New Writing Tutorial: Wesleyan Oral History (Not a Joke)

This new writing tutorial, via Liz Tinker of the English Department, sounds freaking awesome. If you take it, pass some of your WesHistory (westory?) along to this here blog—and tell the Wasch Center for Retired Faculty what’s up. (An English Department tipster additionally points out that the class is “not a joke.” F’rreal.)

This semester, the English Department (in collaboration with the Wasch Center for Retired Faculty, Olin Library Special Collections, and the Center for Faculty Career Development) will offer a pilot section of a writing-intensive group tutorial with a focus on the oral history of Wesleyan University. The tutorial has two important aims: to give students experience in the skills of crafting interviews and writing non-fictional character description and to begin an oral history project which will chronicle the history of Wesleyan University from the 1960s to the current moment. Students enrolled in this small tutorial will collaborate on designing interviews with retired Wesleyan faculty and will work individually to produce a transcript and oral history with one retired faculty member. Ultimately, students will complete the semester by writing an essay-length profile of the retired faculty member. The tutorial will include training in the methods of oral history and in appropriate technology and will include readings on the history of Wesleyan and of higher education in the postwar United States. The tutorial will be led by Anne Greene, Director of Wesleyan Writing Programs, and Sean McCann, Director of the Center for Faculty Career Development. Enrollment will be by permission of the instructors during Drop/Add and will be limited to six students.

If you are interested in applying to join this tutorial, please send to Sean McCann (smccann(at)wesleyan(dot)edu) an email with the following attachments:

• (1) a brief (no more than 200 words) explanation of the reason for your interest;
• (2) a copy of your Academic History;
• (3) a writing sample (1500 words or less).