Maroon Institute for Writing Excellence honors faculty graduates at MSU
Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擬ore than a dozen Mississippi State faculty members are new graduates of the university鈥檚 Maroon Institute for Writing Excellence program.
Now in its fifth year, the three-week intensive institute trains teachers from a variety of university departments to modify course syllabi to incorporate more writing-to-learn strategies into class assignments.
The professional development program is part of 鈥淢aroon & Write,鈥 the university鈥檚 quality enhancement plan鈥擰EP, for short鈥攖o improve undergraduate writing and learning skills across all colleges, curricula and class levels. The QEP is required to maintain accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
As part of the 30-plus hour workshop held this month, participants read a variety of theory-related literature selections and took part in activities such as journaling, free-writing, peer-evaluation and reflective essay development. They will incorporate many of the activities they learned into the respective courses they teach throughout the academic year.
In addition to teaching one course that incorporates writing-to-learn techniques and a formal writing component, MIWE graduates will continue interacting with the QEP staff throughout the school year for ongoing support.
鈥淲e ask a lot of our faculty participants. They learn new strategies for incorporating writing in their classes and they challenge their pre-existing ideas about how writing assignments and student engagement can and should work in their classes,鈥 said Deborah Lee, who co-directs the Maroon & Write QEP with English Instructor Ann Spurlock. 鈥淭he faculty who are chosen for participation in the MIWE are committed to enhancing their skills as a teacher and care passionately about their students鈥 success.鈥
鈥淲orking with such dedicated faculty is truly an honor,鈥 Lee added.
LaShan Simpson, assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering, will apply enhanced writing-to-learn concepts this fall in her biomedical materials course for upperclassmen.
鈥淎 lot of classes already have writing components, such as the term paper, but I鈥檝e learned to incorporate writing in small instances earlier in the semester,鈥 Simpson said.
She explained that the concept of 鈥渟caffolding writing鈥 allows students to start out with smaller writing assignments and build up to larger papers, gaining feedback for drafts along the way.
鈥淭his program has put me back in the role of student, and I鈥檝e been able to test out the free writing and informal writing myself before having my students do it this fall,鈥 she said.
Robert Green, undergraduate coordinator for the Bagley College of Engineering, said he has always given writing assignments as part of his engineering administration course, but he has been interested in making assignments more effective.
鈥淭his year my students will be working on a white paper, similar to what professionals would prepare for their bosses,鈥 he said.
In recognition of their participation, graduates received a commemorative framed certificate, T-shirt and portfolio embossed with the Maroon and Write program鈥檚 logo.
In addition to Simpson and Green, this year鈥檚 MIWE summer graduates and the writing-to-learn courses they鈥檒l be teaching during the upcoming academic year include (alphabetically):
鈥擬artha Barton, instructor of biological sciences teaching special topics in biological sciences.
鈥擩oanne Beriswill, assistant professor of instructional systems and workforce development teaching graphics and web design.
鈥擟hristine Cord, postdoctoral associate in food science, nutrition and health promotion teaching food law.
鈥擝rian Counterman, associate professor of biological sciences teaching population genetics.
鈥擩effrey Haupt, professor of art teaching painting survey.
鈥擥ail Kopetz, instructor of music teaching foundations of music education.
鈥擪enya McKinley, assistant professor of sociology teaching social work with communities and organizations.
鈥擧olli Seitz, assistant professor of communication teaching elements of persuasion.
鈥擪im Smith, instructor of curriculum, instruction and special education teaching middle level literacy.
鈥擫esley Strawderman, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering teaching industrial ergonomics.
鈥擝yron Williams, assistant professor of computer science and engineering teaching software architecture and design paradigms.
Learn more about MIWE and Maroon and Write QEP at , and .
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