February may just be the busiest month yet for the Howe Writing Center. Not only have Graduate Writing Hours begun, guided by new programming introduced to further develop the community and collaborative aspects of writing, but several HCWE staff are attending multiple conferences in Illinois, New York, and even Trondheim, Norway.

Graduate Writing Hours Return with New Programming

Graduate Writing Hours have officially begun for the Spring 2023 semester! Graduate Writing Hours take place each Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., in-person in King Library 133 and remotely via Zoom.

In addition to the traditional format, the Howe Writing Center has ways to asynchronously support writers in the weeks ahead, including the Write With Me Blog–written by graduate students for graduate students–a shared calendar for goal setting, a progress log to set goals and track progress, and a rewards system to earn prizes.

It’s not too late to get signed up. Take advantage of the powerful community that writing together can create by RSVPing to Graduate Writing Hours. More information about this new programming can be found on the Howe Writing Center’s website.

Write With Me Blog Articles:

• “Leaning into My Inner Boss” by Ahjah Marie Johnson
• “Validation and Motivation: How Gamifying the Writing Process Helps Me Work” by Emma Boddy

Conferences and Professional Development Across States and Borders

Several HCWE staff, including Directors Elizabeth Wardle, Lizzie Hutton, and Graduate Assistant Directors Destiny Brugman, Rena Perez, and Emma Boddy, traveled to Chicago, Illinois for the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC). The theme for this year is “Doing Hope in Desperate Times.” In addition to the regular conference activities and presentations, the Howe Center for Writing Excellence and Miami University English Department sponsored a reception at The Berghoff Restaurant for all Miami University graduate students, alumni, and prospective graduate students.

Wardle will present at CCCC with former Howe graduate assistant Angela Glotfelter and Miami alum Jennifer Maher on the Miami Writing Institute in a panel titled “Reaching Beyond the Academy to Change Public Conceptions of Writing.” Mandy Olejnik and Will Chesher with Howe Writing Across the Curriculum will share this work beyond the US, traveling to Trondheim, Norway for the Writing Research Across Borders Annual Conference. Olejnik and Chesher are presenting research on behalf of the Miami Writing Institute with a panel titled “Reaching Beyond the Academy: Drawing on Empirical Research to Change Public Conceptions of Writing.” 

Prior to the CCCC, Lizzie Hutton and Emma Boddy presented research at the International Writing Centers Association Collaborative at DePaul University in Chicago about models of writing support that build community among graduate students.

Olejnik is also presenting dissertation research at WRAB in a session titled “Conceptualizing Graduate Faculty as Learners: Findings on Expertise in Mentoring Graduate Writing.” In this session, she situates graduate faculty members as learners, shares the results of a national survey, and makes an argument for providing more faculty development work centered around graduate-level writing.

Additionally, coming up in March, Josh Louis will be traveling to Syracuse, New York for the New York College Learning Skills Association (NYCLSA) annual symposium, with this year’s theme being “All our Voices: We Are Better Together.” Louis, who previously called central New York home before coming to Miami in August 2022, has been a board member with NYCLSA since 2017, having served as Communications Officer and Hub Representative for the northern and northeastern part of the state. Other Miami University staff are presenting at NYCLSA’s conference as well, including Heather Morrow and Ghada Mhadi with the Rinella Learning Center.

The upcoming months promise to be an exciting, informative, and potentially transformative time for the Howe Center for Writing Excellence. Be sure to continue checking our news feed for more information on conferences, professional development opportunities, and upcoming events.