Introduction
When I began my teaching career as a graduate student at Boston College, I used Fresh Ink, a collection of student essays written for the first-year writing seminar. When I came to American University, I found myself copying those essays over and over. I used them in classes to demonstrate certain writing techniques, to provide examples of different ways of addressing assignments, or to workshop (and a whole host of other applications too long to list here). As the essays got older and older, I saw the writings my current students were producing were more relevant. That got me thinking: why can’t American have a text like Fresh Ink? And, Atrium was born.
I’m thrilled to introduce the first volume of Atrium: Student Writing from American University’s College Writing Program, 2014. The collection both celebrates student writing and serves as models for future students. In these essays you’ll discover a wide variety of topics and formats: the subjects range from explorations of culture to accounts of overcoming personal obstacles to scholarly articles; the styles vary from conversational prose to structured research to academic voices. This diversity highlights the depth, breadth, and strengths of our College Writing Program.
I anticipate using the collection in my classes in much the same ways I have used any other text: to serve as models for particular assignments; to highlight ways of incorporating research; and to practice peer conferencing and workshopping skills. I’ll pick and choose the essays that work best for my class; I may even leave some of the choice up to my students. I see Atrium as a resource for both faculty and students. I hope you find it to be a useful as well.
I want to thank the people who made this possible: my co-editors Cindy Bair Van Dam, John Hyman, and Kate Wilson. Without their work, this collection would not exist. They read every submitted essay, sat through summer meetings to select the ones to put in the collection, and worked individually with the students to polish their essays. I also want to thank the faculty who submitted essays; it was a pleasure to have the opportunity to read so many outstanding pieces. In addition, special thanks go to Gretchen Vanwormer for her name suggestion, Atrium. As she explained: “In Battelle, the atrium seems to be a spot to share conversations and art. And in general I think of an atrium as an open, sunny room where things grow.”
Enjoy the collection. I hope Atrium inspires you.
Stina Kasik Oakes
Editor-in-Chief