Grand Opening for TAMIU's Writing Center Set for April 22

Students on the run from run-on sentences or looking for their misplaced modifiers can now receive help from Texas A&M International University's new Writing Center. The Center's Grand Opening is scheduled for Monday, April 22, at 2 p.m. in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 217. The event is free and open to the public.

Tracy Wensing, Writing Center director, explained that the Center provides free tutoring to A&M International students for any type of writing, including essays, reviews, and research papers. Tutors can also help students prepare for the TASP, Rising Junior Exam, and GRE.

Writing Center hours are 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

"Students are welcome to visit the Center at any point in the writing process. We do caution that tutors can provide the most assistance when students bring written instructions for the assignment along with any drafts and research materials. It is also important that the students visit us with enough time to rewrite and revise their work," said Wensing.

She explained that the goal of the Center is not to correct an individual paper, but to help students improve their writing overall.

"Tutoring should increase a student's ability to write well on his or her own. Therefore, our tutors don't correct errors or rewrite the student's work, but rather they focus on one or two types of improvement strategies that can develop the student's writing skills. This system improves the student's effectiveness in all writing situations, rather than just one exercise," said Wensing.

The Center is part of the University's expansion of services and resources to students and is designed to enhance student retention, graduation and future success.

For more information about the Writing Center, to schedule an appointment or to RSVP for the Opening Ceremony, please contact Tracy Wensing at 326.2883, visit the offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library room 218, or email twensing@tamiu.edu. University office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu