Bella Swydan
I’m Bella, and I’m a freshman double-majoring in Econ and DWA with a minor in French. I’ve
been speaking Arabic, among other languages, my whole life, so I understand the frustration
that can come with learning another language with a new and different alphabet and rules. I’m
here and happy to help in any way possible: homework, grammar, writing, reading, or casual
conversation. Feel free to stop by, looking forward to meeting you!
Drop-in Hours:
McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Johnson Hall Sunday 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Monday, 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Thursday, 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Meredith Burke
Hi all! My name is Meredith and I am a Senior majoring in Diplomacy & World Affairs and Chinese Studies. I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota where I went to a Chinese immersion school and have been studying Mandarin since kindergarten. I spent last fall studying abroad in Beijing participating in a language intensive program where I got to travel all around the country learning more about Chinese language and culture. I am so excited to be the Chinese Peer Tutor and please feel free to stop by office hours with questions about homework, abroad, the major or anything else!
Drop-in Hours:
McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Johnson Hall Sunday 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Tuesday 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Selma Gauthier: Visiting Language Assistant
Bonjour ! My name is Selma and I’m so excited to be your French tutor at Oxy this year. I’m from Nantes, a beautiful and green city on the west coast of France. I’m passionate about photography, languages, traveling, and discovering new cultures. I’ve also been dancing my whole life, so sport has always been a big part of who I am. I love the mindset that comes with it: challenging yourself, stepping outside your comfort zone, and constantly striving to improve. I believe learning a language is very similar: Every new word, conversation, and even mistake is a step forward. I also believe that discovering new cultures and learning from others is one of the best ways to broaden our perspectives.
As your French tutor, I’m here to help you with pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and building confidence in French. But I also want to share the culture behind the language: music, movies, food, traditions, and so much more. And even though my photo was taken in Paris, I hope to show you that France has so much more to offer ! If you have any questions, want to practice your French, or simply feel like chatting, come find me on campus or during my office hours ! I’m really looking forward to meeting you all and sharing this exciting year together. À très bientôt !
Drop-in Hours:
McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Johnson Hall Sunday, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m; Monday, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Mikatrin Heynen
Hallo!! My name is Mikatrin Heynen and I am a junior Biology and Geology major from Cupertino, California. I grew up speaking German at home and attended a German school from preschool through second grade. At Oxy, I have reconnected to my German language skills after studying Spanish from elementary through high school. I love to talk about anything related to German culture, food, traditions, and language, and I can't wait to help in any way I can.
Drop-in Hours:
McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Johnson Hall Sunday, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Ava Lalonde
Hi! I'm Lani, a senior majoring in CSLC with an Ancient Greek focus. I have been studying Ancient Greek since freshman year, and I am excited to help you along your Greek journey. I love to talk about translation, analysis, and the minutiae of Ancient Greek's grammatical nuance. I have been working with Sydney and Damian to refine and expand the Ancient Greek curriculum, and I am ready to help in any way I can!
Drop-in Hours:
McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Johnson Hall Sunday, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.; Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Zane Becker
こんにちは! My name is Zane Becker, I am a Junior at Oxy majoring in Mathematics, and planning to minor in Japanese. I have been learning Japanese for about 7 years now, and have gotten to go to Japan a few times. I’ve also taken a couple Japanese language and history courses while at Oxy. From all this I have gotten to learn a lot about both the language and parts of the culture, and I am excited to share what I have learned so far with all of you. Feel free to stop by and ask any questions you may have about the culture or language, I look forward to meeting you.
Drop-in Hours
McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Johnson Hall Sunday, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Tuesday & Thursday, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Maggie Chen
Salvēte! I’m Maggie and I’m a sophomore double majoring in CSLC (studying both Latin and Ancient Greek) and Art History with a Chinese Studies minor. I’m from Pasadena, California, and I started studying Latin when I was a junior in high school. Latin can be difficult to grasp at first, especially if you aren’t familiar with declensions and conjugations, but it’s so fun to learn and so rewarding because it gives you a better understanding of language and literature. Feel free to come by if you need any help at all with Latin—whether it’s about study tips, online resources, or clarification on grammar—or if you just want to chat!
Drop-in Hours
McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Johnson Hall Sunday, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. & Thursday, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Serine Bedros
Привет! I’m Serine, a CSLC major and History and Russian double minor, and I’ll be your Russian peer tutor this semester. I’m from L.A., but growing up, I lived in Armenia and Syria, so there have always been many different languages spoken in my house and I can understand the complexities of learning a new language. Coming from a post-soviet country and growing up with a Russian speaking parent, I’m somewhat of a heritage speaker and can also understand some of the broader cultural aspects. I’ve been taking Russian at Oxy since I was a freshman and now enjoy working with Professor Sushytska on translation projects. Russian is a beautiful but challenging language to learn, so I’ll be here to help with any specifics like pronunciation, grammar, and homework. But besides that, I’m always open to talking about more general things like study strategies, working with different languages, and more Eastern European cultural stuff like food, movie, and music recs! Please do not hesitate to drop in during my hours or contact me.
Drop-in Hours
McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Johnson Hall Sunday, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Thursday, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Mercedes Garcia: Visiting Language Assistant
¡Hola! My name is Mercedes García, and I’m from Huelva, a beautiful city on the southwest coast of Spain. I have a degree in Hispanic Philology and two Master’s degrees — one in Education and another in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language.
I’ve lived in different cities across Spain, like Seville and Granada, and I’ve always been fascinated by the mix of cultures and the chance to meet people from different backgrounds. I also love art and sports, as I believe both are great ways to express ourselves and connect with others.
I’m really excited to meet you, learn about your culture and share with you the richness and diversity of the Spanish language. It will be a pleasure to support you in your learning journey, whether that’s in tutoring sessions, conversation classes, or just around campus.
¡Nos vemos muy pronto!
Drop-in Hours
McKinnon Center for Global Affairs, Johnson Hall Sunday, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Tuesday, 4:15 to 5:15 p.m.; Thursday, 4:15 to 5:15 p.m.
Mireia Martinez, Visiting Language Assitant
¡Hola, hola!
My name is Mireia Martinez, and I’m from Zaragoza, a beautiful city in the north of Spain.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Translation and Interpreting, with English and Mandarin Chinese as my main languages. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to live in Granada, Portsmouth (UK), and Minnesota. Each of these places showed me just how big the world is and how much we can learn from different cultures and the people we meet along the way.
I’m delighted to be joining the Oxy VLA and Tutoring teams and to support you on your Spanish-learning journey. I’m sure we’ll learn from one another, and I hope this will be a fun and enriching experience for all of us.
Coffee, books, languages, travel—you name it! I’m always happy to chat.
¡Nos vemos muy pronto!
Questions about the program? Email Luz Forero at lforero@oxy.edu.