Tutors and Writing Center Administrators Present at National Conference

Our writing center was ably represented at the October joint conference of the International Writing Center Association (IWCA) and the National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing held in Minneapolis

Tutors Anna Habib, a graduate TA and Tonka Dobreva, a undergraduate peer tutor and writing fellow, both presented papers, Anna’s on “Cultural Awareness in the Tutoring Room: Alleviating ‘Culture Shock’ in Student Writing” and Tonka’s on “Defining Identity and Adapting Authority: The Dynamic Role of the Peer Tutor In and Out of the Center.”

Director Terry Zawacki and former assistant director Scott Berg presented on tutor training and faculty expectations in a WAC-WID (writing in the disciplines) writing center. In addition, new assistant director Angela Rhoe attended the conference gathering information and ideas on how to make the writing center a more racially-inclusive space.

We’re also pleased to congratulate Tonka Dobreva for being one of four recipients nationally to be awarded the Peer Tutor Scholarship and Travel Award, based on her achievements as a student in political science, a writer, and a peer tutor, all the more impressive given that she is an international student from Bulgaria.

Tonka was recently honored as one of GMU's three nominees for the 2006 all USA College Academic team sponsored by USA TODAY.

Let Your Students Know – George Mason University Writing Center Goes Online

This past August, the Writing Center unveiled its new online scheduling system, WC Online, a unique system designed specifically for university writing centers.

Writing Center clients* are now able to schedule, cancel, and generally manage their own sessions from any computer with Internet access. Moreover, using the drop-down menu they can select one of our four locations for tutoring, Fairfax (Robinson and Enterprise), Prince William, and Arlington. 

To schedule an appointment using WC Online, a client needs only to log on to the Writing Center’s website – www.writingcenter.gmu -- and navigate to the online schedule, two clicks away.  Once the student is registered as a Writing Center client, he or she may then browse a calendar showing each appointment that week. 

After selecting an appointment that fits his/her schedule, the client clicks on the open appointment time and reserves it. Clients can schedule appointments an hour to a month in advance, all from any computer with Internet access.

Thanks to WC Online, GMU Writing Center clients now have more control in scheduling and canceling their appointment. And tutors can now see their scheduling off-site, as well as access client records.  The online scheduling system also relieves much of the day-to-day scheduling pressures, allowing tutors to focus more attention and energy on something much more important: tutoring writing.

*We refer to tutees as “clients” since we work with writers at all levels, including faculty, staff, and alums.