Writing

Writing is the bridge between reading and thinking about others’ perspectives, and the more difficult and mature process of forming and expounding one’s own ideas.

Writing is integral to liberal education, augmenting the power of the curriculum by bringing students into the realms of creation and application.

One of the challenges in modern America is that too often books are read and written in a rote fashion, without the creative energy that brings life and vibrancy to learning. Rote methods are concerned with arriving at a certain prescribed “right” answer, rather than seeking to open the student’s mind and explore many possibilities of meaning and application.

The primary purpose of writing at the university is to move students past the rote stage by directly engaging them in the creative process. The focus is on students achieving originality and depth of thought, and then expressing it with power and conviction. 

The first rule of writing is that you must have something to say. Students write every semester, with frequency, quantity and quality increasing as they progress through the curriculum with constant mentor feedback. Quality research is required as well for demonstrating valid sources for supporting arguments. 

Assignments are geared toward writing persuasively but also responsibly, and hence effectively—writing to move a cause, but to also be trusted and therefore being heard.

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