UWC News
Working at The UWC
Undergrads, have you ever thought you'd like to work at the Undergraduate Writing Center? Then join us for an information session in FAC 211 on Tuesday, October 9, from 5-7PM.
- Learn about RHE368C: Writing Center Internship (the prerequisite for working at the UWC)
- Meet John Ruszkiewicz (a.k.a. "JR"), who teaches Writing Center Internship, and find out about how to apply for the course.
- Hear from undergraduate consultants about their experience with JR's course and their work at the UWC
Refreshments will be provided.
Consultant Spotlight:
Brian Riady
What is your major/program/area of interest?
My three majors are Economics, Rhetoric & Writing, and Political Communication.
How many years have you been at UT?
4 years.
How many years have you worked at the UWC?
1 year.
What is the most interesting class you have taken/taught in the past year?
I took Development Economics last spring. I’m an international student from Singapore, so it was interesting to learn about the economic growth of countries in that region.
Where do you do most of your writing?
Early in the morning, at my desk, on my 27” iMac.
Why should writers visit the UWC?
Seeking a second opinion is an integral part of the writing process. The UWC offers you a second set of eyes to respond to your prose and offer constructive feedback.
Do you have any favorite topics/specialties to consult on?
I enjoy brainstorming sessions. I find that the best time in the writing process to seek advice is right at the outset. By brainstorming, writers figure out what they want to say and how best to say it. There’s almost always that “Ah-Hah!” moment.
What is your favorite geeky writing tip?
Use actions verbs in place of adverbs. Why say, “He ran quickly” when you can say, “He dashed”?
What are your hobbies?
I love badminton. I play with the UT Badminton Club three times a week at Gregory Gym and at the Rec Sports Center. Come check us out!
What is your favorite...
morning beverage?
I drink water and almost nothing else. No tea, coffee, or soda.
vacation location?
Bali or Tokyo.
website for wasting time?
Hulu.
place to eat in Austin?
I like to think of myself as a burger connoisseur, and the best burger I’ve had in Austin so far has been at Counter Café. Wholly Cow is pretty good too.
Where were you born?
Hong Kong.
Where do you call home?
Singapore.
What would you have for a last meal?
Depending on my mood, either a burger or sushi.
How many languages do you speak?
Three: English, Mandarin Chinese, and Bahasa Indonesia.
Finish this sentence:
"In the zombie apocalypse, I would..."
Do something to calm myself down like listen to classical music or clean my apartment.
"If I were a barnyard animal, I would be..."
A horse.
"If I could visit somewhere I've never been, I would go to..."
Chile.
What is your favorite word?
But.
What sound or noise do you love?
Cars driving by my apartment at night.
What sound or noise do you hate?
Thumping bass.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Lawyer.
Consultant Spotlight: Naminata Diabate
What is your major/program/area of interest?
Comparative Literature and doctoral portfolios in Women’s and Gender Studies and African and African American Studies.
How many years have you been at UT?
This is my 7th and last year at UT. I just defended my dissertation on what I call on genital power in West African Literature and film
How many years have you worked at the UWC?
three
What is the most interesting class you have taken/taught in the past year?
The most interesting class I taught in the last year is E316K: Masterworks of World Literature. The diversity of ethnic, racial, religious affiliations and sexual practices in the class was staggering. As we read texts from India, Japan, Nigeria, US, Turkey, Italy, England, Argentina, and Iraq, students felt confident contributing to class discussions. Thanks to the atmosphere of cultural sensitivity and tolerance that we cultivated, the class became this learning community that was respectful and proud of its diversity.
Where do you do most of your writing?
At my desk, which is next to a gigantic window overlooking a green and manicured landscape. I need daylight and ALL my books and articles. That way, I feel like a chemist in her lab “concocting” some magical potions.
Why should writers visit the UWC?
Because writing is a process, and a second pair of eyes along the way can be illuminating. The Writing Center provides that pair of eyes with resources to help students dismantle the elements of composing a text. Our resources range from handouts, handbooks, websites to suggestions such as reading out loud papers or reverse outlining. My experience as a consultant has convinced me that whether students walk in to brainstorm or go over their final drafts, they always walk out feeling empowered and more confident in their writing abilities.
Do you have any favorite topics/specialties to consult on?
Literary and rhetorical analyses. These types of exercises behoove the reader to be sensitive to the uses of language. I ask students to read and reread a passage and to be attuned to their reactions to it (identification, enjoyment, significance, application). At first, consultees might be resistant because they would say, “I read it several times”. But if they trust you and take your suggestion, more often than not, they “see and hear” in the passage “new” aspects and questions. This exercise is rewarding in that you see students rejoice for becoming aware of “things” that were hiding in plain sight. From that moment, they stop seeing literary analysis as a boring academic exercise and more as a stepping stone to living life with more mindfulness. Yes, I know. I can sometimes get in my yogi mode about mindfulness.
