Days at Moorpark College are often made brighter for students learning to improve their English skills thanks to Angelisa Hoover, a 30-year-old writing tutor who often goes by Angie among the many friends and associates who cross paths with her on a daily basis.
As a tutor in the Moorpark College Library Writing Center, she works with all varieties of students every week helping improve the proficiency of speaking and writing in their second language, English.
“I work a lot with ESL students in particular. They are the students that continue to come back,” said Hoover. “The ESL students are often lonely here and don’t know anyone. They are struggling with the language; they are afraid to talk to other people.”
Hoover’s life is synonymous with diversity, happiness, and talent. Every Monday, the international students of Moorpark College can find those characteristics on display in Hoover’s ESL Conversation Hour which she conducts along with her close friend and fellow tutor, Chloe Porche.
The ESL Conversation Hour is a weekly workshop where international students on campus can practice speaking and listening to English. It is also an opportunity for meeting people and making new friends. The workshop is more than a class; it is a social event mixed with games, learning exercises, and cultural exchange. One of the focuses of the workshop is to increase students’ vocabulary, and to empower them to know the Greek and Latin roots which allows one to know the meaning of different words increasing their vocabulary.
Porche, a 26-year-old student majoring in History and tutoring at the writing center, met Angie three years ago working at the center as an intern.
“She is very gracious and she took me under her wings as a mentor and taught me how be a better tutor and engage with the students,” said Porche. “My favorite thing about her is that she is very open, you can talk to her about anything.”
Hoover grew up in the San Fernando Valley, and she is finishing her degree in Film Media Studies at Arizona State University. During her time at Moorpark College, she received both the Academic Senate Award and the Sage Writing Award for Research and Critical Thinking for “Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Abolitionism Within the Confines of Domesticity.” Also, her essay, “Delusions and Red Death”, garnered an invitation from The National Undergraduate Literature Conference, where she was asked to lead a seminar on “The Masque of the Red Death”, by Edgar Allan Poe.
“Angie likes to engage deeply with people and the world, but is also very playful and takes a lot of pleasure in sharing her enjoyment of life with others,” said Daniel Keit, a fellow tutor and friend of Hoover’s. “She is free-spirited and highly individualistic, artistic, social and intellectually curious. She’s a great person to get to know.”
Hoover’s life is more than writing. Her passion for comedy and television can only be surpassed by her obsession with Dungeons and Dragons and other such imaginary universes. Her talent as a singer, dancer, and musician transforms the people who are in touch with her. She also has experience as a writer and producer. Hoover worked for the True Focus Theater Group in North Hollywood where she developed and produced several satirical pieces about the experience of being a woman for their debut show “Cat Fight.” She co-wrote and directed a show about modern love called “Love Sucks”, with Vanessa Cate, who is her best friend and the owner of True Focus Theater. Her husband, Evan Hillhouse, from Simi Valley, also shares her passion for art and life.
“Our relationship is artistic and romantic,” says Hillhouse. “It is pretty good because we can do a lot of things that wouldn’t be possible to do with other people.”
Hoover and Hillhouse met in high school. Their home is always to open to anyone who wants to enjoy a deep conversation and good music. Hillhouse, who is a songwriter, arranger, musician, and singer, has been married to Hoover since October 2013. Together they are currently working on a musical production which they plan to perform in the coming months.
The versatility and talent of Hoover is one of the hidden treasures of the Moorpark College writing center. As a tutor she proofreads and critiques students’ papers, leads workshops and develops community events for the Moorpark College community. The ESL Conversation Group meets every Monday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the third floor of the library. For more information, visit The Writing Center located in library.
