Current Mission Statement:
The UMD Writing and Reading Center aims to develop students’ communication, critical thinking
and academic, political and cultural literacy skills by utilizing the teaching and learning capacities of
students, peer leaders, staff and faculty. This collaborative approach to critical inquiry and skill
development should accomplish the following:
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Support students’ academic and personal goals by increasing the likelihood of their
persistence, retention and graduation
Use a personalized, supportive approach to help students of all language and cultural
backgrounds, levels of experience and learning styles gain access to and excel in university
level studies
Help students develop transferable skills that prepare them for the demands of the
curriculum and the workplace
Create independent learners who seek out and contribute to academic and civic-minded
conversations
Encourage student use of writing to learn and faculty integration of such opportunities in
their curriculum
Help students develop an understanding of writing as an ongoing process of idea
development, consideration of research and knowledgable voices, peer and audience
feedback, and revising (re-envisioning) in search of relevance and meaningful discourse.
Demystify genre and disciplinary expectations for students so that they may both be
informed by and contribute to ever developing bodies of knowledge
Allow students to become globally aware and empowered through exposure to
technological advancements in communication
Foster the academic and professional development of student staff through opportunities to
collaborate with faculty, learn leadership skills and acquire national certification
Support curricular and faculty innovations through peer programming and direct assistance
Collaborate with other departments, centers and programs to provide a collegial,
supportive institutional climate that honors personal development, respect for the
individual and responsible citizenship