Writers at the Center W.L. Adams Center for Writing Texas Christian University

Meet &Greet Out and About What’s New?

Volume19,Number1 Fall2016-Spring2017

WE LITERALLY OUTDID OURSELVES:10,000 TUTORIALS

Peer Consultants...............Page 2

Graduating Seniors...........Page 3

Writing Associates............Page 6

An Interview with Dr. Carrie Leverenz ............................Page 4

Staff Activities.................Page 5 Dissertation and Thesis Boot Camp..................................Page 6

Director’s Notes................Page 8

People sometimes say, "You'veoutdoneyourself"just to be nice, but this year we had the uniqueexperienceofliterallyoutdoingourselves.Itwasn'tsomething we planned; it just happened: wetopped10,000writingtutorialsinasingleacademicyear, a first in TCU history. How does it feel? It'shumbling,yetatthesametime,itmakesusproud.

WemakecontactwithTCUstudentsinmanyways:privatetutorialsinourMainCenterinReedHallorevenings in our Library Annex or in Tom Brown-PeteWrightResidenceHall.We'reseeinganuptickin TCU students submitting papers online to getfeedback,andwecontinuetoofferthemadviceonanythingfromgrammartoissuesofAPAorChicagodocumentationstyles.

Sometimeswemake contactwith studentswhenour Writing Associates are assigned to theirparticularclasses,orwhenweconductworkshopsforvariousgroupsaroundcampus.

Ourclientscomefromalldisciplines andallnichesof the TCU community. This year, our "frequent

flyer"disciplineswereEnglish(1,752tutorials),Nursing(959),Business(842),andEducation(774).Alsothisyear,thenumberofgraduatestudentsseekingwritingconsultationedgedpastthenumberoffirst-yearstudentswhosought us out, and that shift is reflected in our new administrative home under the Office of Research andGraduateStudies.Whetheryou'reafirst-yearstudentwithashort"This IBelieve"assignmentoragradstudentcomingintothehomestretchwithadissertation,we'rereadytohelp.

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Peer & Graduate Writing Consultants 2016-2017

The consultants at TCU’s Center for Writing believe that the best writing instruction occurs in an atmosphere of honesty, consideration, trust, and confidentiality. We respect and appreciate each student’s individual learning style and learning needs. If we can help you accommodate your unique needs, please let us know. We seek to help our clients learn, understand, and meet the American English writing norms and standards appropriate to their academic disciplines and writing needs, and to do so in an ethical and responsible manner.

We are looking formature, responsible TCU studentswith strongwriting skills towork as peerwriting consultants at theWilliamL.AdamsWritingCenterin419ReedHallorinourLibraryAnnex.Peerconsultantstypicallyworktenhoursperweekand earn at least minimum wage. We are actively seeking graduate students to serve as peer writing consultants in ourGraduateWritingCenter.

AllTCUstudentswhoareinterestedinapplyingshouldemailDr.SteveSherwoodats.sherwood@tcu.edu.Qualifiedapplicantswillbeaskedtoprovideawritingsampleandatleastonefacultyrecommendation.Ifwedon’thaveanyimmediateopenings,wewillbehappytoaddqualifiedapplicantstoourlistofpotentialfuturepeerwritingconsultants.

AmandaAguilar

AmandaAnderson*

MalcolmBaker

SandyBallou

AshleyDargai*

PhatDo

AndrewErickson

ParkerHerren

JongkeyongKim*

McKenzieMarciante

WellingtonOwen

MelissaPatterson*

JustinPollard

LutieRodriguez

WillRudnicki

RonSerino*

ChaseShanafelt*

DarianaSlater

AmandaSmiley

BenTaylor*

LaurenWard-Reed*

PrincessWashington

AnnetteWren*

JamieYoung

*graduatestudent

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Continued…

If youwitness the thousands of students comingthroughourdoorinanygivensemester,you'dbestruckwiththesheervolumeoftraffic,buthereisan inside secret youmaynot know: brief as theyare, these tutorials can be pivotal moments inwhichstudentsunderstandthepowerandagencythatwriting canbringto them.Wehavesomeofthebestwritersoncampusworkingforus,andwewould like tosaysomewordsofgratitudeto theseniorwritingconsultantswhoworkedwithus inthe2016-2017academicyear:

