The Writng Center The Whetstone/ Cochise Lucas

By: Collette O’Neal (Whetstone Staff Writer)

Since restricting Facebook in the Writing Center, sophomore Eghosa Ugiagbe finds it even more helpful than ever before.

“The tutors are a great help to me,” she said. “At the end of the day, I have a better understanding of what I need to write.”

Student tutors in the Writing Center are carefully selected, said Charlene Stephens, Director of the Department of Academic Support.

“Our goal is to help students be on their own so eventually they won’t need you anymore,” she said.

The potential tutor must be recommended by a faculty member and have taken EN 101.

If the student has a grade of an A or B in a composition course and a 2.75 overall GPA, they will be notified.

The student is interviewed, and if chosen, must go through two and a half hours of preliminary training and take EN 201, a one-credit introduction to tutoring class, before they start working.

Students say that it helps them out a lot.

Scott Brozey, a junior, frequents the center for his EN 101 class.

“It helps a lot because you can get correction from another person’s point of view,” he said.

Corrine St. Jean agrees.

Though she has only been there twice, she has found it helpful.

“I like having someone critique and look over my work and say ‘here’s what needs to be fixed,’” St. Jean said.

Stephens says the best advice she can give is not to wait until the last minute to come.

In addition, the writing center is fully equipped as a presentation classroom. Teachers can reserve the area for a period of time.

Several of the seminars for academic success are held there.

Stephens encourages students to provide feedback and suggestions. “We try to adapt to students’ needs, so if they can tell us anything we greatly appreciate it.”

Ugiagbe likes that she can focus on her school work more in the Writing Center.

“It’s something I can’t do in the library,” she said.

Some students say that they have never gone to the writing center because it doesn’t help.

Brozey has a word of advice to them though.

“If you never come in here and try it, then of course it’s not going to help”