Have you ever visited the Writing Center at the University of Toledo? While you might only think to go there if you need specific help on an English paper, the Writing Center holds a much more important role on campus and in the lives of students. In fact, writing centers can be viewed as one of the few spaces across university and college campuses hosting a supportive environment for students in times of anxiety, stress and crisis.
Research has shown that students who frequent writing centers get better grades, gain more self-confidence and are less likely to drop out of college.
“Writing Centers play a critical [role] in providing academic support and mentorship that assist in improving persistence and retention among students in higher education institutions. They provide a non-intimidating and judgment-free space for students to ask questions and work on their writing skills,” said Tia Tucker, director of academic support services at the University of Toledo, in an email.
At UToledo, it’s the Writing Center’s mission to support “student writers in all disciplines and at all levels of study,” and this support takes on both an academic and mental health approach.
“I think tutoring has a stigma and can be intimidating for students, especially when they use services for the first time,” said Tucker in an email, “I want students to know they are working with peer tutors, other students just like them in a judgment-free space. Everyone in the Writing Center is here to learn and grow … together, which is what makes the Writing Center so special and welcoming.”
While the model of students being mentored by their peers has been practiced for decades, it was revolutionary at its inception. Writing centers have been in existence for nearly as long as higher education institutions have, but looked very different a century ago. Writing centers were first established specifically to help unprepared students who were identified as poor writers, and they would visit these centers simply to receive corrections on papers and grammar education.
Nearing the 1970s, as universities grew more culturally, racially, and economically diverse, societal changes inspired a change in educational pedagogy, and writing centers began to value the importance of peer-to-peer interaction in the learning process.
Throughout the early years, writing centers also broke away from residing in English departments to become their own independent entities that could continue to serve diverse needs. With this new autonomy, writing centers were able to spread across disciplines.
According to Tucker, every day brings in a variety of requests. “The Writing Center provides support for any writing assignment in any class. We provide writing support for papers in English but also lab reports in STEM courses, assignments in Psychology, History, as well as scholarship essays and statements of purpose for graduate school. If a student writes it, we provide support for it.”
And the requests are just as unique as the students who make them. On any given day, the Writing Center may be working with an adult learner, an international student, veteran or researcher.
Writing continues to be a desired skill in the workforce. Nearly 78% of employers evaluate written communication skills in new employees according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ 2020 Job Outlook survey. So, current students should take advantage of the opportunity to improve their writing skills, especially while the services are freely provided by the university.
The Writing Center is located at the lower level of Carlson Library (Room 0130) across from the Learning Enhancement Center. During the fall semester, consultants will be available Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about the types of appointments they offer or to schedule a session, click here.
