The Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences welcomed more than 250 members of the Southeastern Writing Center Association (SWCA) to NSU for the organization’s 2013 conference, held on campus Feb. 21–23. Attendees represented 85 institutions across 15 states, from Florida to Arizona.
Co-chairs Kevin Dvorak, Ph.D., associate professor and coordinator of the writing center, and Shanti Bruce, Ph.D., associate professor and coordinator of the writing program, were responsible for organizing the conference at NSU for the second time in three years.
Several students, faculty, and staff members from the college attended and presented at the conference, with this year’s theme focusing on “The Work We Do” as tutors and professionals working in writing centers.
Presentations
—“‘I Don’t Know; Looks Good to Me’: Multimodal Work in the Writing Center,” a workshop presented by Kevin Lichty, M.A. in Writing student, and Eric Mason, Ph.D., assistant professor
—“Why Embedded Tutors Matter to First-Year Students’ Multimodal Composing Practices,” a poster presented by Claire Lutkewitte, Ph.D., assistant professor
—“The Work We (Might) Do: Creating Links Between Professional Programs in Various Medical Fields and Nursing and Writing Centers,” a roundtable discussion including Edwin Stieve, Ph.D., associate professor
—“The Work We Do on the Web: Revising the SWCA Website,” a workshop presented by Shanti Bruce, Ph.D., associate professor and coordinator of the writing program
—“Real World Sensitivities Within the Tutoring Microcosm: Sexuality, Emotionality, and Ideology Within Sessions,” a panel discussion by Kamila Albert, double major in English and Art; Katherine McInerney, Arielle Mejia-Garcia, and Sasha Strelitz, English majors; and Alison Parente, double major in English and Psychology
—“The Necessity of Online Tutoring Services,” a panel presented by Cortney Palmacci, coordinator of main-campus tutoring, and Robert Miyares, coordinator of off-campus tutoring, from the Office of Academic Services
—“Teaching Distractions: Complications for COMP Fellows and Faculty Members,” a workshop presented by Michelle Rushefsky, M.A. in Writing student, and Kelly Concannon Mannise, Ph.D., assistant professor
—“Tutoring a Postdisciplinary Culture: Emerging Systems of Disciplinarity in Writing Center Practice,” an individual session including Juliette Kitchens, Ph.D., assistant professor
—“Working as Professionals: Perceptions of Generalist Writing Tutors and Writing Fellows,” an individual session presented by Sara Stanley, M.A. in Writing student
—“Fostering Independence: Working to Preserve Writer Originality in the Midst of University Transition,” an individual session presented by Cristine Busser, M.A. in Writing student