The Excel Multiliteracy Center opened at the beginning of the fall semester, and Matthew Balk, who is the senior director of this center, is encouraging students to stop by.
The Excel Multiliteracy Center is the combination of the former Excel Writing Center and the Excel Communication Center.
According to their website, the Multiliteracy Center provides students with resources to improve their communication skills, practice presentation and interview sessions and one-on-one project assistance.
The Multiliteracy Center staff has experience in various fields to assist students from different majors and help them approach their projects more creatively. Balk recommends students look at the staff bios on their webpage and meet with someone who specializes in the field that best suits their project.
“We want [faculty] to think about different ways that they can have students express themselves or communicate their knowledge and ideas that aren’t just in the rigid standards of what they’ve normally thought about,” Balk said.
According to Balk, students working on school or personal projects with any medium that is related to communication will find the Multiliteracy Center beneficial.
“We’ve had a couple students that have come in who are interested in help writing their D&D campaigns,” Balk said, “We’ve had a kid who’s come in for, like, the last two and a half years. He’s writing a novel. We’ve been reading his novel with him.”
Balk encourages students of all majors to come to the Multiliteracy Center because anyone can benefit from it. He noted that most students who have come to the center so far needed help on computer science and Gateway Program Seminar course assignments.
To make students feel like they have a comfortable space to work in, the Multiliteracy Center’s staff have set up a “quiet side” for students who want to work peacefully, and a “social side” with board games, books and a podcast recording studio for students to hang out or study as a group.
“We are here for you, even if you just want to come in and hang out,” Balk said. “We are there to help [students] feel like they have a place to be on campus.”
Balk emphasized that the Multiliteracy Center is funded by student fees, so students should absolutely take advantage of its services.
The Excel Multiliteracy Center is located in Columbine 312 and 316, and it is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Students can walk in or make appointments for more specialized services on their website.
Students can also follow them on Instagram to get regular updates on their events.
The Excel Multiliteracy Center, located in Columbine 312 and 316, is the combination of the communication and writing center. Photo by Meghan Germain.