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Professor Christine Reyes Garcia wants to offer a platform for what she says is the least represented community at the University: freshman writers.
“A lot of times you look at freshman writing as not beneficial, but the majority of kids that go through UNM go through a core writing course, so if anything, it’s the biggest community out here,” Garcia said.
Friday marks the fourth annual Celebration of Student Writing, a showcase of student writing from 100-level University courses.
This year’s event features the work of 40 different classes, ranging from Freshman Learning Community writing courses to Chicano Studies. Each class will be set up throughout the Student Union Building’s three ballrooms, and the work will be displayed at tables, through multimedia displays and spoken word presentations. The student gathering marks the end of the Dean of Students Office Freshman Week. A banner reading “Class of 2016” will be dropped halfway through the event.
Garcia, who is a coordinator of the event, said this year’s celebration features writing samples from students from a wider range of classes than in previous years. She said the event offers a medium through which freshman writers can present their work.
“When you’re an upperclassman, there are forums for you to present your writing. But as a freshman writer, those forums don’t exist; this is the hole that this is filling,” she said.
Garcia has participated in the event since it began in 2009, working to help support the celebration as she began her Ph.D. program at the University. Garcia, now an English 101 professor herself, said the event helps show students their connectivity with the rest of the University community.
“It shows students that what they’re doing is not just applicable for me as their teacher in the classroom. They’re a part of this larger community where they come to educate themselves, and one of those basic elements are writing, and it’s happening across the University,” she said.
Ceramic Seduction — Garcia’s FLC ceramics-meets-English 101 class — will participate in this year’s event. Garcia said that because the two subjects rarely mix, her class often delves into abstract writing. Her class is currently creating clay containers; consequently, her students are writing about “what it means to be contained.”
Garcia said the different approach of her class to writing is one of many at the event.
“There’s an element of civic duty here, where it shows writers how many elements of writing there are — it’s not just pen to paper,” she said. “There’s all kinds of forms that writing can take. The ways people conceptualize it demonstrate that.”
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First-year professor Clare Jennifer Russell is in charge of marketing the event. With her first semester teaching English 101 halfway done, Russell said the celebration will help her learn what her students have taken from her course.
Russell said that as important as it is for young students to have a platform, this year’s celebration should help students look forward to their future careers.
“It’s important that we focus on our first-year students so that they continue to use writing in ways that benefit their future careers and future studies,” Russell said. “I think that it’s important that if we recognize their work early on, they’ll be motivated to continue their work as exceptional writers.”
Celebration of Student Writing
Friday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
SUB Ballrooms A, B, C
Free