ltor:WillRudnicki,JustinPollard,MalcolmBakerBelow:AmandaAguilar

MalcolmBaker,aFrench/biologymajorfromLafayette,Louisiana,withaninterestinmedicalanthropology,cametobeknownasthedeanofpeerwriting consultantsafter four years of tutoring forus.Malcolmwillbe spending thenext twoyearsparticipating in theselectiveTeachforAmericaprogram."I'llbeteachingchemistryatEastHighSchoolinKansasCity,"Malcolmsays."Thepremiseoftheprogramistoalleviatetheissuesofeducationalinequitiesbyreallocatingpeopleinvestedinprovidingunderprivilegedareaswithqualityeducation." Malcolm's considerable experiences working with TCU faculty as a Writing Associate embedded in specific coursesfamilarizedhimwiththebasiccircumstanceofpedagogy."Thejobtaughtmetheimportanceofbalancingagencyinanyrelationship,andtobeopentobi-directional learning,"hesays.Wealwaysaskgraduatingseniors ifwritingcenterworkchangestheirownwriting,andMalcolmanswered,"MycapacitiesinwritingandformattinghavegreatlyimprovedasIhaveworkedwithotherpeople'swritingforsolong.IdefinitelyrealizedthisinacademicexamsthatrequiredmetowriteanessayontheflyduringaclassperiodandIwasalwaysverysurprisedwiththeoutcomes."WethinkthestudentsofEastHighwillbefortunateindeedtohaveateacherwithMalcolm'sexperienceandprofessionalism.

JustinPollard,apoliticalscienceandEnglishmajorwhoworkedwithusthispastyear,willbemovingsoontoattendgraduateschoolatGeorgeWashingtonUniversityinWashington,D.C.Heplanstospecializeinadvancedpublicpolicyanalysis.Hiscurrentresearchinterestishumantrafficking,andheaspirestoworkforanon-profitinthefuture.JustintoldusthatthebiggestsurpriseheexperiencedworkingfortheCenterforWritingwashowmanyTCUdisciplinesemphasizewriting,andhow"applicable"thetenetsoftheEnglishmajorare.Thoughhecametousasasenior,Justinwasaquickstudy,learning"howtoapplywhatIknowandhowtomakeitrelevanttowhatthestudentneeded."Justinsayshewasalsostruckwithhowthewritingtutorialsareaboutmorethancorrectgrammar;henotedthereisadevelopmentaleditingaspecttotutorials."Ihadregulars,"henotes,andhisexperiencehelpingotherstudents"madeiteasierformetowritemyownpapers."WeappreciatethetimeJustincontributedhisskillstotheCenterforWriting,andjustreadingthetealeaves,weseesomewell-writtenpapersinhisfuture.

Will Rudnicki, a biology/anthropology major from Ruston, Louisiana, worked with us for three years, twice serving as a WritingAssociate.AftergraduationinMay2017,heplanstomovetoDallasandsettleinbeforeenrollingintheTexasA&MUniversityCollegeofDentistry inAugust. Oneof the strongest tutorswehavehadworking forus,Will'sprofessionalismandagilitywith languagequicklydistinguished him with students seeking help with papers. One of the surprises about tutoring students, Will says, was a deeperappreciationofthe"immenseworkethic"heencounteredinELLstudents,andhowexplainingEnglishtonon-nativespeakersforcedhimtoquestionsomeofourEnglishlanguagehabitsandrules."Iaskalotofquestions,"Willsaysofhistutoringstyle,mentioninghepickeduptheSocraticmethodintutoringfromfellowpeertutors.Will'sownformidableworkethicwillservehimwellingradschool,weknow.

