Mission:

At the Center for Writing Across the Curriculum (CWAC), we offer guidance and resources to enhance writing eloquence throughout Saint Mary's College of California. Pursuing the construction and expression of knowledge through shared inquiry, we are guided by minimalist pedagogy and the Burkean Parlor model. Inspired by the Lasallian tradition of service through education, our aim is not simply to produce better papers but to nurture better writers in a safe and productive space. We advise peer students through one-on-one sessions, in person or via live video chat, through small-group Writing Circles, and through collaborative workshops for diverse disciplines. We also award and publish excellent student art and writing. We offer faculty development workshops and guide the sharing of ideas among colleagues, helping professors mentor students to use writing to learn disciplinary content. By supporting faculty and students, we help all writers enter more fully into the scholarly dialogue, sharpening their skills, building their confidence, and connecting writing strategies across contexts.

Stop by Dante 202, or call us: 925.631.4684

For undergraduate or graduate students, CWAC offers two types of direct service:

Writing Circles: Students register for the COMM 190 or EDUC 502/504 and then contact CWAC to select a weekly Circle time. Students sign up before or during the first week of the semester. During the small-group workshops, writers discuss their own projects, theses, dissertations, or individual papers, at all stages of the process.

One-on-one sessions: Students call 925.631.4684 to make appointments or drop in, Dante 202. Online sessions via Skype are available. Spring hours: 4-8 p.m. Sunday; 10-8 p.m. Monday; 10-6 p.m. Tuesday; and 10-8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Writing Advisers guide their peers toward expressing ideas clearly, always weighing audience and purpose. Writers bring their assignment sheets and readings in order to brainstorm ideas, revise drafts, or work on specific aspects of writing, such as grammar, citation, thesis development, organization, critical reading, or research methods. They may discuss any genre, including poetry, science lab reports, argument-driven research, or scholarship application letters.

Director: Tereza Joy Kramer