A Better Writing Center Means Better Writing

Annie Mathews assists a student during the writing process.

The McDaniel College Writing Center is facing new changes. Josh Ambrose, the Writing Center’s new director, explained them. This year, the Writing Center is offering a great environment for students, accompanied by better technological tutoring methods and helpful consultants.

The Writing Center

Annie Mathews, a writing center tutor, assists a student during the writing process.

has new computers so students can come to their appointments without needing to print out a copy of their work first. Also, the computers will be used for online consultations with students at McDaniel College in Budapest, Hungary using web cams.

The Writing Center has 15 tutors this year, including graduates and undergraduates of different majors, ranging from Spanish, History, Economics, and English, as well as student athletes.

To schedule an appointment, the Writing Center has a website found at mcdaniel.mywconline.com. Students must first register, log in to the website, and then they can start scheduling appointments.

The Writing Center only allows three appointments per week per student and the appointments cannot be made back-to-back. This is the second semester offering online scheduling, and it has been very useful and helpful. If students have any questions on how to register and schedule appointments, the writing consultants will be happy to help.

The Writing Center is still partnered with the SASS office and, this semester, it is offering different activities for students. One activity they are doing is called “Book Swap,” where students can come give books and take books. They will also have free coffee that day. Also, the tutors are going to be volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club here in Westminster and students are welcome to come; they just have to talk to the Writing Center director.

The Writing Center will also be offering workshops for students. Professors can ask a consultant to come to their class and suggest strategies on writing a strong thesis statement or anything related to writing.

The Center also has a webpage that will have the tutors’ biography, handouts of grammar resources, links to help with writing, and a lot of other interesting tips about writing: WritingCenter.mcdaniel.edu.

The goals this year for the Center are to do the online tutoring for Budapest students, encourage people to attend the Writing Center more often, and help as much as they can so that McDaniel Students can become better writers.

The Writing Center consultants love to help in anything that pertains to writing; it can be a resume, a short essay, or even a fifty-page paper. They are always willing to help with a big smile on their face and handfuls of candy. So, go to the Writing Center located in Room 111 Hill Hall, and I promise that your writing will improve.

Writing consultant, Anne Mathews, added that, “The Writing Center is using these new changes to reach out to the community and make stronger writers, whether that means students on campus, residents of Westminster, or McDaniel students around the globe.”