AmandaAguilar,acommunications/journalismmajorfromChinoHills,California,graduatedinDecemberandbeganworkingasanaccountco-ordinatorforSimpli.fi.Duringherthreeandahalfyearswithus,Amandawas one of the mainstays of the peer writing consultant corps and aWritingAssociate.ShecitesthefriendshipssheforgedwithothertutorsasoneofthebigsurprisesabouttutoringattheCenterforWriting."Thefriends I made there are still some of my closest friends aftergraduation," she says, "and I know I will always have the support ofevery person who worked alongside me.I had been writing creativelyand on a journalism staff before TCU, but I never thought my writingwould grow as much as it did at the WC." As an advertising accountmanager, Amanda builds, analyzes, and optimizes ad campaigns for

clients."Ithasbeensointerestingtoseehowtheadvertisingindustryworks,"shesays,"sinceIhadnoideabeforeIstartedworkinghere! Icommunicatewithclientsviaemailevery singleday. Isendmoreemails inadaythan Icancount." Whenshementions thenecessityofprofessionalismanda calmdemeanoronhernewjob,wesmilea little, rememberingher significant contributionsandcalmpresencehere.

HAPPY TRAILS, SENIORS...

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Dr. Carrie Leverenz is Professor of English at TCU, and Director of Composition. She was kindenoughtograntusaninterviewthisspring.

At what point in your life did you understand that your life's work was going to be deeplyconnectedtowriting?Likelotsoffolkswhoendupteachingwritingforaliving,Irememberhavinganearlyloveforreadingandwriting.Ihaveveryfondmemoriesofwaitingforthebuswithmymotherandbrotherssowe couldgo tothe local public library,whichwas in anoldVictorianhouse and thenmoved to anoldpostofficerightnextdoortotheduplexwheremygrandparentslived.Myfirstpaidjobwasworkinginthatlibrary(the children’s department) when I was 15. I took creative writing courses in high school and with theencouragementofteachers,submittedtovariouscontests.ButIalsowasveryinterestedinthevisualartsandimaginedbeingafashionillustratororaninteriordesignerorevenahairdresser.Infact,itwasmyjuniorhighart teacherwhopersuadedmeNOT to switch tovocational educationbecauseshe said Iwas toosmartforthat.Asaworkingclassgirl, Ihadnosenseofwhatwaspossible.Theonly college-educatedwomenIknewweremyteachersandthelibrarians Iworkedwith. Ieditedtheschoolnewspaperandmighthavebecomeajournalistbutendedupinacademe,probablybecauseIdidn’tknowhowtobecomeajournalistbutIdidknowhowtodoschool.

Did you have a particular teacher orwritingmentorwho shaped your professional focusonwriting?MydissertationdirectorAndreaLunsfordhasbeenmymostimportantmentor.ShewasinchargeoftheRhetoric andCompositionprogramatOhio State; Iworkedasher assistant for three years. It’s hard todescribe all the things I learned fromher about being amentor, a teacher, a leader, and a feminist deeplycommittedtomakingtheuniversityaplacewheredifferencecanthrive.ShesupportedmewhenIhadmyfirst

sonasaPhDstudent;shesupportedmeinmyjobsearch;shehelpedmewritetheconclusionofthefirstarticleIpublishedwhenIjusthadnowordsleft;shesupportedmewhenIwasdeniedtenureatFloridaStateandwasonthejobmarketasecondtime.Sheshowedmetheimportanceofsupportingstudentsasindividuals.I rememberhersaying,“Sometimesgradstudentsjustneedahug.”Sheactuallydidn’tintervenethatmuchinmywriting.WhatIrememberisherscrawlingattheendofachapter,“justkeepgoing...”AndsoIdid.

