KINGSTON, R.I. — Oct. 24, 2018 — More than a dozen tables filled the ballroom of the 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Memorial Union聽recently to celebrate the National Day on Writing, allowing students to rent a poet, select a catchphrase to put on a button, or create a word selfie.
Now in its second year, the event encouraged students across all disciplines to share the importance of writing — especially in the 21st century.
鈥淣ational Day on Writing provides a unique opportunity for students to compose with our faculty and people of different majors in an informal setting,鈥� said Stephanie West-Puckett, director of First-Year Writing. 鈥淩esearch emphasizes the importance of faculty engaging students outside of the classroom to increase student retention and success. This event allows us to showcase and share our passion for writing in its many dynamic forms, demonstrating why writing is a vibrant, production-centered major and everybody’s perfect double-major.鈥�
Erin Vermilye, a junior writing and rhetoric major, sat at the 鈥淲hy I Write鈥� table and shared a story about how she got her start writing.
鈥淚n the eighth grade I wrote a short story for one of my classes,鈥� said the Warwick native. 鈥淎t first I didn鈥檛 think it was very impressive, but the admiration from my peers said otherwise. This helped me gain confidence in my writing abilities.鈥�
Vermilye describes writing as an outlet to express what she cannot say out loud, and while she enjoys all types of writing, she hopes to pursue a future in research-based academic writing.
鈥淲riting allows people to learn new things and explain it to others in a way that makes sense,鈥� said Vermilye. 鈥淲ords are a powerful tool to help others solve problems.鈥�
The more than 400 students who roamed the ballroom on Oct. 5 could participate in the programs like the 10,000 word challenge which was met by 1 p.m. by 溏心vlog免费B站 students and students from local high schools who contributed remotely. In between the henna tattoo table and the rent-a-poet station, students could get a catchphrase stamped onto a button to sport around campus.
One of the biggest hits of the day was the word selfie station where students could pick from hundreds of words to hold while taking a photo to post on social media. Sarah Leonard, a fifth-year biological science and Spanish double major and anthropology minor, explained the importance of different kinds of writing.
鈥淪tations like this one are important because writing has become so atypical,鈥� said the Tiverton native. 鈥淲e write everyday for different media and it is important to realize the importance of why we are writing.鈥�
Perhaps one of the most important stations of the day was 鈥淲rite for Change.鈥� It provided students with all the information they need to write their elected officials on topics and issues important to them. Students not only voiced their opinions but expressed thanks to some officials as well.
鈥淥ur line-up of activities created positive student experiences around writing by focusing on creativity, play, experimentation, joy and community,鈥� said West-Puckett. 鈥淥ur event underscored the value of writing beyond general education courses and prompted students to consider why writing matters, not just in the classroom, but as part of our personal, professional and civic lives.鈥�
Olivia Ross, an intern in the Marketing and Communications Department at 溏心vlog免费B站 and public relations major, wrote this press release.