Through the Writing Excellence Initiative, we aspire to prepare every Elon student, undergraduate and graduate, in every major, to be an excellent writer.

  • Writing to learn: We will prepare every Elon graduate to use writing to understand new content and perspectives, analyze information and problems, and generate knowledge.
  • Writing in a discipline: We will prepare every Elon graduate to develop and communicate ideas effectively to readers, for purposes and in contexts that are appropriate for his or her field of study.
  • Writing as a citizen: We will prepare every Elon graduate to communicate effectively with other members of his or her communities on issues of local, regional, or global significance.

Every element of the university contributes

Every element of the university plays an important role in developing students’ writing abilities.

Academic departments will enhance the writing instruction and support they provide for their majors. They will create or refine existing writing outcomes for their majors, and they will refine sets of courses to progressively build their students’ abilities toward these outcomes.

The General Studies Program will refine its courses to provide additional instruction and support for steadily developing undergraduate students’ abilities to write as citizens. So that students can receive more instruction in writing in The Global Experience (GST110), we will reduce class sizes over the next five years.

The Division of Student Life will enhance the instruction and support for the writing students do in its programs as well as the guidance and feedback it gives its student employees who write as part of their jobs.