The Writing Center’s Partnership in Uganda Launch Talk

By: Trixie Smith

Back in 2018 I had my first experiences with Leadership Fellows from across the African continent through the Alliance for African Partnership. It was then that I met Professor Fredrick Muyodi from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, College of Natural Sciences. It was also then that we started talking about establishing a writing center at Makerere. Through other AAP programs over the next couple of years, I also met Professor Ronald Bisaso from the College of Education, and Stella Kakeeto, a research manager with the College of Health Sciences. They too were dreaming of a writing center at Makerere University. In 2022, we had the opportunity through support from the US Embassy in Uganda to work together to start making that dream a reality. In March of 2023, Dr. Grace Pregent and I traveled to Makerere to help launch this new writing center and to work with faculty from across the university. I was asked to say a few words at the ceremonial launch and I share them with you now.

I am professor Trixie Smith and it is so good to be here at Makerere University and to play a small role in the university’s commitment to moving towards the future of a research-led university. First I want to thank the team here that we have been working with, Prof Muyodi, Dr. Ronald Bisaso, and Ms. Stella Kakeeto, as well as a great team of Research and Administrative Assistants—Charles, MaryAnn, and Aisha. Thanks as well for the warm greetings and support from the VC, the DVC for Academic Affairs, and the Director of Research and Graduate Studies. In fact every one we’ve encountered has been warm and inviting.

I bring greetings from Michigan State University, my home for the past 16 years, I also extend greetings from my colleague Dr. Grace Pregent who is also on this trip, and my colleagues back home with the Alliance for African Partnership, Ms Ann Allegra and co-director Dr. José Jackson-Malete, who was the first person to introduce me to Makerere University and Prof Muyodi. It is an honor for all of us to be involved in this project and in this launch.

Makerere University has announced through its 2020-2030 strategic plan that it “ is committed to providing transformative and innovative teaching, learning, research and services responsive to dynamic national and global needs.” This vision includes strategic partnerships in research and industry, as well as the community, and the development of students in every area. Just like Makerere, at Michigan State we too have a new strategic plan dedicated to change by 2030. Michigan State is focused on three things: 1. empowering excellence, 2. advancing equity, and 3. expanding impact. We also acknowledge that one of the ways we can accomplish these goals is through engaged partnerships both locally and globally. Partnerships such as this one with Makerere University where we can collaborate with stellar researchers and visionaries, where we can work together to build on the abundant strengths you have here, and where we can conduct research together that is important to a global audience as well as a local one. It also means student and faculty exchanges, learning from and with each other at every level from undergraduate student to senior faculty leaders.

I have been directing university writing centers for 20 years, but I started many years before that as a peer tutor, when I was an undergraduate student finishing my BA degree in English and my BS in Education. One of my mentors along this journey, advanced a model of what she called complementary expertise, which is particularly salient in the writing center. Writers are their own best experts about their writing, their projects, their research, their goals, but they come to the writing center to work collaboratively with others who have expertise in areas such as research, writing, grant applications, and presentations. Working together both individuals learn and grow and become even better versions of themselves, they complement each other. That is our shared goal for a writing center here at Makerere University. We think this writing center and the programs organized by and run through the center can be a model for the East African region and beyond, an important part of Makerere’s goals and visions for being innovative and transformative and increasing its visibility around the globe.

In my 30+ years of teaching writing and working in writing centers, I have seen their transformative power—for individual writers, researchers, and teachers, as well as for programs and curricula. Focusing on writing and the needs of writers, no matter their level or type of writing, can open up new opportunities for networking, for influencing readers and researchers, for making connections in the community and beyond. Writing is a tool that cuts across colleges and disciplines, it can also cut across identity markers such as gender, age, and citizenship. It can, it does, provide forums and platforms for new discoveries and solutions, whether we’re thinking about food security or the effects of climate change on our planet. Whether we’re thinking about the role of play in literacy learning for our children or the role of education in keeping people healthy. And on and on—writing’s importance never diminishes.

