There is nothing quite like being in a room filled to the brim with like-minded people—people with whom you can feel comfortable enough to ask questions, introduce ideas, and really engage in learning and sharing.

Working in the Writing Center has been one of my most important college experiences. Being able to share my thinking with people from all over the region, attending presentations and getting to share my own work with them and my coworkers have all sharpened my skills as an advisor, a writer, a friend and as a student.

Recently, I was given the opportunity to present at the East Central Writing Centers Association Conference with my good friend and fellow Wittenberg Writing Center coworker, Meaghan Summers '17.

Together we created a poster that discusses the importance of relationships between the advisors in the center, as what is often stressed in pedagogy is only the advisors’ relationships with writers. Meaghan and I came to the realization this past fall at the National Conference for Peer Tutoring in Writing in Tacoma, Wash., that our Writing Center here at Wittenberg is one of a kind—and the environment we so cherish is in large part due to the relationships we foster with each other in a space tha, thanks to our dedicated supervisor, really is our own.

We wanted to share with other advisors the value of having and seeking out friendships with whom we have the opportunity to work, and how those friendships have a positive impact on our environment and the work that we do within it.

Both my academic and professional opportunities—in the classroom and the Writing Center—at Wittenberg have also helped me to understand what it is to be a leader. They have given me a wealth of knowledge and skills to draw from and share, while the committed and enthusiastic professors I have been so lucky to learn from have taught me to strive for the things I am most passionate about. I have learned to be curious and open-minded, and to be a friend to everyone.

Ultimately, Wittenberg has shown me that the best leaders know how to take direction, to share in experiences, and to be a part of a team.

- Maria Symons ’17, English major and creative writing minor from the San Diego area