Bowie State University - Writing Center

Hours of Operation:
Monday       8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuesday      8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Thursday     8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday         8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Phone:

301-860-3676, MLK 251-252, Writing Center and Reading Lab
301-860-3720, MLK 204, Modern Languages Lab

Location: MLK Building Rooms 251-252, 204

Faculty

Prof. Stephanie D. Johnson, Coordinator
Prof. Catherine Payne, Assistant Coordinator
Prof. Robin Brooks, Lab Assistant

Student Assistants

Cynthia Gross
Jasmine Harris

Alaya Larry

Latacia McGhee
Stephanie Russell

Brittany Salters

Gamal Sheard

Professor Dorothy Sizemore Smith, a former chairperson, faculty member, and Writing Center Coordinator in the Department of English and Modern Languages at Bowie State University, was distinguished for numerous achievements in civic, educational, religious, and humanitarian arenas. Trained and educated as a language critic, pianist, singer, humanist, and writer, she enjoyed a much deserved reputation as an incisive teacher, passionate researcher, effective interpreter and communicator, and inspired scholar who led and taught by way of example.

Professor Pedro-Jose Vidal was a lecturer in Spanish at BSU from 1995 through 2005 and was instrumental in establishing the Modern Languages Laboratory. Professor Vidal co-sponsored two Maryland Foreign Language Association technology conferences at BSU in 2000 and 2004. His commitment to the University was evidenced by his unrelenting service on several committees in the Department and the School of Arts and Sciences, including being the Departmental representative to the Thurgood Marshall Library for many years. He was also a member of many civic organizations.

Mission

ExCida* in Literacy and Language

*ExCida is the University's acronym for its core values: Excellence, Civility, Integrity, Diversity, and Accountability.

Vision

The Smith Vidal Literacy and Language Center is becoming a premier 21st century center, as it incorporates culturally appropriate teaching and learning strategies and multi-technological media to facilitate ExCida in Literacy and Language.

Description

The Smith Vidal Literacy and Language Center is an instructional facility designed to assist students, primarily those who are enrolled in English courses and preparing for the EPE, by appointment. Smith Vidal instructors address the literacy and language concerns of students, respond to the papers of students, and direct students to the appropriate learning resources. The instructors also work with English and Modern Languages faculty to provide lab orientation for their courses, worksheets for their students, and feedback on student progress.

Responsibilities

OUR FACULTY AND STAFF WILL:

Help students understand English and Modern Language assignments;
Diagnose writing problems;
Provide worksheets and computer activities;
Help students access online writing help;
Help students access language software;
Give MLA and APA workshops; and
Give workshops on the English Proficiency Exam (EPE) at the beginning of each semester (as well as individual workshops).

OUR FACULTY AND STAFF WILL NOT:

Write, proofread, or edit papers;
Re-grade, comment on, or guarantee a grade;
Give personal tutorials on word processing;
Read papers/comment on papers that have not already been submitted for grading;
Allow excessive Internet access;
Answer writing questions by phone or fax; and/or
Allow individual students to print multiple copies or more than 10 pages per day.

GENERAL WRITING CONSULTATION PROCEDURES:

Submit your paper to your instructor for review/grading.
Submit your paper to Smith Vidal faculty or staff.
Schedule an appointment for consultation.

All writing samples must be submitted 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment.

It is extremely important that you come to your appointments on time so you will have time for a thorough consultation. Also, we may have an appointment following yours, and we will not keep others waiting. Please call the center if you will be late or need to reschedule.

Resources

Smith Vidal has 68 computer stations equipped with:

Word

Excel

Explorer

Publisher

PowerPoint

Infopath

Onenote

Skype

Also available to students are:

Writing and grammar tutorials;
Language tutorials;
Access to online computer labs; and
Access to writing and grammar software.

Please do not wait until the last minute to do your assignments. Remember that a lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on the parts of others. Always plan ahead.

Calendar of Events

Click here to view the events

Spring 2009 EPE Workshop Series

Special Scheduling

Occasionally, Smith Vidal will close for orientation sessions, English classes, or other special circumstances. We will post signs to announce these occasions. At these times, students are encouraged to use other Smith Vidal facilities or other computer labs on campus.

Going Green!

To conserve paper, we request that students DO NOT:

Print from the Internet;
Print PowerPoint presentations;
Print multiple copies of the same document; and/or
Print more than 10 pages per day.