What is your favorite geeky writing tip?
When staring at the legendary blank page, I try a combination of “what am I trying to say?” with “what am I afraid of? What am I thinking and feeling?” Then I start typing what I think I’m trying to say, and I do not stop until I can’t think of anything. If that first question does not get the engine running, I start writing about my thoughts and feelings. I have found out that becoming aware of my feelings and honoring them open the way to a productive writing session.
What are your hobbies?
Reading, photo editing, working out
Do you have a favorite book/author/play/album/film?
Of all the treasured books I have read, Henning Mankell’s Secrets in the Fire remains my all-time favorite. Originally published in 1995 in Swedish and translated into English by Anne Connie Stuksrud in 2000, Secrets in the Fire is based on the true story of Sofia Alface, the Mozambiquan teenager who lost her legs and sister to an antipersonnel landmine. The story takes place in Mozambique during the 1975-1992 civil war and opens with one of Sofia’s nightmares….
Film: Twelve Angry Men (1997)
What is your favorite...
website for wasting time?
Neiman Marcus, Prada, Yves Saint Laurent. Any Fashion designer website.
Beatles' song?
Eleanor Rigby. I started seriously learning English in college by listening to BBC Radio World Service English lessons. The first song in English that I “decoded” was Eleanor Rigby.
Where were you born?
Cote d’Ivoire (West Africa)
How many languages do you speak?
Four: Malinke, French, English, and Spanish
What is your hidden talent?
Comedy
Finish this sentence:
If I were a barnyard animal, I would be
a horse.
On a perfect day,
I would read and meditate.
If I could visit somewhere I've never been, I would go
to a monastery in Tibet.
What is your favorite word?
Resilience
What is your least favorite word?
War
What sound or noise do you love?
Rain
What sound or noise do you hate?
Dentist’s drill
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Fashion design
Consultant Spotlight: Miguel Santos-Neves
What is your major/program/area of interest?
Comparative Literature: Literature of the Americas.
How many years have you been at UT?
7 years.
How many years have you worked at the UWC?
4 years.
What is the most interesting class you have taken in the past year?
The most interesting class I have taught has been Banned Books and Novel Ideas. The works we read were of high quality (e.g. Art of Love, The Prince, Tartuffe, Gulliver's Travels, etc.) and as a result the students engaged with the readings and spoke up in class.
Where do you do most of your writing?
At home.
Why should writers visit the UWC?
There are a number of reasons for writers to visit the UWC. First of all, the UWC helps to demystify the writing process. Many students come in with the belief that they are not "good writers" by nature. The UWC helps students realize that everyone can become a good writer with hard work and consistent practice. I would add that writing on any subject is the best way to sharpen critical thinking skills, and the UWC helps students hone their critical thinking skills and articulate their ideas in measured and lucid prose. These are essential life skills for navigating a challenging world and for becoming an active citizen in a democratic society.
Do you have any favorite topics/specialties to consult on?
I like working on issues of organization and structure. It's a challenge, like solving a puzzle, to try to make all the pieces of an argument fit together.
What is your favorite geeky writing tip?
When you finish writing for the day, type out a couple of notes after the last sentence with ideas that will help you begin writing the following day. It's a great trick to maintain momentum.
What are your hobbies?
Playing soccer. Watching soccer.
Do you have a favorite book/author/play/album/film?
Baudelaire: Les fleurs du mal.
What is your favorite...morning beverage?
Coffee
...vacation location?
Rio de Janeiro.
...website for wasting time?
Any sports website will do.
...Beatles' song?
"I've just seen a face." "Don't let me down." "Blackbird."
...place to eat in Austin?
I like New York Strip steak, and the best steak I've had so far in town has been at Eddie V.'s
Where were you born?
Brasília, Brazil
Where do you call home?
"Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in," as Robert Frost put it.
What is your pet's name? What is your pet?
I don't have a pet at the moment, but if I did I would name him Boccaccio.
What would you have for a last meal?
I am not sure, but I would go to an all you can eat place to prolong my life.
How many languages do you speak?
I speak two languages, English and Portuguese. I speak Spanish with an Italian accent, for some odd reason. My French is on life support.
What is your hidden talent?
My wink.
What do you think Stonehenge is really about, anyways?
It was probably an attempt to placate the fury of the gods.