I’m excited and honored to be a part of this launch and to have the opportunity to work with so many of you in the upcoming days and months, and hopefully for many years to come. Thank you.

31 Questions with Bethany Meadows, our Graduate Assistant Director | AMA Series

1. What would you say is one of your biggest career goals? Have you hit it yet?

I’d say my career goals shift frequently as I learn more about academia, the world, and myself. So, while I don’t have a specific career I have to have, what has remained constant is I want to be in a career where I 1) feel challenged but tasks are achievable, 2) there’s room for personal growth, and 3) I’m making a difference in the world. I’d say I’ve already had many careers that satisfy those conditions, including working in this writing center!

2. At staff meetings, I’ve noticed that your laptop screen has a color tint/palette that I don’t often see. I’ve been curious to ask about this but haven’t gotten a chance to ask you what the color palette is and what motivates you to use this palette over other light and black mode versions?

I use the Night Shift function on my Mac, which adds an orange tint to block out blue light. I also use dark mode on my browsers and such too. I use it because I spend most of my day looking at screens, and it helps my body feel less icky at the end of the day.

3. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?

I am down for almost all flavors. My favorite flavor is offered one month out of the year at Graeter’s Ice Cream and is banana chocolate chip. For more everyday life, I like cookie dough or mint chocolate chip.

4. When did you know you wanted to pursue a PhD?

I didn’t ???? I’d say that when I chose to pursue a PhD, it was a really complex decision. I’ve written a lot about it in my scholarship, and the TL;DR would be that I went into the PhD without a lot of other options due to the pandemic, and I may have always made that choice in different circumstances, but it would be hard to tell. Regardless, I’m here now and I’ve learned so much and met so many wonderful people, and for that, I’m grateful.

5. Who has been most influential in helping you choose your career path?

That’s a good question. I don’t think I’ve chosen just one career path forever, but I have had a lot of wonderful people in my life as I have gone forth. For instance, the different chairs I’ve had on my theses/dissertation have been extremely helpful and thoughtful folks. Also, my best friend has listened to me say, “I think I want to go into [new thing],” at 2am since college. My partner is always there to talk ideas through and remind me to stay true to my values.

6. What is your dream car?

I don’t know if I have a dream car, but I one day would love to have a non-Tesla, plug-in electric car.

7. If you were to choose a different first name for yourself, what would it be and why?

When I was 17 and self-published a novel, I didn’t want to use my real name so that no one would find me, and I wanted the name to be more gender-inclusive than gender-specific. So, I went into a round-a-bout way of making a pseudonym where I went from Bethany > Beth > Elizabeth > Eli. In the end, I went with Eli for that experience, and that’s the name I still use often while gaming. 

8. How do you categorize games? And what’s your favorite in each category?

Broadly, I’d categorize them by if I had fun or not playing, but I also have a whole organizational system for my board games too. For example, each of my games is in a self-contained zipper pouch with a label. All those games are organized into bins, and I have a spreadsheet that lists them all. I built a bot to also help you chose a game when you wanted to play it. The categories I have on the spreadsheet and my favorite game in each are…

1. Co-Op (The Crew)
2. Party (Jackbox Games)
3. Word (Catch Phrase)
4. Strategy (Euchre)
5. Fast/Timed (Sushi Go)

9. What is your favorite video game/board game?

That changes all the time with my ADHD hyperfocus times. That said, some longstanding favorites are the Sims, Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, Overcooked, Catch Phrase, and Euchre.

10. Which Writing Center scholar has influenced you (your thinking, work, research) the most?

This is such a tough, but good question. I’ve read and listened to so many works that have changed my thinking. Overall, I think Nick Sanders is someone who has had a ton of influence on my thinking, work, and research. He is a great mentor and friend who always pushes me and the field to be better, and he is immensely thoughtful and a great listener and collaborator.

11. What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?

I’d say my house. I’m not sure if that counts fully since the bank bought it, but over time as I pay the bank back, it’ll definitely be the most expensive thing.

