This morning I was eating my snack at a table in the Writing and Reading Center when I overheard a conversation between two students. One student asked the other if she was at the WRC for her psychology paper or her sociology paper. When the other student responded that she was here for sociology, the first student asked if she could see her paper. They then began discussing various academic conventions new to them, such as other citation styles or using headings within a paper, and compared notes on how they were approaching the project. When these students left the WRC, they had not only received guidance and advice from trained WRC Readers, but also supported each other as peers within their disciplines. They had created a connection, which is one of the most important parts of success in college (and in life).

For some time now I’ve heard discussion about how important it is for students to make strong connections at college early on in order to be successful. When I began doing research to find an article about college student retention and success, I discovered there were many different organizations and researchers reporting this. And it isn’t new. What we’ve found in academia is that making connections with others at college continues to be one of the defining factors in student success. Regardless of how teaching styles, technology, disciplines, or student demographics change, this remains a constant. Humans thrive from interaction, and having a person to turn to for guidance and support can make all the difference in the high stakes arena of college.

The WRC is that “person” for many students. Sometimes we help them find instructor offices or locate classrooms. We point them toward resources on campus, such as advising, counseling, tutoring, and the Student Success Center. Many of the Readers give advice as students, such as good places to find cheap tasty food or the best location for studying in the library. We have people call us to ask for phone numbers or if we can help them with a variety of non-writing issues. And we do, as best we can. For many students, just working up the courage to talk to someone or ask a question is hard enough. We value the fact that they have placed their trust in us and work hard to help them get where they need to go. The WRC is so much more than just a place to talk about writing; it’s a place for forging connections.