to succeed.

Favorites

• Books – "Sula" by Toni Morrison, "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, "A Fortune for Your Disaster" by Hanif Abdurraqib, "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" by David Sedaris and "The Castle" by Franz Kafka
• TV – "Black Mirror," "Insecure," "Better Call Saul," "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Atlanta"
• Hobbies – Collecting and listening to vinyl records, cooking