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What is the vision of the Writing Center?
Our vision is to give students opportunities to become stronger writers
by helping them learn about their writing strengths and weaknesses.
They learn to locate problems in their writing and solve them. We want
parents to be confident that students can come to a place that is striving
for academic excellence.
What was the value of creating the center? Critical thinking
and critical writing are vital skills for APU students across the
curriculum. We support students in any writing project and in any
discipline. The center increases in value as we expand our support
to meet the needs of faculty and staff by providing special writing
workshops and resources.
How have you seen students benefit from the Writing Center?
It helps students in their studies and overall in their lives. Students
get excited about their writing projects and tell us that they look
forward to doing them. Their projects reflect better organization
and less grammatical errors, and we see progress in the way they
clearly express their ideas. In addition, it is very rewarding when
my colleagues gratefully tell me that they recognize improvements
in their students’ writing. Also, they express their appreciation
because we give students undivided attention with academic writing.
What partnerships are being developed to strengthen APU writers?
We research similar programs at other universities and colleges
for the purpose of jointly sponsoring writing festivals and other
projects. I attend conferences and take advantage of networking
opportunities with some of Southern California’s top learning
institutions. Also, we hope to reach out to the Azusa-Glendora community
and develop partnerships with local schools and community groups.
What was your reason for accepting the position as director
of APU’s Writing Center? I have a passion for helping
people express themselves clearly so they can communicate what matters
most to them and their audience. A lot of our personal identity
is created when we write. Even in an academic paper, choosing the
research and what goes in or stays out of the text reflects the
writer. I want students to become aware of who they are and how
they communicate. I value the opportunity for genuine self-expression
and clear communication. As students learn to express themselves,
they learn more about themselves.
How do you maintain your teaching skills and writing abilities?
Last year, I was an adjunct professor at APU, and this year, I am
an assistant professor of English. I am writing and receiving feedback
from other writers on my book about sexual purity. Also, I am researching
an anthology of literature, while I explore grant opportunities
for the project. |