12. Google states that the opposite of “coming” is “going”, and I disagree as they are synonyms in my opinions, but what are your thoughts on this?

This is really interesting. At first, I see that Google was building a binary between the two terms, but with your insight that they might not be antonyms, I am reconsidering. In one sense, a person can only physically be in one place at a time, so in that way, they must go in order to arrive elsewhere. However, in a deeper sense, that binary is unhelpful, as someone can occupy both simultaneously, especially depending on the scope (e.g., macro- or micro-level) that one views their actions. Ultimately, I see both perspectives and would say that I’m coming around to the synonyms viewpoint while going away from the antonyms side.

13. What’s the first thing you do in the morning?

Check my phone

14. What’s your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

Venti Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso with Soy Milk

15. How do you take your coffee (or tea)?

I always drink coffee with multiple shots of espresso, as per question 14. If I’m not drinking that and it’s coming from a pot, I get a little sad (because it’s not my shaken espresso) and try to remedy that with a pack of Splenda and some cream.

16. What’s your morning routine like?

That depends on the morning, but I’d generally say that it looks like the following…

1. Wake up naturally around 8am
2. Check my phone for notifications
3. Get up and take the pups out
4. Take a shower and get ready for the day
5. Take pups out again and feed them
6. Check my email and Slack on the big computer

17. Describe your personal style in three words.

Comfy, dark-winter palette

18. What’s your favorite fashion trend of all time?

I’m not sure, as I’m not really into fashion; however, I think the more recent uptick in fashion that is more “do what makes you happy” is a great, more inclusive trend I love.

19. What’s your go-to outfit for a casual day out?

Jeans, flip flops, T-shirt/sweatshirt (depending on weather)

20. How would you describe your perfect day?

That’s a great question, as I one don’t really believe in the idea of perfect.  I tend to find that the best days of my life are ones that I could only recognize in hindsight rather than predict them. Some examples of those best days include when my hockey team won their first playoff series and I was there to see it, when I had 20 friends in my MA gathered at my small apartment right a week before the pandemic hit, or when I get to return home to see my mom after being apart for a long time.

21. What’s the most inspiring book you’ve ever read?

I’ve read so many amazing books. I think one of the ones that sticks most with me is Dixon and Piepzna-Samarasinha’s Beyond Survival and Harris and Linder’s Intersections of Identity and Sexual Violence on Campus.

22. What’s your favorite movie of all time?

My favorite movie if I need to cry is Saving Private Ryan. My favorite movie if I need to laugh is Waking Ned Divine.

23. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I’d love to live where I do now in Lansing, but maybe in a context where we, as a country, have less repressive political contexts and global warming response has been prioritized.

24. What’s your favorite way to unwind after a long day?

Talking to my partner and friends, hopefully over food and games

25. What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?

This was a really tough question that I outsourced to my friends. They told me some facts would be 1) I was once (as I can best describe) electrocuted/struck by lighting while inside my own apartment [I was fine after but a bit stressed] and 2) that I have a background in Public Relations and serve(d) as Social Media Director for quite a few businesses and organizations.

26. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

It was from a therapist from over five-years ago when I was feeling a lot of things about writing and teaching. She said, “Just because writing or teaching can always be improved, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t already great to begin with.”

27. If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Be a person who future-you doesn’t mourn or feel guilty about.

28. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

I’d want a superpower that doesn’t cause me extra stress by needing to be a “hero,” so I think I’d pick being able to be like Eliza Thornberry and talk with my pets.

29. What’s the last song you listened to?

All of Noah Kahan’s latest album, but particularly “You’re Gonna Go Far”

30. If you weren’t in your current profession, what career would you pursue?

Maybe midwifery or being an OBGYN 

31. What’s your favorite travel destination you’ve been to so far?

Florence, Italy

Fostering an Accessible Environment within the Writing Center

By: Abby Wisniewski

In January, I suffered an injury that would change the course of my college career. It was instantaneous; I went from being able to walk to navigating the world in a wheelchair. It was a rough transition, but I learned from it. The truth is, disabled people live in a world custom-fit for non-disabled people. The digital world and the physical world often prioritize the demands of non-disabled individuals. This is interesting, given that disability is one of the only identity markers that can happen to anyone at any given time.

