While reading through a paper that took all night to complete, one may find many spelling mistakes and grammatical errors; however, often times it is difficult to catch one’s own mistakes because they do not appear incorrect.
To prevent these “little mistakes” from remaining in papers and to work on more significant issues that writers face, like thesis framework and organization of ideas, Fairfield University provides students with the Writing Center. Here, other students peer edit assignments in order to help writers work towards perfection.
Dr. David Sapp, an English professor at Fairfield, has recently become the new director of the Writing Center. Although Sapp has been at Fairfield for ten years, this is his first time working at the Fairfield Writing Center. He has, however, worked for writing centers in the past at two other universities. There are currently four faculty members in the Writing Center administration and they rotate responsibilities.
While some students are shy or think that the Writing Center is only for students who are struggling, Sapp explains that some of the best students go to the Writing Center because these are the “students that are trying to be even better by taking the extra step.” Getting help from the Writing Center “shows extra effort to teachers,” explains Sapp. Students demonstrate that they “finish their paper early, get feedback, and try their best.”
About 15 years ago, the Writing Center transitioned from being faculty-run to having student tutors. These tutors are required to take a course entitled Writing and Responding. Once they have completed the class, the students can then apply to be tutors. They go through a seven-stage interview process. In the end, ten students are chosen as paid tutors to work ten hours a week.
The tutors come from different academic backgrounds. One of the many jobs they find themselves doing is working with students who speak English as a second language. The Writing Center is not exclusive to undergraduates; tutors also help graduate students from time to time.
Sean Savage ‘11 started working at the Writing Center during his first semester of junior year. He explains that he enjoys “helping students that seem really stressed out and leave self-confident.” Savage is an English major and is exploring the possibility of teaching. He encourages students by stating, “don’t come in thinking you’re a bad writer.”
Hillary Taverna ‘12 is a new tutor for the Writing Center. She aspires to attend graduate school here and eventually teach high school. Taverna explains, “People can be really frustrated with an assignment when all they need is another set of eyes. We are just here to help students organize.”
Taverna described her positive experience with Sapp as the new director thus far. “I think he is doing a really good job at organizing everything. The professional development programs that the administration is working on are to improve the Writing Center and encourage more people to come.”
Sapp is excited to be the director because of the opportunity to work with students that it provides. Sapp describes the Writing Center as an “important service to students” that “supplements teaching in the classroom.” He explains that it “helps students learn about being a successful student.”
The Writing Center is located in Donnarumma 255 and is currently open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Services are provided by appointment only and can be made online at http://www.fairfield.edu/writingcenter.
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