AsthenewDirectorofCompositionforTCU’sDepartmentofEnglish,you’llbeoverseeingoneofTCU’slargest,mostimportantprograms.Whatisthephilosophythatunderpinsthisprogram,andwhat’sthemain“takeaway”forstudents?IcametoTCUin2000tobecomeDirectorofComposition,andatthattime,therewasn’tmuchofaprograminplace,nosharedcurriculum,notrainingforgraduateinstructors.Iwasluckyinthattherewasnomandatetodoanythingspecificotherthantodevelopagoodprogram.Soearlyon,Isettledontheidea that the first course, ENGL 10803,would be an introduction towritingwrit large. Charlotte Hogg,whenshetookoverasDirectorofComposition,subtitledthecourseWritingasInquiryandIverymuchlikethat idea. I’vealwaysresistedthe ideathatafirst-yearwritingcourseteachesstudentstowriteonlyforthe university or for other courses. Given the range of writing that goes on at TCU, that’s just animpossibletask.Andthoughteachers inothercourseswould likeallstudentstowritecogent,error-freesentences,thatisnotsomethingwecanmakehappenina15-weekcourse.Thisisallstuffwritingcentersknowwell(andIranawritingcenteratFloridaStatefor6yearssoIhavethatlargerperspective,too.)Soourgoalistoteachwritingasavaluablemeansoflearningandexpandingone’sthinkingandengagingwiththeworld.InENGL20803,WritingasArgument,wedecidedtofocusthecourseonargument.TheTCUEnglishdepartmenthasastrongrhetoricfacultyandgraduaterhetoricprogramsowehavetheresourcestosupportsuchacourse.Wealsoincludeprimaryresearch,collaborativewriting,andmultimodalwritinginthatsecondwritingcourse.Thetakeawayforstudents,Ithink,isthatwritingandrhetoricareameansofdoingworkintheworld,whethertheworldofschooloronthelargerglobalstage.

YouteachareallypopularcourseatTCU,WritingforPublication.Canyoutellusabitaboutyourphilosophyforthatcourse,andhowittranslatesintovariouswritingprojects?I’vealwayslovedmagazinewriting,andhavesubscribedtoTheNewYorkerformorethan30years.SowhenIsawthatwehadacourseonmagazinewritingatTCU,IthoughtI’dgiveitago.Ilovetheblendofresearchedfactsandcompellingnarrativestylethatcharacterizesgoodmagazinewriting.Toomanystudentswhowanttobewritersunderestimatetheimportanceofresearch.Theywanttositattheircomputersandmakethingsup.Sooneofmygoalsistoexposestudentstothepowerofstoriesthataretrue.Onthelastdayofclass,Ialwaysaskstudentstoshareonethingthey’velearnedthatwillstaywiththem.I’llneverforgetthewomanwhosaid,“I’velearnedthepowerofatruestorywelltold.”That’skindofthemantrafortheclass.Students learn some of themajor genresofmagazinewriting—feature stories, profiles, commentaries—aswell as techniques for conducting research andediting formagazine style. I draw on the biggies inmagazinewriting like JohnMcPheeand Susan Orlean, and I like to use themost recentBest AmericanMagazineWritingtoillustratetheimportanceofrespondingtocurrentevents.Intheearlydaysofthecourse(andbeforetheNewMediaWritingStudioexisted),studentseditedanddesignedtheirownonlinemagazine, basedontheirwork intheclass.Morerecently, I’veaskedstudents tostarttheirownblogs,sincethat’sanecessityforanywriterwhowantstogetpublishedthesedays.Sothecoursebringstogethersomanyofmyinterests—livelywriting,currenteventsandculture,visualdesign,digitalcomposing.I’velongwantedtodomoreresearchonthehistoryofmagazinewriting.

Whattopicsandresearchinterestyouatthemoment?I’vebeenstudyingthejobmarketinRhetoricandCompositionforthelast4years,surveyingjobseekersandanalyzingthejobads.I’mgettingreadytostartwritinguptheresults.MygoalistofindoutwhetherRhet/Compgradprogramsareadequatelypreparingstudentsforthejobsthatexist.I’veplayedwiththeideaofresearchingthehistoryofthePhDinRhet/Comp,sinceitonlydatesbacktothe1970s,andasfarasIcantell,thathistoryhasnotyetbeenwritten.Itwouldbeabigproject.I’vealsodonesomeworkonstorytellingasaknowledge-makingstrategy.I’vetrackeddownalotoffascinatingresearch—feministepistemology,psychotherapy,cognitivepsychology,rhetoric—onnarrativethinking.I’minterestedinstorytellingasameansofmakingknowledgeaboutteaching.Ofcourse,theassessmentofthecompositionprogramandanysubsequentrevisionsthathappenwilllikelyturnintoanarticleortwo.That’sjustwherevirtuallyallmyresearcharticlescomefrom—realproblemsthatI’mtryingtosolve.Andfinally,I’mtryingtofindawaytoturnmyextra-curricularinterestsintoresearch.I’mcontemplatingteachingacourse,probablya20803course,on“ArguingaboutStuff”thatwillcriticallyinterrogateourrelationshiptomaterialgoods.Itmightbesubtitled,“FromHoarderstoTinyHouses.”Irecentlyboughtastackofwomen’smagazinesfromthe1950sinajunkstoreandIwouldlovetousetheminaclassoraresearchproject.Onelastthing—I’dlovetolearnhowtodomemoirwritingmyself,purelyformyownpleasure.IalreadyknowthetitleofwhatIwouldwrite:MyLifeasaHouse.

