Center for Writing Excellence Receives Prestigious Award

Montclair State University’s Center for Writing Excellence (CWE) has received a 2013-14 CCCC Writing Program Certificate of Excellence from the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC). Founded in 1949, CCCC, with more than 5,000 members, is the world’s largest professional organization dedicated to the teaching and scholarship of writing and rhetoric, in both undergraduate and graduate programs.

One of only five recipients of the award this year, the CWE was chosen for its ability to argue in positive ways for allocating resources towards writing and students and for the program’s use of data to drive development and review. The CWE was also commended for its outstanding assessment program, funding and placement within the University structure.

“We are deeply honored to receive this prestigious award especially since we launched the CWE just four years ago and only five other writing centers have ever received the award,” says Professor Melinda Knight, director of the Center. “Our consultants have worked very hard to make the CWE a success, and we are very grateful to have such strong support from Montclair State’s leadership.”

Established in 2004, the CCCC Writing Program Certificate of Excellence is awarded to up to 20 writing programs a year. To be eligible for the award, a program must demonstrate that it imaginatively addresses the needs and opportunities of its students, instructors, institution and locale and also offer exemplary ongoing professional development for faculty of all ranks, among other conditions.

The award will be presented on March 21 at the 2014 CCCC Annual Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Knight and a number of the CWE consultants will be on hand to accept the award and to participate in the convention. Knight will chair a panel at which CWE consultants, Janet Dengel, Julie Candio Sekel and Nikki Wittenburg will be presenting papers.

The CWE is available to all University students, faculty, staff and alumni who are committed to developing and improving as writers. Sessions with experienced writing consultants are designed to provide help on every aspect of the writing process, with the goal of enabling writers to achieve long-term improvement, confidence, and independence.

More information about the CCCC Writing Program Certificate of Excellence, including current and past winners, is available at ncte.org/cccc/awards/writingprogramcert.