Finish this sentence:
"In the zombie apocalypse, I would..."
Eat chocolate.
"If I were a barnyard animal, I would be…”
A pig.
"On a perfect day, I would..."
not have to rehab my knee (I tore my ACL last fall and had surgery 10 weeks ago).
"If I could visit somewhere I've never been, I would go to..."
Japan.
What is your favorite word?
Synechdoche.
What is your least favorite word?
Mediocre.
What turns you on?
Turns of phrase.
What turns you off?
Narcissism.
What sound or noise do you love?
Thunder and rain.
What sound or noise do you hate?
A high pitched motor, like that of a scooter.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Medical doctor.
What profession would you not like to do?
Writing parking tickets.
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
Let's talk.
Consultant Spotlight: Junquin Li
What is your major/program/area of interest?
History, Rhetoric & Writing, and Government Triple Major.
How many years have you been at UT?
Three
How many years have you worked at the UWC?
One and a half
What is the most interesting class you have taken in the past year?
LAH 350: In Search of Meaning. There are secrets that I cannot disclose about this course. You’re just going to have to take it.
Where do you do most of your writing?
A quiet cubicle at the PCL or at my desk.
Why should writers visit the UWC?
Writing is painful enough. The UWC is here not only to make the process easier by providing a consultant to bounce ideas off of, but it’s also a place to receive more in-depth feedback on your writing than a simple letter or numerical grade.
Do you have any favorite topics/specialties to consult on?
I like consulting on papers with topics that I know nothing about. It’s great being able to learn something new when I’m working.
What is your favorite geeky writing tip?
Put on some epic sounding music in the background to help you start. Things like Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata or the theme from Jurassic Park can make you feel that the fate of the world depends on your paper.
What are your hobbies?
Reading, Crossfit, Manual Labor (I find certain tasks to be therapeutic)
Do you have a favorite book/author/play/album/film?
Book: It’s actually a combination of two books: (1) The Last Stand of Fox Company (2) Colder Than Hell: A Marine Rifle Company at Chosin Reservoir (Each book is about a Marine Corps Company fighting in the Chosin Reservior Campaign. Learning about what these Marines did is the most motivating and humbling thing in the world.)
Author: David McCullough
Play: An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde
Album: The London Symphony Orchestra’s recording of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagno. Besides being a really cool piece, this work is sentimental because this was one of the last things we performed when I was a high school senior in orchestra.
Film: Star Trek: First Contact (yep, I’m quite the nerd)
Where were you born?
Nanjing, China
Where do you call home?
My parents live in Plano, TX so that’s where I call home.
What is your pet's name? What is your pet?
Don't have a pet, but one of my goals in life is to acquire at least two boxers.
What would you have for a last meal?
Bagel Bites and a big mug of Blue Moon
How many languages do you speak?
Two: English and Mandarin
What do you think Stonehenge is really about, anyways?
I like the Ikea theory. Basically, the HËNJ school of thought suggests that Stonehenge is just the product of poor assembly instructions and missing/broken parts.
Finish this sentence:
"In the zombie apocalypse, I would..."
Go on the offensive obviously. Quarantine methods don’t work. I would opt for a strategy of rapid dominance. It’s simple: quickly apply overwhelming force to put the zombies on the run and then hunt them down ruthlessly.
"If I were a barnyard animal, I would be…”
Some sort of herding dog because I would be in charge of defending the other animals.
"On a perfect day, I would..."
Go backpacking.
"If I could visit somewhere I've never been, I would go to..."
The North and South Pole.
"If money were no object..."
Eliminate material need and then give everybody in the world a chance to travel to space. (Oh and a Talbots gift card for my mom.)
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
I don’t really have a profession yet, but I would love to be an astronaut
What profession would you not like to do?
Reality TV show host.
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
What! How’d you get in here?!?!
Consultant Spotlight: Mary Hedengren
What is your area of study?
Mary: Rhetoric and Composition, especially rhetoric of poetics, developing identity and authority.
How many years have you been at UT?
One and one-half
What is the most interesting class you have taken in the past year?
I was in a one-on-one conference course with Jeff Walker. Every week I read a book and then sat in his office talking to him about it. Every week I could feel my brain grow when I got out.
Where do you do most of your writing?
Anywhere--on the Metric Flyer, on the fainting couch my sister gave me, at my orange-and-white Ikea desk, in the architecture library...
Why should writers visit the UWC?
Because no one can do this on their own. Whether you need someone to point out that you've written something totally different from the assignment or you just need "another pair of eyes" to look over your prose, no one can just magically produce perfect, polished prose on their own.