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"One of my goals is to expose students to the power of stories that are true."

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Some Questions for Dr. Carrie Leverenz

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At the Center W.L. Adams Center

for

Writing Phone:817.257.7221

Email:writingctr@tcu.edu

Main Center:

(419 Reed)

8:00a.m.–5p.m.

Monday–Friday

Phone817.257.7221

Library Annex:

(Room 1202)

6:00p.m.–9:00p.m.

Sunday-Thursday

817.257.6520

To Make An Appointment via

Our Website:

http://wrt.tcu.edu

Online Help:

Email and attach your document:

writingctr@tcu.edu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WlAdams

CenterForWriting

Dr.StevenSherwood (Director)recentlypublishedashortstorytitled“GrandLake”intheAdelaideLiterary Magazine and a memoir titled “The Summer of Working Dangerously” in Writing Texas. Inaddition tomakinganumberofconferencepresentations thisyear,hespokeonApril28, 2017, to theFriends of the UTA Library about his novel No Asylum.Sherwood continues to serve as outgoingpresidentoftheConferenceofCollegeTeachersofEnglishandassecretaryoftheTexasAssociationofCreative Writing Teachers. In addition to directing the center, Sherwood teaches courses for TCU’sMaster of Liberal Arts program on humor, the literature of survival, novel writing, and creativenonfictionwriting.Thisyearishisfifteenthasdirectorandhistwenty-ninthasaTCUemployee.

s.sherwood@tcu.edu Phone:817-257-6536

Ms. CherylCarithers (AssistantDirector)organizesPeerTutorTrainingandcoordinatestheWritingAssociatesProgram.Inadditiontoliteratureandcompositioncourses,Ms.CarithersteachescoursesfortheMLAprogram.InFall2016,shetaughtacoursetitledSuperheroes:MythsorCulturalIcons?Another,War Stories: A Study Through Literature and Film is planned for Fall 2017. Also scheduled for thisupcoming fall semester is a newly developed Introduction to Fiction course, which will focus onDystopian and Post-Apocalyptic literature. In March 2017, Ms. Carithers gave a presentation onsuperherostudiesattheSouthwestPopular/AmericanCultureConferenceinAlbuquerque,NewMexico.

c.carithers@tcu.edu Phone:817-257-6534

Dr. Lindsay Dunn continues to present at academic conferences as sheworks on article and bookpublicationsthatdrawfromherworkonthevisualrhetoricofMarie-Louise,HouseofHabsburg-Lorraineandaristocraticwomenartists. InApril2017,sheco-organizedaconferencesessiononAmateurismintheEighteenthCenturyat theannualmeetingoftheAmericanSocietyofEighteenthCenturyStudies,andwelcomedhersecondsonintotheworld.In2016,shepresentedpapersattheAmericanSocietyofEighteenth Century Studies and the Southeastern American Society of Eighteenth Century Studiesannualconferences. InFall2016,shetaughtArtHistoricalMethodsandIntroductiontoArtHistory,andco-taughtSex,GenderandDisciplines.InFall2017,shewillteachArtofAfrica.