I once had a professor tell me that you either are born with a disability or you will die with a disability. At the time, I didn’t quite know what she meant by this. However, the bluntness of her words stuck with me. Now, I see that she is absolutely right; everyone will have a form of disability at some point in their lives. It is inevitable, but completely normal.

There are a lot of spaces on campus that fail to accommodate physically disabled individuals. I was thankful for the elevator, ramps, and handicap buttons in Bessey Hall that reminded me how we can all do more to improve accessibility. These features may not seem imperative to the building, but to people with limited mobility, they mean everything. It shows that even a building constructed over 60 years ago is capable of improvements that accommodate disabilities.

One of my favorite aspects of the Writing Center at MSU is the continued support given to persons with disabilities. It’s important that we offer multimodal ways of communicating because not all modes of communication are accessible to everyone. As consultants, we must expect disability within our work and strive to best accommodate the needs of every writer. We must work to amplify the voices of disabled writers and challenge our own perspectives when it comes to disability. We must recognize different forms of disability and understand the intersectionalities that may occur within disability. When accessibility is prioritized, it benefits everyone.

Disney’s Magic in Writing Center Consulting  

By: Rebecca Hallman

I often find myself tying what I had learned while being a Disney World cast member to my work as a writing center consultant. One example of this is the Walt Disney Company has a concept called the five keys which are the guiding principles to being a successful cast member. These are safety, courtesy, show, efficiency, and inclusion. As I reflect on my practice as a consultant at the Writing Center, I often find that many of these principles shape how I consult with the writers who come in to work with me. 

The first principle is safety. When I was a lifeguard, this was an extremely literal physical sense, but as a consultant, I find I relate to it more in the emotional sense. I want to make sure writers who collaborate  with me feel secure in the space, so the entire consultation is based on their comfort level. For example, I ask writers if I can read their work out loud, this allows them to decide who they feel comfortable sharing with and still have control over their writing. It also gives them safety in an emotional sense. 

The second key is courtesy, which is very easy to include in my practice. One of the essential activities I do in a consultation is encouraging. I was  taught that good feedback always finds ways to support growth through positivity. Throughout my consultations, I am sure to tell writers what a great job they are doing and I usually end the consultation by saying that they should be very proud of their work. This key’s application is just being kind to the people that I get to work with. 

Show, in terms of the Walt Disney Company, means that we are making sure that people who are in the park are fully immersed in the story. For example, if you are in a Star Wars-themed land, you use language that might be used in a galaxy extremely far away. In my writing center practice, it means the space I am operating in is inviting. The writing center space as a whole is great with the bright colors and lots of snacks, but if you venture over to my table, I try to keep an organized space. When I bring a person back into my space to work, I make sure there is a chair open for them to sit, and I always greet them with a wave and a smile. Lastly, I always make sure there are fidgets, pens, chargers, and anything they might need for support. 

In a 50 minute appointment, efficiency is essential. I maintain efficiency by ensuring the first item we will address is the writer’s desired objectives, which I can assist with. . From this, we can create an agenda to keep us on schedule and be accountable for our goals. This also allows for us to  keep the appointment running smoothly.With each departure, the writer experiences a sense of progress towards their goals. 

The final and most important key is inclusion. This idea, similar to when I worked for Disney, is tied into everything that I do. When people come into the writing center space, I want to ensure that they feel welcomed and included. This means giving writers autonomy over their language, as supported by our language statement. The writing center is a place for everyone, and I hope to continue to develop this through my work. 

 In the end, the topics and skills, such as the five keys I learned at Disney, do have a real world application, and I am actively applying them to my work, whether I am conscious of it or not. While I may call these principles by a different name, they are often reflected in the work of every consultant in the writing center. We strive to meet these goals for our writers who come in and work with us. Through these guiding principles, I feel I am able to work as an excellent writing center consultant. 

