The Washburn Writers Program is a pilot program that began working actively with students in the Spring '04 semester. With both a curricular and extracurricular component, the program draws on writing fellows programs at other universities, but adds some uniquely Washburnian elements of its own.
Writing fellows programs involve the creation of a staff of advanced student writers who are assigned to work with specific courses. (Our program works with the Freshman Composition courses.) The student "fellows" respond to student writing, offering feedback more authoritative than that of classmates and less intimidating that that of faculty. The fellows respond as readers and are not involved in grading.
In addition to the course-related component, our Washburn Writers also participate in the creation of extracurricular writers' circles and discussion groups, one of whose purposes will be to make improvement of writing and exploration of ideas a part of student culture. Extracurricular activities are open to all members of the university and encourage communal interactions among faculty, staff, and students. The Washburn Writers program benefits Washburn's students not only in the development of their communication skills, but also in the provision of a comfortable place to discover and create a sense of belonging to the Washburn community of learners.
Fellows | Admin Staff | History