Meet the MA Students

Yasmeen Abdeljabbar

Yasmeen Abdeljabbar has a BA and MA in English, as well as a minor in Criminology.

Selwan Amari

Selwan Amari is an English MA student, with a focus in Literature, that enjoys reading, creative writing, and poetry. In the future, she aspires to teach English at the community college level. 

Reginale Aranas

Hello! My name is Reggie Aranas! This will be my 3rd year in the English Master's program, and I hope to finish by this spring. Outside of the Master's program, I work as a middle school ELA teacher, teaching 7th and 8th grade. Additionally. out of the program and work, one of my passionate hobbies include weightlifting as I believe a physically healthy life can lead to a mentally healthy life.

Liz Asborno

I received my BA from SJSU in 1987 and have worked in publishing ever since. A few years ago, I decided to make a semi-pivot to try my hand at teaching first-year-composition, so I'm back in school after more than 30 years—and loving every minute of it!

Allyson Finch

Allyson Finch is an educator, ELA curriculum specialist, teacher mentor, and administrator. She grew up locally in the South Bay Area and attended San Jose State University as a first generation college student. Graduating in 2014, Finch earned her Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Creative Writing. To further her teaching development, she continued her education at San Jose State, earning her Single Subject Teaching Credential and Leadership certificate. Finch's credential coursework is featured in Mastering Formative Assessment Moves: 7 High-Leverage Practices to Advance Student Learning (2017) by Brent Duckor and Carrie Holmberg. Finch also received SJSU’s 2014 James Phelan Creative Writing Award in fictional short story writing. She is currently working on achieving her Master’s in English while working Full-Time as the Assistant Director at Fusion Academy Cupertino. Her pride accomplishment working at Fusion Academy was providing superior school quality on campus along with her administrative and teaching team. This would lead the school to receiving the Futures in Education Group 2020 School of the Year Award, the Fusion Education Group 2021 Highest Achiever Award, and, her most treasured accomplishment, the Fusion Education Group 2022 Best School for School Quality. These culminating accomplishments would later allow Finch to present “How Academics meet Enrollment” at the 2021 Fusion Education Group EPIC! Business Conference alongside her Head of School, as well as present “Campus Wide Student Projects in a 1:1 School - Project Based Learning” at the 2021 Fusion Education Group Summer Professional Development.

Aly Gerdes

Having recently completed SJSU's teaching credential and MA-T program, Aly Gerdes is a 7th grade English teacher working on MA in English. Her research interests include post-modern literature and feminist/queer theory. She has many creative and op-ed publications for the REVIVAL Zine at SSU, Zaum Mag, and the Riverbed Review, among others. When not studying or teaching, Gerdes likes to play drums and powerlift. 

Chloe Schmitz

Chloe Schmitz is an English MA student. She completed her BA in English with a focus in creative writing at San Francisco State University. In the future, she aspires to become an English teacher. When she is not studying, she is often writing fiction, roller skating, or crocheting.