31 Questions with Dr. Trixie Smith, Director of Global Alliances in Literacy and Engagement  | AMA Series

This blog was updated May 2024 as Dr.Trixie Smith stepped down from her role as Director of the Writing Center in 2024 to transition into the role of Director of Global Alliances in Literacy and Engagement.

1. What’s your favorite ceiling tile in the Writing Center’s Bessey location?

I can’t pick one.  I love the diverse ways consultants have chosen to represent themselves, writing, and their time in the center.  My favorite thing about the tiles is the impact they have on people when they make their in-person visit to 300 Bessey. 

2. What’s the most surprising change you’ve seen in the WC ?

I’m still surprised by how much COVID-19 affected our numbers in terms of staff.  We’ve been rebuilding our numbers, but also had 20 consultants graduate this spring/summer, so we’ll keep rebuilding. 

3. Pancakes or waffles?

I love them both, but usually pick pancakes first. 

4. What historical person do you want on your team in the event of a Zombie apocalypse?

Alice from the Resident Evil movies; unless you mean non-fiction and then I’ll go for Ida B. Wells.

5. If you could have any historical figure come to the MSU Writing Center—either just to observe, or even as a writer—who would it be and why?

Toni Morrison because she had so many smart things to say about writing, her novels have so many layers to them, and I’d love to meet her.

6. What’s your favorite thing about directing MSU’s writing center?

The diversity of consultants and writers who come through our programs—they’re all doing such interesting things and I continue to learn from them daily.

7. In an alternate universe where you aren’t a WC director, what do you think you might be doing as a job?

My alternative career is as a midwife; sometimes I still consider it as a retirement plan.

8. Most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?

My house!

9. What is a favorite moment from your time at the Writing Center?

One of my favorites is our first partnership with folks in southern Africa because that one encounter has led to so many other partnerships, engagements, friends, co-researchers, etc. 

10. What is your funniest story from working in the Writing Center?

One of my funniest memories was making a public relation video in the WC.  We were trying to do it in one take, and the media team had practiced many times to prepare, but then we hired Sparty to add to the mix and hadn’t rehearsed with him and it seemed to throw everyone off.  We had a lot of fun and laughs that day. Here’s the Outtakes video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7AVEuO_xgM&t=23s

11. What do you think the Writing Center will be like in ten years?

Still helping writers in even more diverse ways and probably with even more community partnerships, both locally and globally. 

12. Is a pop tart a sandwich?

No, it’s a pastry!

13. What are your pets’ names?

Sunshine, Hazel, and Lily.

14. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

It’s easier to get forgiveness than permission.

15. What is the one thing people always misunderstand about you?

I’ve been told I can be hard to read sometimes and when I ask people to explain, it’s usually about times when I was just trying to really listen, to pay full attention to what someone was telling me both with their words, their omitted words, and their body language. 

16. What is one thing you’ve always wanted to try but never had the courage to do?

I’ve always wanted to try parasailing, especially at the beach.  I’ve never really had the opportunity, so I don’t know if courage is an issue or not, lol. 

17. With the emergence of new technologies over the past decades, how have you seen the Writing Center change and adapt? 

As a team who works with writers, we know we’ll see all of the new technologies in writers’ projects and assignments, so we work together to think about how these technologies can help us support writers, how these different technologies may create problems or confusion, as well as new genres and modes of communication, and what technology has become obsolete.

18. What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?

I once had a male student in an Intro to Women’s Studies course who challenged me and his classmates at every turn all semester.  A couple of weeks before the end of the term, he told me that he was mad at me.  When I asked why, he said that my course was making him have to think about things before he spoke (or acted).  I took that as a supreme compliment. 

19. If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Teleporting. Would also settle for a flying carpet like Aladdin’s : )

20. What is the best thing you’ve ever eaten?

That’s really hard because I love food.  In home-cooked food, I’d say my mom’s fried chicken and homemade mac ‘n cheese; in food bought out, I’d say lasagna with fresh-made spinach pasta at a little place in NYC. 

