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Michael J. Cripps, Ph.D., associate professor of Rhetoric and Composition in the Department of English; Eric Drown, Ph.D., developmental writing supervisor and Jennifer Gennaco, M.Ed., adjunct associate lecturer in the Department of English presented papers at the University of Connecticut’s Eleventh Annual Conference on the Teaching of Writing. The conference was held on March 25, 2016, at UConn’s main campus in Storrs, Connecticut.

Their papers were delivered as part of a panel titled “Embedding a Writing Center in FYC with the Digital: Perspectives on a Mainstreaming Initiative for Developmental Writers.” Cripps, Drown and Gennaco explored the intellectual and institutional context for UNE’s successful initiative to mainstream developmental writers, the ways the effort both poses challenges and opens opportunities for faculty and writing consultants, and the ways the program may shift more traditional conceptions of the role of a writing center and writing support.

Drown commented, "In the interest of retaining more students, many colleges and universities are seeking ways to reduce the number of developmental courses students must take.” He noted that conference attendees “expressed considerable interest in UNE's innovative and demonstratively successful approach to supporting developmental writing through embedded professional tutoring in English Composition."

Reflecting on her experience at the conference, Gennaco said, “I enjoyed the sessions that we attended and was inspired to try some new projects in my English Composition hybrid course.” One of these projects is the development of electronic profiles that would “encourage students to bring their academic work to a public online community and begin building a digital profile that goes beyond their social media accounts.”