The Center for Teaching & Learning is a resource given to students that offers free academic assistance to all students through peer tutoring and dedicated especially toward math and writing. The CTL offers many resources, one of which is the writing center. The Writing Center helps students use writing as a tool for learning, reflection and career preparation. Professional and peer tutors are available and eager to help. Even with the description students still want to know what exactly the writing center is and how can the writing center really help them.
“The Writing Center provides support to student writers from any course at any stage of the writing process. Our sessions are very personalized, and we try to keep them collaborative and conversational,” Cathrine Beckowski, coordinator for the writing center, said when asked on how the center and its staff can assist students. “This approach allows us to meet the needs of individual students as they work on assignments for specific classes; it also gives us the opportunity to recommend strategies for specific kinds of writing,” Beckowski said.
The writing center does not just hold one-on-one sessions, the center also has tons of resources for students to take advantage of. “In addition to our individual appointments, we make a number of print and web resources available to students. We have a library of writing handbooks and style guides available for student use.” Beckowski said, when asked about the center’s resources. The center also provides helpful links and websites that the center feel are beneficial to students.
The Writing Center is located in the Iadarola Building room 110 and has appointments throughout the days for students to sign-up for help and revisions.
“The very best way for a student to make an appointment is to stop by the Writing Center (IAD 110) and sign up for a time on the paper schedule that hangs on our door. This way, the student can see exactly when he or she will be visiting, and with whom he or she will be working. If a student can’t stop by the Writing Center, he or she should call 610-902-8506 to schedule an appointment,” Beckowski said when asked about how to set up an appointment for the writing center. If a student can not make it over or call, the center does also have an email and students may request an appointment through email at writingcenter@cabrini.edu.
The center has had effects on the students who have came through the center for appointments.
“I have been at Cabrini for four and a half years and during that time the number of sessions the Writing Center conducts over the course of an academic year has almost tripled (last year, we conducted a total of 1,392 sessions). I hope that this trend is an indication that the Writing Center is a beneficial resource for students. Often, faculty tell me that they can tell when students have been to the Writing Center – I take this as a good sign,” Beckowski said when asked about if the writing center has any effects on students.
The Writing Center is a resource for student to utilize and take advantage of for any of there writing needs and troubles. The Writing Center aims to help students improve their writing.
“We know how challenging the writing process can be – we’ve all been there – and we hope that working with us will help students understand how to be successful, self-assured and even enthusiastic writers,” Beckowski said.