21. What is your favorite book?

Geek Love by Katherine Dunn.  It’s so queer and layered and interesting.

22. If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be?

My daughter, so I could really understand what goes on in her life and in an average day at school for her. 

23. What is your favorite quote?

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” ― Toni Morrison

24. What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

Agreeing to be a foster parent. 

25. What’s your biggest pet peeve?

People who don’t practice what they preach.

26. If you could have dinner with any three people, living or dead, who would they be?

My MawMaw, my Dad, and my Uncle J.C. 

27. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

The opportunity to adopt my daughter!

28. What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned about love?

You have to give it freely, absolutely no strings attached. 

29. What do you think is the key to a successful life?

Treating others as human beings with complex, intersectional lives and experiences. And expecting the same back.

30. What’s your favorite way to relax after a long day?

Play a game with my wife, particularly with drinks and snacks alongside. 

31. What’s the one thing you cannot leave the house without?

My phone usually. 

Anna’s Journey into the Writing Center

By: Anna LePage

I joined the MSU Writing Center at the beginning of 2023, after having taken the required course for prospective undergraduate consultants. That class was WRA 395, and as I reflect on my experience, it remains one of the most transformative courses that I’ve taken throughout my college career, both academically and personally. One of the first weeks of the semester, we had a reading from a book called Out in the Center: Public Controversies and Identity Politics in Writing Center Theory and Practice. Fresh-eyed and brand new to the field of writing center studies, we struggled through a discussion on the complexities of identity, power, and privilege, and a central tension underlying writing centers: we are a limb of a broader academic institution, but the kind of work we do often compels us to resist norms of the very institution to which we belong. How can we uphold the convictions of our Language Statement when a writer’s professor, their discipline, or the university as a whole is committed to the idea of one correct English usage? Questions like these still linger.

Coming from outside the English or Writing and Rhetoric departments, I approached WRA 395 with a measured distance. I was aware of my lack of knowledge of writing center practice, and my minimal understanding of (some of) the theories that underpin it. In retrospect, though much of my initial lack of knowledge remains, taking WRA 395 and then moving onto the MSU Writing Center has sparked a personal excavation of literacy, knowledge, and power, in ways that extend far beyond the writing center-proper. Skills that are cultivated through working at writing centers — thinking critically about one’s positionality, reading against the grain, and engaging ethically with the “Other” — are transferable, and indeed fundamental, to other areas of life. Writing center studies bridge a wide range of fields and disciplines: writing and rhetoric, certainly, but also pedagogy, linguistics, social justice, history, philosophy, critical theory, etc.

Back to that work we read in the beginning of the semester, I remember it resonating with me when we first encountered it in September, reading the introduction section of the eponymous book, but I wasn’t fully conscious of why. It is only now that I realize how rhetorically rich it is. There are many possible interpretations, but for me, post-WRA 395, it expresses the porosity of the borders between the writing center proper, the wider institution, and most importantly, the world. To be “out in the writing center” is to be enmeshed in all three, simultaneously, and to have those difficult conversations — and the messiness that that sometimes entails is part of the gig. Perhaps, even, it is where transformation can take place.

Fostering Global Collaborations at the United States-Africa University Partnerships Initiative Summit 

By: Grace Pregent

This February the United States-Africa University Partnerships Initiative Summit brought together partners from public, private, and civil spheres to engage in building sustainable Global North-Global South coalitions. It was a two-day event hosted by the University of Pretoria, and I was honored to represent the Writing Center at Michigan State University. This was my first time in South Africa, and I particularly valued staying at the innovative Future Africa Campus along with other delegates. Each day we walked to the conference facility through the campus gardens, which were designed to highlight how an urban landscape can be utilized as a food resource. 

