TEDDY

college essay coach

University of Southern California, PhD in English Literature & Visual Studies
University of Colorado Boulder, MA in English Literature; BA in English, Magna cum Laude

Teddy grew up in Denver, Colorado, where he developed a passion for storytelling at an early age. Stories, how and why we tell them, meant everything to him. Whether it was the intricate mythology of X-Men comics or hearing his grandmother Monika’s harrowing oral history of being an adolescent refugee from Latvia during the Second World War, he learned how an understanding of narrative was essential to enliven one’s life. He pursued advanced degrees in literature to hone his craft as a writer as well as immerse himself in the great narratives of cultures and times both deeply familiar and wildly, beautifully different from his own. Teddy has published many articles of cultural criticism and is completing a dissertation, “Enchantment as a Form of Care: Joseph Campbell & the Power of Mysticism” which he intends to publish as a book-length biography soon.

Teddy’s approach to teaching is informed by both his many years spent writing academic essays and applying to highly selective graduate programs and research fellowships, but also by his work in the philanthropic space. As an ImagineLA mentor for youth of families experiencing homelessness, he knows the vitality of approaching education (in any form) first from a place of care. This blend of academic rigor and a passion for helping students find their authentic voice on the page with kindness and patience is a hallmark of Teddy’s holistic approach to teaching.

Beyond the classroom and the printed page, Teddy is an avid yoga practitioner, lover of all forms of cinema, and has collected far too many vinyl records of everything from jazz classics to Lana Del Rey.

Hidden Talent I can do a flying pigeon pose in yoga (among other wild bendy poses!)

Favorite Nerd Gandalf from Lord of the Rings

Dog Breed Alter Ego French Bulldog

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