Justin
Background Checked
MFA in English and Creative Writing
Santa Ana
English (Native)
Description
Justin is a highly accomplished educator and literary professional with dual Master of Fine Arts degrees in English and Creative Writing from the University of California, Irvine. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Philosophy from UC Irvine, where he graduated Cum Laude, and Associate of Arts degrees in Philosophy and Art History from Santa Ana College. Justin brings a wealth of experience to tutoring, specializing in writing, composition, and literary analysis for students at all levels.
For three years, Justin taught various courses in Composition and Creative Writing at UC Irvine, consistently receiving high teaching evaluations. He is the co-founder and CEO of the Santa Ana Literary Association (SALA), an unincorporated nonprofit established in 2020. Through SALA, Justin organized “Santa Ana, a Year in Poetry” (2021), a citywide project featuring 52 local poets, and “Zoo-Fi: an Anthology of Zoological Fiction” (2022), a countywide short story project that included workshops and resulted in a published anthology. He has also been a guest lecturer in philosophy and served as art director and co-editor of fiction for UCI’s literary journal, Faultline. Justin’s extensive background in academia and the literary arts enables him to provide comprehensive and inspiring guidance, helping students develop critical thinking, refine their writing, and cultivate a lifelong love of literature.
Education & Certifications
Justin earned dual Master of Fine Arts degrees in English and Creative Writing from the University of California, Irvine (2015). He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Philosophy from the University of California, Irvine (2012), where he graduated Cum Laude. Earlier, he received Associate of Arts degrees in Philosophy and Art History from Santa Ana College (2001). His academic achievements include a $3,000 award for fiction writing from the Cheng Family Foundation (2014) and a $2,700 scholarship from UC Irvine to attend the Squaw Valley Writers Retreat (2015).
Grades & Levels
Kindergarden
Middle School
Highschool
College
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