Summary:
Dr. Hephzibah Roskelly earned her MA and PhD in the English department at UofL in the early 1970s. After graduating, she worked as a writing consultant at the University Writing Center (UWC) and a professor within the English department throughout the 1970s and 80s. Roskelly also served as the UWC Director in the 1980s. She is now Professor Emeritus of Rhetoric and Composition at UNC Greensboro, where she has taught since leaving UofL in 1989. In this wide-ranging interview, Roskelly describes the difficulties of establishing the UWC (formerly The Writing Clinic) practices at a time when writing center research was in its infancy. This includes a discussion on the hurdles of formulating an interdisciplinary approach. Under the guidance of UWC Directors Susan Helgeson and Kate Ronald, as well as Composition Director Joe Comprone, Roskelly was able to formulate a methodology for teaching composition and improving writing center practices that has allowed her to better assist writers throughout her extensive career. She also discusses the importance of reading comprehension, interpretation, and critical thinking as a means to help writers grow. Finally, Roskelly touches on a number of topics, including: recreating successful UWC approaches at UNC Greensboro, the benefits of technology in the writing center, the evolving structures of modern writing centers, and the importance of creating a sense of community.
Topic(s):
University of Louisville, University of Louisville. Department of English, University of Louisville--Students
