May 15, 2017

SVSU writing tutors share expertise in building university writing center in Japan

Saginaw Valley State University secondary education majors Renee Okenka of Swartz Creek, and Samantha Geffert of Farmington Hills, are studying abroad at Shikoku University in Tokushima, Japan this summer, and their trip includes a special purpose: getting a newly established Writing Center off to a good start.

Both Geffert and Okenka are peer tutors at SVSU's Writing Center, a place where students can go to receive feedback or assistance on papers, speeches, résumés and more.

“The Writing Center is really an asset to the students,” Okenka said. “We try to provide as many resources for them as we can. Just having a space for writing to help cultivate their writing abilities is such an important part of going to college and becoming a professional.”

Because of their expertise within SVSU's Writing Center, Okenka and Geffert will be lending a hand at Shikoku University's newly established Writing Center. They arrived in Japan Friday, April 28.
 
“My hope is that working with a native English speaker at the Shikoku Writing Center will help supplement what students are learning in the English as a second language classes at the university,” Okenka said.

Shikoku University has been a sister university of SVSU for more than 20 years, beginning first as a faculty exchange program and expanding to include student exchange programs as well.

In addition to supporting Shikoku’s Writing Center, Geffert and Okenka also will be conducting research while abroad. Both students have a minor in English as a second language which will play a role in their data collection.

“We will be keeping journals in order to record reflective evaluations about our experiences,” Geffert said. “We will be working through a list of questions that consider how our training - both in the Writing Center and in the English as a second language program - plays into our ability to tutor.”

The Writing Center is designed to be a place where students can bring their work and ideas and know that they're being heard.

“I think that's the benefit of having a peer as a resource,” Geffert said. “Our Writing Center focuses on the creation of an environment where students feel like they're being validated and supported. I think that will carry over into Shikoku's new Writing Center as well.”