L.M.DUNN@tcu.edu Phone:817-257-6537

Ms.CynthiaShearer(AssistantDirector)coordinatesthecenter'swebpagecontent,documentarystyleguides,andsocialmedia;editsthenewsletter;andassistsfacultywithgrantproposalwriting.Hertwo novels are The Wonder Book of the Air, and The Celestial Jukebox. Her essay on legendaryblueswomanWillieMaeThornton,"TheThinningofBigMama,"appearedinthe2016musicissueofTheOxford American. In the 2016-2017 academic year, Shearer taught multiple sections of a themedintermediatecompositioncourse,ProofandPersuasion:TheRhetoricofScientific Integrity. InFall2017,shewillbeofferingIntroductiontoFictioncourses.

c.shearer@tcu.edu Phone:817-257-6539

Dr. Sidney Thompson has completedhis thirdyearasaWritingConsultantandthecenter’s liaisonwithBriteDivinity.Dr.ThompsonholdsaPh.D.fromtheUniversityofNorthTexasinAmericanfiction,withasecondaryspecializationinAfrican-Americannarratives,andanM.F.A.increativewriting(fiction)fromtheUniversityofArkansas.HeistheauthoroftheshortstorycollectionSideshow.Hisfictionandpoetryhaveappeared in theCarolinaQuarterly, The CortlandReview,Grey Sparrow Journal, Rhino, TheSouthern Review, storySouth, and recently in 2River View, Flock, andWaxwing Literary Journal. In Fall2016,he taughttwosectionsofReadingAsaWriter; inSpring2017,he taught Introductionto CreativeWriting andtwosectionsof Introductionto Composition:WritingAs Inquiry. In the2017-2018academicyear,hewillbeofferingcoursesintheMasterofLiberalArtsprogram:BlackSkin/WhiteLawinAmericanLiterature(Fall2017)andBlackSkintoSilverScreen:TranscendingGenreandRace(Spring2018).

s.thompson@tcu.edu Phone:817-257-6535

SpecialcongratulationstograduatepeerwritingconsultantandCollegeofEducationteachingassistantAmandaAnderson,winnerofthe2017MaryNellKivikkoExcellenceinScholarshipAwardfromtheNorthTexas Writing Centers Association. The Kivikko award recognizes outstanding scholarship in writingcentertheoryandpractice;Anderson'swinningsubmissionwasanessayconsideringtheapplicationsofsolution-focused brief therapy to individualwriting tutorials. Anderson has alsoworked as a researchanalyst/assistantfortheFortWorthIndependentSchoolDistrictandrecentlybroughtoutherfirstbook.

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Leverenzinterview,continued...ArethereanynewdevelopmentsorchangesintheworksforTCU’scompositionprogram?NextyearbothENGL10803and20803areupfortheir7-yearuniversity-mandatedassessmentthatallcoursesinthecoregothrough.SoI’mgoingtotakefulladvantageoftheopportunitytolearnasmuchasIcanabouthowwellourprogramisworkingandhowsatisfiedvariousconstituentsarewiththeprogram,andanyrevisionswedotothecurriculumorpoliciesortrainingwillcomeoutofwhatwelearnfromtheassessment.SomeareasI’minterestedinarethepossibilityofmovingtoportfolioassessment,especiallyforENGL10803,todovetailwithFrogfolio.I’malsothinkingaboutwaystoconnectENGL20803moreexplicitlywiththeNewMediaWritingStudio,whichIwasinvolvedwithforthelast10years.Thereisalreadyalotofmultimodalcomposinggoingonin20803,butitmaybecomeamoreexplicitoutcome.Finally,I’dliketomakemoreconnectionswiththecommunity.I’mnotsurewhatthatwilllooklike,anditmayinvolvetheteachersofwritingmorethanthestudentsin10803or20803,butIthinkitwouldbehelpfultohaveabroaderunderstandingoflanguagedifferenceandculturaldifferencethanTCUalonecanprovide.IalsothinkauniversityandstudentbodywithasmanyresourcesasTCUhasshouldsharethatwealthwiththecommunity,whichbenefitseveryone.

Writing Associates Program Provides 10 Years of Solid Support for Faculty

TCU’sWritingAssociatesProgramisnowenteringitseleventhyearofserving faculty and students in undergraduate courses that heavilyemphasizewriting.Originallyfundedbya2006VisioninActiongrant,thisprogram has had a sustained impact on TCU undergrads over the lastdecade. At the requests of professors, we assign Writing Associates(trained undergraduates, graduate students, or staff) to a class in anydiscipline. This collaboration ensures that professors and students getfocused attention from us; we base writing associate placement ontimelinessoffacultyrequestsandavailablestaff.AssistantDirectorCherylCarithers,whoassignsandcoordinatestheWritingAssociates,says,"Ourgoal is to increase the number of courses and disciplines for which weprovide support." Professors interested in participating in the Fall 2107WritingAssociatesprogramshouldcontactMs.CarithersbyFriday,August11.

