Graduate WAC Fellow Reflections

Kunal Bhardwaj (2022-2023)

The essence of “good writing” is to effectively communicate, convince and inspire action in the reader’s mind. This skill has become increasingly important in today’s fast-paced world. As an instructor, I noticed that my students could answer technical questions correctly but struggled when asked to discuss results or provide reasoning in their lab reports. However, after joining Grad WAC Fellows, I discovered methods and tools that could be incorporated into my teaching to make student learning more efficient and engaging.

Grad WAC Fellows provided me with strategies for critical reading, designing effective assignments and developing evaluation metrics. It has been one of the most enriching experiences for developing my own pedagogical skills and writing techniques. Weekly guided discussions with instructors and peers from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds gave me a unique perspective on addressing student learning challenges. One of the key highlights for me was seeing my students’ improved discussions when encouraged to visualize the application of taught phenomena to real-world situations and to summarize before starting the lab report. Notwithstanding technical proficiency, effective writing is a crucial skill that is often overlooked in the professional development of both undergraduate and graduate students. Apart from teaching skills, Grad WAC also made me aware of my own weaknesses in addressing elements such as audience focus and rhetoric in my writing. This is why I highly recommend this program to all budding instructors and future professionals at Clemson University.

Gugu Selela (2022-2023)

The Grad WAC Fellows program has played a vital role in my academic
life. As part of the program, I learned so much about mindful reading and
incorporated it into my studies and teaching. As an international student with teaching duties, the WAC program provided me with different techniques to use when communicating with the students in an American setting, especially since I come from a different cultural background. I learned a lot about providing constructive feedback that takes into consideration the multiculturalism and diversity of students. Teaching gender studies requires one to be able to write and be conscious of the language one uses, and the program has provided techniques that have made my teaching successful. We discussed many themes that should be part of our writing, and the one that I resonated with was inclusive writing due to the courses I teach and my research. The cohort I was part of was diverse in their academic background and experiences; I acquired some of their knowledge and implemented it in my classroom and research. The Pearce Center is an essential part of a student’s journey because it teaches them that writing is a learning mode and can be used to help them learn complex material and clarify thinking. The instructors in the program were helpful to my academic development; they provided consultation hours where they offered me skills and guidance in grant writing, which has helped boost my confidence in applying for grants — I am now writing a grant proposal using the skills learned from this class. I hope this program continues in the future and that more students can take advantage of it to widen their academic skills.

Andrew Waters (2021-2022)

I try to take the practice of writing seriously, so one of the most important parts of the WAC program for me is being part of a fellowship of writers on campus. The weekly practice of talking and thinking about writing is like therapy for me, an important part of my emotional life even outside of academia. Writing is an interior process, but it helps to talk about writing with others. As a part of the WAC program, the Pearce Center staff is an important part of that fellowship.

Even though I’ve written for most of my adult life, I’ve never had to think about teaching writing to others before. The WAC program is helping me articulate the craft of writing to my students and giving me useful tools to teach that craft in my classroom. One of the most enjoyable parts of the program is the diversity of academic and cultural backgrounds among the fellows. Listening to the writing challenges and successes of people from other academic disciplines, many of whom are teaching and writing in a language that isn’t their native tongue, gives me a helpful perspective on my own teaching and writing efforts in the field of PRTM.

LaToya McDonald (2021-2022)

I discovered the Grad WAC Fellows program through a GRAD 360° event. I was interested in becoming a WAC Fellow because I love to write in my personal time, and I was intrigued to learn more about writing applications in the classroom. I began teaching as a graduate teacher of record for a Creative Inquiry course in the Fall of 2021, the same semester I enrolled into the WAC Fellows program. My CI course consisted of transfer students who were not familiar with research principles and skills. I was able to create writing assignments with the skills I developed from the WAC Fellows program that helped my students to not just gain surface knowledge of research principles but also to better understand the applications of them in a classroom setting. My role as a WAC Fellow has helped me redefine my instructional goals as a second-semester graduate teacher of record. My biggest takeaway from the WAC Fellows program is that every instructor should take part in the program if they can. Through being a part of the program, I am able to think outside of the box in application to my CI class and as a Ph.D. student.

