UCCS’ Writing and Communication Excel Centers will be merging into the Excel Multiliteracy Center, slated to open in the fall of 2023.
The new combined center will offer many of the same resources as the current centers, but it will be a more streamlined experience for students and staff.
The Writing Center offers academic support for written projects of all kinds, including things like essays, presentations, research documents and fictional writing. The Communication Center focuses on oral delivery, mannerisms, public speaking and job interviews.
Part of the idea behind merging the two centers is to simplify the student experience. If a student wants help on a class presentation before the fall, they have to make two appointments: one at the Writing Center for assistance with the written side, and one at the Communication Center for the oral delivery side.
According to Matthew Balk, director of the Excel Writing Center, making multiple appointments will not be necessary with this new center. He wants the Excel Multiliteracy Center to be a “one-stop shop” for all forms of communication.
“Any kind of medium in which you are communicating an idea to somebody else, whether it be through a presentation, whether it’s just you speaking, or a presentation with a visual aid or something like that,” Balk said. “The idea is we will help you on each one of the elements for that.”
Students will also be able to get help with work that involves using different mediums.
“We’re going to have a recording studio,” Balk said. “We’re going to do podcasting work where students can come in and record podcasts for class if they want to.”
The Multiliteracy Center will also feature tutoring on topics like infographics and PowerPoints, where the line between different forms of communication is a little more blurred.
The merging of the two centers will be more visible to students starting in the summer. “This is [when] we’re going to introduce the campus to this space and the staff that we have,” Balk said.
Students interested in visiting either center this semester can make an appointment through each of their websites. The Excel Writing Center is in Columbine 316 and the Excel Communication Center is in Columbine 312.
For more information, students can contact Balk at [email protected].
Photo from forbes.com