Dr. Becca Cassady, Director
Dr. Becca Cassady joined the Graduate School in 2022 as the Dissertation, Thesis, and Graduate Writing Center Program Director. In her current role, she directs a team of graduate writing consultants from across disciplines as they work with students on their writing and publications, offering feedback on writing projects and helping foster effective writing and publication habits. She also oversees Technical Reviews and assists graduate students in crossing the finish line as they format, finalize, and publish their theses and dissertations.
Before joining the Graduate School, Becca earned her PhD in English with a concentration in rhetoric and composition from Baylor. She has taught in various capacities in Baylor’s English Department and Honors College, first as a graduate student and then as a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow. Her research interests include learning transfer, writing center theory, and literacy.
Becky Presnall, Coordinator
Becky Presnall is a first-year PhD student in the Department of English specializing in Middle English Arthurian Literature and Classical Reception in Children’s Novels. She completed her BA in English with a concentration in Medieval Languages before coming to Baylor University to pursue her Master’s in Medieval Literary Reception. In addition to her role as the Graduate Writing Center Coordinator, Becky has also taught English 1310 for the English department and serves as the Doctoral Administrative Fellow for the Graduate School. Outside of the office, you can usually find her hosting movie nights with friends, reading books, watercolor painting, or taking long walks with her corgi, Bertie.
Caroline Franks, Consultant
Caroline Franks is a second-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Her research interests are in aphasia and quality of life, specifically using the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia as a philosophy to guide her research. She hopes that her research empowers and strengthens those who need support in conversation and daily life. Before her time at Baylor, Caroline attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communicative Disorders and her Master of Science degree in Communicative Disorders. Along with her position as a Graduate Writing Center Consultant, Caroline is a Graduate Research Assistant, in which she works alongside her mentor to complete various research and teaching tasks. In her free time, Caroline enjoys spending time with family and friends, shopping for new clothes, and experiencing new coffee shops!
Wemimo Jaiyesimi, Consultant
Wemimo Bright Jaiyesimi is a third-year PhD student in the theology and ethics concentration at Baylor University’s department of religion. Hailing from Lagos, Nigeria, Wemimo completed his bachelor’s degree in economics at Lagos State University before going on to earn a Master of Divinity in theology at the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to moving to Waco in the fall of 2021, Wemimo spent three years in Wales, UK, as a research student in the professional doctorate in interfaith studies program at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Lampeter. Wemimo has taught and supported undergraduate and graduate classes both at Baylor and in the UK. His research focuses, broadly speaking, on questions of religion in public life. Wemimo is married to his sweetheart, Amara. He is passionate about football (“soccer”) and is an ardent supporter of FC Barcelona (he still feels horrible that Lionel Messi left the club).
Nolan Reisen, Consultant
Nolan Reisen is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate (ABD) in the department of Political Science at Baylor University. Originally from Iowa, Nolan completed his undergraduate education at Kenyon College with a degree in Political Science. Before coming to Baylor, he worked for two years at a law firm in Washington, D.C. and later completed a Masters in Liberal Arts at St. John’s College. His research focuses on Plato and ancient Greek political thought, particularly on the relationship between the desires of an individual and the duties imposed by political society. To this end, he has been studying the Ancient Greek language for over three years. Nolan is quite passionate about his studies and has enjoyed teaching at Baylor immensely. When not studying, he enjoys hiking, reading fantasy and science fiction, and hanging out with friends.
Jasmine Stovall, Consultant
Jasmine Stovall is a PhD Candidate in the biology department under the advisement of Dr. Thad Scott. She is originally from Omaha, NE and completed her undergraduate work in biology and environmental science at Iowa State University. After graduating from Iowa State, she received a master’s degree in environmental science at Baylor studying microplastic pollution and continued to pursue a PhD in biology. Her dissertation research focuses primarily on water quality as well as phytoplankton response to changing environmental conditions and human impact on lakes and drinking water reservoirs. She is passionate about educating others on the importance of protecting and conserving global freshwater resources. Her favorite school-related activities include microscopy, teaching undergraduate students, setting up lab experiments and being out on the lake collecting water samples. Outside of the lab, she enjoys cooking, crafting, cycling, and spending time with her nieces and nephew.
Madhur Wyatt, Consultant
Madhur Wyatt is a PhD candidate with the Health, Human Performance, and Recreation. She is studying the effects of vitamin D supplementation on microbial composition, findings of which can be used to make associations with early-onset colorectal cancer risk. Diet-microbiome interactions and mechanisms of host-microbiome inflammation are additional areas of research that interest her. The two master’s degrees she earned (MA in Science, Kinesiology and MBA, Business Administration) provided her a strong foundation for pursuing PhD, teaching, managing research, and serving as a mentor for undergraduates. Prior to a career in academia, Madhur was a business manager at several companies for over 6 years. Her personal struggle with weight management in the early life-years, passion for nutrition and curiosity about the microbiome ultimately lead her to redirect her life’s purpose to studying and educating the world about the nuances of diet, health, and disease prevention. In her spare time, Madhur enjoys a life in the outdoors- hiking, biking, repelling into canyons. She also finds delight in cooking, reading, writing.