Words can be a tough tool to master, especially in college where students want the high grades and they have to cater to high expectations to get them. Writing essays can be one of the hardest tasks in college, especially for students trying to get into the swing of a new year, but Catawba College has an ace. In the Catawba College Writing Center, students have an opportunity to talk through an essay or other writing assignment with an undergrad tutor for free.
The Writing Center has one primary goal—to help students become better writers. Dr. Margaret Stahr, director of the Writing Center, stresses how much the Center is catered towards the students. “What happens in the Writing Center stays in the Writing Center. It’s all about the student and what goals the student has for that session.” Last year, the Center had astounding success. With 32% of the student body using the center at least once, and over 800 appointments made and kept, many students utilized the Writing Center multiple times a semester. “All of our tutors are really passionate,” says senior Ashley Everidge. “Some of us are future educators.” The sessions focus around school assignments usually, so the students working in it are there to help the writer cater their work to what their professor is asking for. The Center offers appointment times lasting from twenty minutes up to an hour.
Why wouldn’t a student try to use the Center? They offer twenty-minute brainstorming sessions where a first draft is not necessary—all that a student is expected to provide is the assignment information and an eagerness to try. “The Writing Center is for everyone,” argues Anna Fields, a junior starting her second year of tutoring. “It helps with any stage of development, and it’s an especially helpful tool in outlining or starting to write. I love working brainstorming sessions.” A student’s time is a valuable resource, and talking through ideas for an assignment is a much better use of it than spending hopeless hours in front of a computer with no real progress. “No staring at blank screens!” Dr. Stahr insists.
The students seeking aid can use the Center for non-English classes as well. Dr. Buster Smith, assistant Professor of Sociology, promotes using the center for essays in his classes. “I see that students can earn a grade 5-10% higher when they use the Writing Center for an essay.” Dr. Smith uses his first assignment for his lower-level classes as a way to encourage the students to use the Center by only offering full credit for the essay to students that make an appointment for help.
The Writing Center is now open for the 2015-2016 school year! While making an appointment with a tutor is a simple process online at www.catawba.edu/writingcenter, the Center also has hours scheduled for walk-ins at the Writing Center room in the administration building during the week days, and a private meeting room in the library on week nights. Writing essays may be an intimidating facet of college life, but at the Writing Center, Catawba students can make it a breeze.