Ashish Kumar (2021-2022)

I joined the WAC program with the intention of honing my writing skills for the students I teach, as well as for myself. This program has given me insight into writing as a vital tool to promote critical thinking and active learning. The biggest takeaway for me is the impact of very small, yet so powerful, techniques like free writing and exploratory writing. I share these techniques not just with students but with everyone around me. The most memorable experience for me has been regular lecture discussions, especially when we talk about people of different cultures and nationalities, because this increases our mutual respect for each other. This class has been the most diverse class for me so far in terms people from different majors, different countries and different experiences, which I feel is true bliss. We all have learned so much just by sharing our experiences of teaching and working with students.

While I’m not sure how many people in my field are aware of the Pearce Center’s programs, I definitely share my experience with others so that they can take advantage of the WAC Fellows program and from the center itself. This knowledge sharing is especially important in the engineering field where we do not have dedicated courses for writing. The need for guided writing has shaped my thinking to impart whatever I have learned through this program to my students. As a teacher, we sometimes forget how important these writing steps are for students who are in the first year of their college career, and this program focuses on forming these building blocks through the fellows. I am thankful to the Pearce Center and to our teachers for providing us with this opportunity.

Swati Goel (2021-2022)

I started the Grad WAC Fellows program because, as an international student, I struggled with my writing skills. In addition, I felt intimidated by the teaching practices at Clemson as they seemed starkly different from my home country, India. As a fellow, I was able to overcome both of these challenges and much more. I acquired new skills in writing, including articulating my thoughts, reflecting and summarizing using writing and not just words. I also learned a lot about various tools available to instructors on Canvas and how to use them for teaching.

Because architecture revolves around drawings and studio culture, I think one of the ways the Pearce Center can assist architecture students by guiding them to put their design ideas into words and refine them as they present their work. One moment that stood out to me was when I informed my instructor that I would be teaching the first-year studio in Spring 2022, and she helped me break down a design class into a mix of design, writing and fun. We discussed how we could use writing to explain the thoughts that go into the design within a design studio. During every exercise, I ask my students to own their work and tell or show me why they are doing what they are doing.

Arup Bhattacharya (2020-2021)

Arup Bhattacharya, a Ph.D. student in the Planning, Design and the Built Environment program, found the WAC fellowship to be an interesting opportunity to learn different ways to include writing in traditionally non-writing intensive courses. As an instructor for a construction estimating class, Bhattacharya encountered students who prepared accurate estimates but could not communicate them efficiently. “Integrating different short writing assessments, I tried to convey to my students what are the things a reader looks for when they go through your report,” he explained. In addition to improving his own writing skills through this fellowship, he learned important insights into evaluating writing and how writers should always consider the audience. “Apart from improving my own scholarly writing expertise, I have found ways through WAC fellowship to pass on that skill to my students so that they also achieve confidence to deliver quality writing,” Bhattacharya said.

Olivia McAnirlin (2020-2021)

Olivia McAnirlin, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Parks,
Recreation and Tourism Management, joined the Pearce Center’s WAC Fellow program to help strengthen her teaching skills in the classroom. McAnirlin wanted to create homework assignments and in-class activities that would teach necessary, transferable skills for the job market, such as writing that conveys a clear message to its audience. McAnirlin shared, “I want students to walk away from a course thinking about how to clearly articulate course content and make it applicable to the real-world. Students may not be writing traditionally, but through press releases, social media posts and emails in the park, recreation and tourism fields.” The Grad WAC Fellow program helped McAnirlin think critically about bringing an increased focus to writing in her classroom and facilitating conversations about the importance of writing in everyday life.

Amir Malek (2019-2020)

Amir Malek, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, became involved with the Pearce Center’s WAC Fellow program when he realized there was a serious need for engineering students to improve their writing skills. He loved teaching but found it difficult to grade his students’ work. “I constantly came across assignments that were great content-wise, but they struggle to convey the message due to the lack of writing skills,” said Amir. He assumed this was “the curse of engineering majors” until he became familiar with the Graduate Writing TA Program. “This program made it possible for me to provide my students with engineering-friendly writing tips,” he explained.

Rachel Ham (2019-2020)

As a WAC Fellow, Rachel is constantly working on incorporating written communication into her STEM background. When asked how she got involved in the WAC program, she explained, “As a teaching assistant in biological sciences, I was seeking ways to improve my skills and help my students achieve higher quality writing. When my advisor recommended this position, I knew it was the right fit. I believe it is critical to communicate scientific research effectively, both with other scientists and with the public.” Her top tip for effective writing is to know your audience and then write clearly and briefly for that audience. Rachel also completed her bachelor’s degree at Clemson.