Washington Student University students in summer classes have online access to specially trained and experienced Writing Center consultants for no-cost help with composition and all other writing needs.
Brooklyn Walter, center director, said that eight consultants are available every weekday to meet with students over Zoom, and can also provide written feedback to emailed drafts from students.
Consultants’ hours are from 10 a.m. til noon, and from 1 to 3 p.m. To first connect, students should simply send a description of their needs to WritingCenter@wsu.edu; a consultant will respond within a day of the inquiry, other than weekends.
“We’re committed to providing quality support to students in whatever format works best for them and we’re excited to offer help online this summer,” said Walter. “WSU students are expected to write in all classes, all programs, and all majors. Writing Center consultants are eager to work with students as they think, write, and communicate for all of their classes.”
Well prepared consultants
Consultants are peer tutors who have worked for the center for a least a year, relate well to others needing help, and are from diverse majors. This summer’s consultants are undergraduates in math education, criminal justice, creative writing, psychology, and English. One recently graduated in animal science and will enter the College of Veterinary Medicine for studies in the fall. Being from many majors, they train each other on the nuances of writing in different disciplines, said Walter.
Their training is ongoing. New consultants spend 15 hours in hands-on training before taking a class to learn theories and practices of writing center work. Each semester following, they participate in 7-10 hours of additional professional development. Since the transition to online classes this past March, center staff and consultants have specially sought to learn best practices to provide online and remote writing support. During a typical academic year, the center hosts around 8,000 student-help sessions.
All WSU campuses have a center that provides writing support, said Walter, and most are operating in some capacity this summer.
“We encourage faculty and students to check out the resources on their campus, but we welcome all WSU students to utilize the online Pullman resources, as necessary,” she said.
Graduate Writing Center also offering help
Lisa Johnson Shull, interim director of The Writing Program, noted that the Graduate Writing Center (GWC) is also offering assistance for graduate and professional students over the summer. Those seeking help should check the GWC website for available online appointments.
Part of DAESA
The Writing Center in Pullman is part of The Writing Program, a unit in the Division of Academic Engagement and Student Achievement in the provost’s office. The center has been open to students for nearly three decades, helping with every type of writing need–from understanding assignments to composing essays, editing, and more. Consultants are key to the success of the center and provide the highest level of no-cost service to all undergraduates, said Walter.
For more information, visit the center’s website.
