Welcome to the Alton L. Wilmer Writing Center!
Established in 1981, the Lynchburg College Writing Center is a place where all Lynchburg College students, faculty, and staff can come to improve their writing skills through a broad range of tutorial services. Tutors assist with remedial to advanced levels of writing in all fields. In September 1997, the Center was renamed the Alton L. Wilmer Writing Center in honor of the retired Pepsi-Cola executive whose career with the company spanned thirty-four years from 1959 to 1993.
| Hours Writing Center Information Online Guide Tutors Contact: |
 |
| Back row: Grace Rochfort, Ellen Parks, Rosalind Eberhart, Michelle Patterson, Erin Lloyd (Supervising Tutor), Leslie Harris, Karen Hatter (Asst. Director) Middle row: Aaron Rubin, Kathleen Corcoran, Lora Settle, Jackie Fox Front row: Sarah Preno, Becky Eades, Ryan Mayr, Mihaela Piron |
The Writing Center is located in Hopwood Hall, Room 4
(Ground Floor, Center Room)
Writing Center Hours
- Monday - Thurs: 10am - 5pm; Fri: 10am - 4pm
- Sunday - Thurs: Evenings, 7 to 10
About the Writing Center
What is the Writing Center?
- The Writing Center is a place where all Lynchburg College students, faculty, and staff can come to improve their writing skills through a broad range of tutorial services. Tutors assist with remedial to advanced levels of writing in all fields.
- The Center is equipped with a laser printer and six computers, with a range of software applications. Reference books and writing texts are also available.
Who can use it?
- All students, regardless of major, can receive assistance in writing papers for all courses.
- International students can receive help mastering the conventions of standard written English grammar and usage.
Who will help me?
- Tutors are current students who are carefully chosen for their ability to write and communicate with others. They are trained to assist at all stages of the writing process (planning, organizing, revising, and final editing), and their goal is to teach you to take charge of your writing and produce clear and effective prose.
What services are provided?
- Tutors can get you started and help you overcome the "blank page" terror - not knowing what to write or how to begin.
- Tutors can teach you how to plan, draft, revise, edit, and correct your own grammar and spelling.
- Sequenced tutorials can help you review areas of grammar and usage as applied to written prose.
But . . .
- Tutors can't guarantee improved grades! They can teach you to revise your own writing.
- Tutors don't offer a quick fix! They do help, but you are expected to do your own checking and editing.
- Tutors can't be a last-minute solution! Tutors are not expected to work overtime if you arrive shortly before closing time.
Do I need an appointment?
Call ext. 8279 for an appointment (off campus, 544-8279). Appointments are preferred. If the tutors are not already busy with students who made appointments, they will meet with students on a walk-in basis. Due to heavy demand just before midterm and final exams, appointments cannot always be guaranteed. Make appointments well in advance.
What materials should I bring?
Bring a completed paper for review, a started paper, a pile of notes, or just plain panic! Be sure, also, to bring a copy of your professor's assignment sheet or syllabus. Please bring your reading materials as well! If you plan to use our computers, please bring a 3 1/2-inch diskette, or save your paper to your P drive in order to access it in the Writing Center.
How do I become a tutor?
- Students with strong writing skills and a minimum GPA of 3.0 can work as Writing Center tutors. Most tutors are paid through the work/study program; however, a few tutors earn academic credit for their work in the Writing Center. Tutors may specialize in writing requirements across the curriculum or in a specific academic discipline.
- For more information, contact Lyndall Nairn at ext. 8588 (off campus at 544-8588).
What do students say about the Writing Center?
- "The Writing Center should be one of the first places a student visits. It will make college life much easier."
- "The encouragement and advice from a peer was extremely helpful."
- "Tutors were patient and helped me step by step."
- "Tutors who help me made me much more confident about my papers."
Faculty members like us, too.
- "Students in our classes give the Writing Center rave reviews."
- "This is a wonderful and critically important service."
Famous Writers Competition
How many of these famous writers can you identify? After your tutorial, ask the tutor for a form to write the names. One winner per week will receive a Westover gift certificate for a free drink!
The Writing Center Online Guide
Use the Writing Center Guide for reference. It provides writing techniques and grammar tips, as well as faculty requirements for papers and citations.
This guide was begun by Dr. Elza Tiner, Director of the Alton L. Wilmer Writing Center at Lynchburg College, 1989-1999. Each section was written by a Writing Center tutor, a student at the college, as part of the tutor training seminar. This website is an ongoing Writing Center research project, so watch for further developments!
Student Tutors
- Jennifer Bolt (Supervising Tutor)
- Karen Hatter (Assistant Director)
- Aaron Rubin
- Ashley Whitehurst
- Stephen Gunderson
- Erin Lloyd
- Amy Thomas
- John Roberts
- Jennie Moran
- Grace Rochfort
- Ryan Mayr
- Dana Sliva
- Gail Silveira
- Joy Loving
- Rosalind Eberhart
- Leslie Harris