Celebrating 20 years: USU Rhetoric Associates become USU Writing Fellows
Tutors and professors involved with Utah State University’s Rhetoric Associates program will gather Friday, Feb. 11, 2011, in the Haight Alumni Center in celebration of its 20thanniversary. The reunion is an opportunity for those who worked in the program since its inception to renew friendships and recognize its new name as USU Writing Fellows.
“This change will improve name recognition as well as clarify the program’s purpose,” said program director Julie Foust. “Writing Fellows assist students with their writing and communication skills.”
The Writing Fellows program began in 1990 when Joyce Kinkead, professor of English at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, recognized the students across campus needed writing assistance. She launched a small group of peer tutors to help their classmates refine their writing skills. In 2001, Foust became the program director, growing the number of tutors to its current size of 50. They assist professors in 25 courses each semester in all eight colleges on campus. Professors at USU are encouraged to nominate their top students to be considered for the Writing Fellows program.
“The Writing Fellows program gives academically focused students the opportunity to work closely with professors and develop a professional relationship with them,” Foust said. “It creates growth in writing and communication skills through evaluating other students’ work and discussing it with them. It also provides experience beyond grades and test scores as tutors move into professions or graduate programs after college.”
Cynthia Harmon, a writing fellow in 2007-08, wrote about her experiences on a new blog created to reconnect past participants.
“My experience in the Utah State University writing programs … prepared me well to enter the professional realm. The benefits extend beyond personal preparation to the ultimate goal of passing on such skills to others,” she wrote on usuwritingfellows.blogspot.com.
The programs anniversary celebration is Friday, Feb. 11, in the Haight Alumni Center from 6-8 p.m. with a short program at 6:30 p.m. This year marks a continuing commitment to improving student writing.
For more information about the event contact Julie Foust at julie.foust@usu.edu or by phone at (435) 797-3648.
Related links:
USU Writing Fellows Program (Rhetoric Associates Program)
USU College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Source: USU Writing Fellows program
Contact: Julie Foust, 435-797-3648, julie.foust@usu.edu
USU student Kayla Thomas (left) talks with Writing Fellow Kate Peterson about an assignment.
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