Dr. Isabell may, Director

Dr. Isabell May is the director of the Center for Academic Success. Dr. May obtained her Ph.D. in American Studies from UMCP.  A native of Germany, she is the recipient of several grants and fellowships, including a Fulbright grant to study in the United States and a fellowship from the Smithsonian Institution. As an educator, her experience ranges from instructing study skills classes on various topics to teaching numerous courses in American Studies, with a particular focus on women and diversity. A prolific researcher, she has presented at numerous conferences in the US and overseas.

E-mail: imay@umd.edu

Mary Gallagher, Coordinator

Mary Gallagher graduated from Syracuse University in 2008 with dual degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and English & Textual Studies.  Impassioned by writing and the mechanics of the English language, she started working as a writing consultant in the Syracuse University Writing Center in 2005, during her sophomore year.  She worked as a writing consultant and tutor for the remainder of her time at Syracuse, both in the campus writing center and in the Syracuse University Athletic Department; mentored new writing consultants; and supported the development of the Syracuse writing center by serving as a member of the Writing Center Task Force.  She has presented research on writing center theory and practice at the International Writing Centers Association conference and the Conference on College Composition and Communication (4Cs).

E-mail: maryg@umd.edu

Shanna Charles, coordinator

Shanna is a graduate of the English Literature Master of Arts program at UMCP where her focus was 20th century African American literature. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and graduated with top honors from Gettysburg College, where she majored in English literature and secondary education and minored in art history. After graduating from Gettysburg, Shanna began working as a high school English teacher for day, evening, and summer school in Anne Arundel County. She was a member of the Advanced Placement instructional team and she wrote the Honors Senior English curriculum for the county. Currently, in addition to her current work at CAS, Shanna also teaches Academic Writing at UMCP.

E-mail: charles2@umd.edu

Caron Wildy, Coordinator

Caron Wildy is a graduate of Towson University’s Professional Writing Master of Science Program and the University of Maryland’s Studio Art Bachelor of Arts Program. He is an adjunct professor with the Prince George’s Community College English and Academic Enrichment departments, and he has over ten years of experience in student services at local and state higher education institutions, including the University of Maryland, College Park and Montgomery College. Caron also has a wealth of knowledge in writing and information design for academic and marketing purposes after more than eight years as a professional designer and five years as a copywriter for public and private sector clients.

E-mail: cwildy@umd.edu

Tirza Bartels, Academic Consultant

Tirza Bartels, a writing consultant at CAS, studied in the English Honors program at the University of Texas in Austin and pursued graduate work in Education of the Gifted at Teachers College, Columbia University.  Before her move to Maryland, she taught middle school English for several years in New York City, Houston and Miami.  Her publications include creative writing in the journal of the Texas Council of Teachers of English. In addition to her teaching, Tirza has served as an editor for numerous law review articles and two legal textbooks. She is currently volunteering with the Literacy Council of Montgomery County. Tirza is the mother of two daughters and is delighted that they both love to write.

E-mail: tbartels@umd.edu

Marie Claire Vasquez Durán, Graduate Assistant

Marie Claire is a doctoral student in Policy Studies at the University of Maryland at College Park. Her concentration field is International Development, and her research focuses on the study of democracy and other governance aspects of the political life in Latin America. A native of the Dominican Republic, Marie Claire completed a Masters in International Policy Studies with a concentration in International Political Economy at Stanford University. In 2008, she completed a graduate program in Corporate Finance and in 2007 she graduated from a B.S. in Economics (Summa Cum Laude), both at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra in Santo Domingo. Marie Claire has won a number of awards for her research on tariff evasion and corruption at customs administration in the DR-CAFTA countries and participated in an internship at the United Nations Office of the High Representative of Least Developed and Land-locked Countries . Marie Claire specializes in both one-on-one writing consultations and tutoring statistics.

E-mail: mclaire@umd.edu

Dr. Marsha Youngblood, RESEARCH CONSULTANT

Dr. Marsha Youngblood is the founder and former director of the Center for Academic Success. Dr. Youngblood holds a bachelor's in English, a master's in linguistics, and a doctorate in educational leadership. She has over 20 years experience teaching English at the high school and college level and over 10 years in academic support and teacher training in higher education. Dr. Youngblood co-authored the book, Positive Involvement: How to Teach your Child Habits for School Success, with her husband after they spent 14 years abroad teaching in international schools in India, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Before coming to USG, she spent eight years running a study skills program for low-income, first generation students at the University System of Maryland College Park.

E-mail: myoungbl@umd.edu