Writing program ranked among best in nation for 10th time by U.S. News & World Report

WSU-writing-program-80PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University has been recognized for the 10th time for having one of the top writing programs in the nation, according to the 2014 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” released last week.

WSU is one of 19 institutions hailed in the “Writing in the Disciplines” category in “Academic Programs to Look For,” (http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/writing-programs?int=bd5ecc) a section that has been part of the annual rankings for 11 years. Those spotlighted in the section represent “schools with outstanding examples of academic programs that are believed to lead to student success.”

WSU-writing-program-400WSU is the only university in the Northwest to make the list for writing, which includes just one other Pac-12 school – Stanford. Others sharing the honor include Brown, Colorado State, Cornell, Duke, Harvard, Kenyon, North Carolina-Raleigh, Princeton, Purdue-West Lafayette, UC Davis and Yale.

“These colleges typically make the writing process a priority at all levels of instruction and across the curriculum,” according to the U.S. News rankings website. “Students are encouraged to produce and refine various forms of writing for different audiences in different disciplines.” Administrators from more than 1,500 schools nominated universities for the ranking.

“This recognition of WSU and its Writing Program at the national level is quite an honor,” said Lisa Johnson, co-director of the program. “It is especially gratifying to have made the top programs list for 10 years. It tells us that other universities see us as pacesetters and leaders in having institutionalized the requirement that our students communicate effectively through their writing.”

“Congratulations must also be extended to the many faculty members throughout our university who work very hard to emphasize and require good writing from the students in their courses,” said Mary F. Wack, vice provost for undergraduate education.

The Writing Program has existed for more than 25 years. It offers peer writing tutors and faculty workshops to share best practices on the assigning and assessing of written materials. It administers writing placement exams and is in charge of the required junior Writing Portfolio project.

Its data on student writers forms the basis for numerous reports, articles published in scholarly journals and presentations delivered at conference and professional meetings.

The program is part of the Office of Undergraduate Education, which serves all students in the university. Peer tutors in its Writing Center host more than 12,000 sessions with students each year.

 

 

 

Contacts:

Lisa Johnson, WSU Writing Program, 509-335-7695, lisaj@wsu.edu

Mary F. Wack, WSU Undergraduate Education, 509-335-8044, mwack@wsu.edu

Beverly Makhani, communications director, WSU Undergraduate Education, 509-335-6679, makhani@wsu.edu