Writing Associates, who also serve as peer writing consultants for theCenter forWriting, receiveextensive training fromusandmentoring fromtheprofessorswithwhomtheywork.WritingAssociatesmeetwith students from theirassignedclassesduring their regular tutoring hours, and familiarize otherstaffwith course requirements in advance of student visits to the Center. Associates also have the oportunity to observeexperiencedprofessors incorporateand teachwriting skills. "This programdemonstratesTCU's ongoingcommitment toensuringthatourstudentshaveupper-levelwritingexperiencesthatenhancetheirabilitytothinkcriticallyandtolead, inwhateverdisciplineorprofessionalpaththeyhavechosen,"saysDr.SteveSherwood,directoroftheCenterforWriting.

Inthefallsemesterof2016,fivepeerwritingconsultantsandapart-timestaffmemberservedasWritingAssociatesatTCU.AmandaAguilarworkedwithtwoofDr.MarkDennis'sReligion10023/UnderstandingReligionclasses,andAmandaAndersonwas assigned to ProfessorDennis'sHonors 40033 course,The Nature of Values.MalcolmBaker assistedProfessorDianeHawley with Nursing 30243, Professional Role II: Member of the Healthcare Team. Will Rudnicki served as the WritingAssociate with Danielle Walker's Nursing 30243, and Dariana Slater covered Professor Suki John's Dance 40373/DanceHistory I. Dr. Arch Mayfield was the Writing Associate for two sections of Nursing 40813, Community Health Nursing:Concepts,taughtbyDr.SharonCancliniandDr.GinaAlexander.

For the 2017 spring semester, Amanda Anderson assisted Professor Dennis with Understanding Religion, and OwenWellington assisted him with his Nature of Values course.Malcolm Baker returned to assist Professor Hawley with herNursing30243course,andDr.MayfieldservedagainastheWritingAssociateforProf.CancliniandProf.Alexander'supperlevelcourses.SandyBallouwastheWritingAssociateforProf.DanielleWalker'sNursing30243course.

TheprimarymissionofaWritingAssociateisinstructionalratherthaneditorial.AWritingAssociatewillrespondtowritinginways thathelpstudents tobecomemore awareof their strengths andto learn toovercomeanyweaknesses.WritingAssociatesdonotgradepapers forprofessors; rather, theysupport thecourseoutcomestheprofessorsset forth. IfyouwouldlikemoreinformationaboutworkingwithaWritingAssociateintheclassesyouteachatTCU,pleasecontactDirectorDr.SteveSherwoodats.sherwood@tcu.eduorAssistantDirectorMs.CherylCarithersatc.carithers@tcu.edu.

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Ready, Set . . .Geez, Where Do I Start? 2017 Dissertation and Thesis Boot Camp Set for August 7-10

If youare a TCUgraduate student registered for thesis or dissertation hours in the fall,we'd like to talk toyou!WewillbehostingthesixthannualDissertationandThesisBootCampAugust7-10,2017,attheW.L.AdamsCenterforWriting.Dr.SteveSherwood,directorof theCenter,andDr.CarrieLeverenz,professorofEnglish,will serveasco-directorsof thebootcamp,presentingonvariousaspectsofwriting.

A grad student's ability to complete long, sustainedwritingprojects is a crucial test in professionalism at TCU,where gradprogramsaccount for 14%of thestudentbody.Ourbootcampoffering isastrategically timed,shortbut intensiveprogramsuccessfulinpartbecauseofTCU'scommitmenttosupportitsgradstudents.JointlysponsoredbytheCenteralongwithTCU'sOfficeofGraduateStudiesandResearch'sGEMprogram,thislivelyseriesofdiscussionsandguidedwritingactivitieskicksofftheacademicyearbyensuringthatlate-phasegraduatestudentsestablishrealisticgoalsandagoodsupportsystembeforetherushoftheacademicyearisuponthem.