Participants engaged in dialogue around experiences and lessons learned from collaborative higher education initiatives invested in by the United States Department. The theme was “Equitable and Sustainable Partnerships for Impact,” and in his presentation, Dean Steven Hanson shared about MSU’s extensive history in collaborating with African higher education institutions (fun fact: I learned that out of the 76 languages taught at MSU, 30 are African languages). He also shared about the grant-funded project on developing writing and research capacity led by Co-PIs from the Writing Center and Makerere University in Uganda. I met our Co-PI from Makerere, Prof. Fredrick Muyodi, in person for the first time as we engaged in the conference with several members of MSU’s Alliance for African Partnerships (AAP). 

While attending the summit, I also visited with the University of Pretoria’s Humanities Writing Center (HWC) and Unit for Academic Literacy. Dr. Avasha Rambiritch (HWC Coordinator) and Prof. Pineteh Angu (Director and Associate Professor in the Unit for Academic Literacy) generously hosted me, Prof. Muyodi, and MSU WRAC graduate student Tshepang Mashiloane for lunch and a tour of their writing center. While participating in a roundtable, I learned more about writing centers in the South African context and the grant-funded research taking place at the HWC through video recording consultations and thematically considering culturally cognizant consulting practices. For example, Dr. Rambiritch and the consultants shared about enriching consulting sessions with multilingual metaphors that honor the many languages spoken by their writers and about considering the construct of writing centers as “global villages.” Going forward, we’re keen to work with the HWC on a comparative study of effective writing consultations that would decenter Western practices and ways of working with writers. We also hope to host Dr. Rambiritch as a visiting scholar at Michigan State in the near future (stay tuned).

Since joining the Writing Center in 2019, I have been amazed by the breadth of the Center’s partnerships across communities. Working alongside multiple campus partners including AAP, the African Studies Center, Canadian Studies Center, and the Education Abroad Office, we’re fostering intentional and reciprocal collaborations that offer faculty, staff, students, and community members opportunities to connect across cultures through writing. Together we’re thinking in complex ways about global community making, with all its possible exciting effects, while keeping in mind the potential harm caused by globalization without respect for difference and local context. 

This work energizes me, and with renewed enthusiasm following the summit, I’m excited for the collaborative writing and research possibilities continuing and coming next for the Writing Center at Michigan State and our partners. We have so much to learn from each other. 

Reaping the Benefits of an Interdisciplinary Degree as a Writing Consultant

By: Re’Anna Limmitt

Pursuing an undergraduate major in Interdisciplinary Studies really has paid off. I always grew up being inquisitive and never wanted to be tied down to one discipline. I went from Criminal Justice, to Chemistry, to, eventually, Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science with a concentration in Health and Society. This major allowed for me to explore a variety of disciplines in social science and gave me the flexibility to create my own schedule. I took classes in anthropology, psychology, epidemiology, and many more. But I always wondered what job role could I apply all of these aspects in? As much as organizations appreciate well-rounded individuals, the position they hire them in is usually based in one field. Thankfully, I came across a job opening with the Writing Center at Michigan State University (MSU) and being a writing consultant has allowed me to appreciate my diverse academic background immensely.

The Writing Center at MSU provides one-on-one and group writing consultations, various writing-specific workshops, as well as writing groups for graduate students and faculty. As a writing consultant, I am able to collaborate with many individuals on various writing pieces (e.g academic essays, professional documents, etc.). I have interacted with students from different colleges and majors, and was able to relate to their material from prior enrollment in a same, or similar, course as them. I remember one student made an appointment to seek improvement on an essay for a bioethics course. It was so rewarding for me to be able to provide greater insight on the context, such as including bioethical principles applicable to the topic, given that I took several courses in bioethics. I never thought I would be able to build on these subjects  following graduation.

Not only has the Writing Center afforded me with excellent writing and communicating abilities, but it also allowed me to enhance my academic background. Although I took a multitude of different courses in undergrad, there were some individuals who brought in writing pieces from a discipline I haven’t explored and allowed me to gain so much insight from one consultation. The Writing Center at MSU is a magnificent place filled with diverse consultants from different disciplines and I cherish the interdisciplinary space to be able to consult  across curriculums.