Do you have any favorite topics/specialties to consult on?
I adore personal statements. They're so...personal. More than once I've made someone cry. In a good way. It's amazing how the personal statement tries to get to the heart of your motives. "Really, WHY do you want to apply to law school?" "What was it about living in India that changed your life?" "Who are you, anyway?" While the resume is about what you've done, the personal statement is about who you are. And you know what? I walk away from every personal statement consultation in total awe at the consultee's dedication, courage, humor, and creativity. People are amazing.
What is your favorite geeky writing tip?
My mom always taught me to break through a writing block by opening up a Word document and just writing "What I'm trying to say is..." Once I've done that, and start typing, I can usually get at what my focus is. Even if I'm just "talking it out" on paper, I get something down, and then I can revise. I probably have a dozen rough draft documents that start "What I'm trying to say is..."
What are your hobbies?
Reading, writing, comedy, economics.
Do you have a favorite book/author/play/album/film?
Ahem, in order: Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck/G. K. Chesterton (today)/Shakespeare's Richard III/Eels' Electro-shock Blues/About a Boy
What is your favorite... morning beverage?
Hot cocoa. Or a soda smoothie: greek yogurt, frozen fruit and Fresca.
...place to eat in Austin?
Bite Mi on Guadalupe-- cheap, tasty, and they remember your name. I've filled up at least 3 punch cards there.
What is your pet's name? What is your pet?
A rat named Moxie here in Austin and a found dog named Frodo at home in Provo.
What is your hidden talent?
I went to a steampunk play where you got discounted tickets if you dress up and our costumes were better than the actors'. Everyone assumed we were hard-core steampunk enthusiasts, so I think maybe I could be.
Finish this sentence: "In the zombie apocalypse, I would..."
Join the zombies. Who doesn't love a good brain?
"If money were no object..."
it would be the subject. (HA! Little grammar humor there.)
What is your favorite word?
Persnickety
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
New York Times Bestselling author--Brandon Sanderson, Stephanie Meyer, it's kind of the standard BYU grad fallback plan.
If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
"Glad you're here--I've got work for you."
UWC Event Covers Writing about Travel, Culture, and More
The second UWC After Hours panel of the spring 2010 semester, Lifestyle Writing, featured panelists Maryanne Connolly, editor of Austin Woman Magazine, and freelance writers and bloggers Guli Fager, David Kassin Fried, Amy Lemen, Sheila Scarborough, and Laura Mohammad. This panel was held on Friday, April 23, from 4:00-6:00 PM at the Undergraduate Writing Center. The panelists discussed writing about travel, entertainment, culture, relationships, and sex.
Local Political Writers Discuss Their Craft
The UWC's first After Hours panel of the Spring 2010 semester focused on political writing, which was well-timed to the ongoing Texas gubernatorial race. On February 19, the group brought together panelists to talk about their strategies for reporting on, blogging about, and maintaining relevance in the political world. The event featured moderator, MaryAnne Taylor, who works for the Texas legislature, and panelists Kirsten E. Gray, the communications director of the Texas Democratic Party, Katherine Hanschen, a staff writer for Burnt Orange Report, and Harvey Kronberg, the founder and editor of The Quorum Report.
UWC After Hours Panel Features Comic Book Writing
On September 25th 2009, the UWC events group hosted the first 2009-10 UWC After Hours panel, which featured comic book writing. The free event was open to students and the community. The comic book writing panel was an informal conversation with four Austin comic book writers - Paul Benjamin, Rick Klaw, Alan J. Porter, and Matthew Sturges - who discussed their experiences writing in both the medium and industry of comic books. UWC consultant Andrew Friedenthal moderated the discussion. UWC After Hours panels in the Spring 2010 semester will feature political writing and writing about health and personal well-being. For information or to receive announcements about upcoming UWC events, contact writing@uwc.utexas.edu.
UWC Hosts Summer Institute for Football Team Tutors
In August 2009, the UWC conducted a two-day training institute with tutors and mentors in the UT Football Office. UWC consultants Alanna Bitzel and Collette Chapman organized the institute, which provided advanced training for those working with student athletes throughout the writing process. This institute is part of our ongoing outreach efforts, the goals of which are to work with individuals on developing their writing skills and, more generally, on improving access to writing assistance and support.
Spring 2009 Edition of Praxis Published
The Spring 2009 edition of Praxis is focused on "Writing across the Curriculum and Writing Centers" and includes articles on the interdisciplinary nature of writing centers, new opportunities for using technology in the writing center, implementing writing center strategies in high schools, and consulting with students with learning disabilities.