Another draw for the TCU boot camp is its laid-back format, a relaxed combination of writing readiness self-assessment,significant conversations and discussions, guest speakers, and multiple opportunities to benefit from the experiences ofothers.Someperennialbutcrucialtopicsaddressedinthesesessions:howtoorganizelongprojects,howtosetrealisticgoalsandmanagetime,andhowtoensurehelpful,durable relationshipswithdirectorsandcommittees.Mostgraduatestudentsstrugglewithanessentialquestion:howdoesonestakeafirmclaimtoadequatewritingtime,givenone'sotherpersonalandprofessionalobligations?

Weheld TCU's fifthDissertation and Thesis Boot CampAugust 8-11,2016,with 10 participants in the final stagesof earninggraduatedegrees inEducation,Chemistry,EnvironmentalScience,Geology,History,Music,Psychology,Nursing,ArtHistory,English,andMath.ThegroupmetwithDr.SherwoodandDr.Leverenzeachmorningat9:00a.m.,armedwithlaptopsandlotsofquestions.GuestlunchtimespeakerswereDr.LindsayDunn,writingconsultantandarthistorian,andMs.CynthiaShearer,AssistantDirectorattheCenterforWriting.Manyoftheparticipantsfromthe2016sessionstayedintouchwithusthroughtheacademicyear.Oneparticipantwrote,"Iappreciateallthehelpfultips...itgavemethe'spark'togetthingsstartedthisfall."

For information about the 2017 Dissertation and Thesis Boot Camp (Aug. 7-10), contact Dr. Steve Sherwood via email ats.sherwood@tcu.edu,orDr.CarrieLeverenzatc.leverenz@tcu.edu.

Director’s Notes W.L. Adams Center for Writing In 2016, the center gave 10,000 consultations for the first time in its 28-year history. Based on our springtraffic,we could reach 11,000during 2017.Our steady growthover thepast ten years has nodoubt resultedfrom TCU’s increase in student enrollments and from professors encouraging students to use our services.Hiringtalentedwritingconsultantsandtrainingthemwellmayalsohavehelped.

We emphasize kindness and humility as part of our tutor training. We want our consultants to treat everywriter—whetherfreshmanorfullprofessor—astheywouldliketobetreatedwhenaskingforassistance.Thisattitude begins with our administrative coordinator, Nancy Newsom, who warmly welcomes writers to thecenter,andcontinues inourone-to-oneconsultations.Wepromotehumilitybecauseweworkwithstudents,staff, and professors from 50 disciplines, often on projects involving subject matter with which we areunfamiliar, suchasanesthesiaoreconomic theory. Insuchcases, thewriteroccupies theexpert roleandthe

consultantservesasageneralreader,listeningwithafriendlyear,askingquestions,andofferingadviceonhowthewritercanclarifyhisorher intendedmeaning.We also emphasize humility because noone, including those of uswho haveworked aswriters, consultants, andteachersfordecades,canknoweverythingaboutwriting,tutoring,orteaching.

Associate ProvostBonnieMelhart has repositioned the center under theOffice ofResearch andGraduate Studies, in part becauseof ourincreasing role in assisting advanced graduate students and faculty members. Together they make up more than a quarter of our totalclientele.InpartnershipwithGraduateStudies,wehostanannualthesisanddissertationbootcamp.In2016,tengraduatestudentsfromfiveacademicdisciplinesreceivedwritingadviceandworkedontheirfinalprojects.Dr.CarrieLeverenzandIledtheworkshops,whichfocusedonanumberofwriting-relatedissues.Twenty-fivegraduatestudentshavesofarregisteredforthe2017session,whichwilltakeplaceAugust7-10.

Meanwhile,we continue to focus three-quarters of ourworkon undergraduatewriting.Most years I’m scouting for talented students toserve as writing consultants. To faculty members: please encourage the very best of your student writers to apply by contactingme ats.sherwood@tcu.edu.Also,pleasecontinuetofeelfreetouseourservicesyourselves.Haveagreatyear!