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www.coe.edu 28 Writing Center consultants Heather Lewis ’09 and Dave Woehrle’09 work on a project at a staff retreat. what I want them to do,” said Lanegran. Singleton has found a way for his students to learn both writing and chemistry. “I asked myself ‘what’s going to get my students to think about these facts more?’ And I decided to have students write.” One of Singleton’s class assignments is for students to participate in an on-line forum. “I’ll ask questions like ‘what should Coe’s policy be on global warming?’” said Singleton. “In class, maybe one or two students might have something to say. But on-line, all of them can have a voice.” And frequent writing seems to help clarify thinking. “In the process of crafting questions in writing, students sometimes find they actually know the answer. New faculty are given many opportunities to learn how to participate in the WAC program. Marrs runs summer workshops and retreats where faculty can discuss and read about issues like assignment design, portfolio grading, and how to teach research writing. Shorter workshops also occur during the school year. And, of course, Coe faculty rely on conversations with their colleagues. “One goal I have is just to gather faculty in a room to talk for a few hours about how we read and respond to student writing,” said Marrs. “This helps to establish a baseline perception of what good writing means at Coe.” Coe faculty have two opportunities each year to do this: once in the fall when they gather to read and score the writing exercise new students take when they arrive, and then later in the fall semester when they read and score first-year student portfolios. “Every year 50-60 faculty see what their colleagues are doing,” said Marrs. “And they can learn how to read in different ways—to listen to what the students are saying and see whether they can develop their ideas.” Incidentally, over 90 percent of Coe faculty agree on scores they give to student writing at these gatherings. Without faculty support, WAC would not be possible, points out President James Phifer. But faculty continue to support writing. “Even when they find it burdensome — like when they face a stack of papers to grade at the end of the year — they support it because they see what it does for their students.” Well-Prepared Students “I don’t know of a skill that’s more fundamental to making a living and making a life than the ability to write clearly,” said Phifer. “I often hear from employers that one of the things setting Coe graduates apart is that they simply write better than graduates of other colleges.” Perhaps this is because when students leave the campus, they’ll have written not just for English professors, but for professors from every discipline. “We want to have students regularly using writing,” said Marrs. “After four years, they’ll have had dozens of assignments, dozens of readers, dozens of opportunities for revision.” Coe students seem to understand this, too. “In my history class, I had to write an argument paper, and in theory, I had to do analysis,” said Melissa Entzminger ’09. “I think professors want to give us skills we can use in many different situations.” While no one paper can prepare students for the range of writing situations they’ll face in life, Coe’s WAC program certainly prepares students to be ready for anything. Jane Claspy Nesmith is a freelance writer and adjunct assistant professor of rhetoric at Coe. Winter | 2008
BY GEOrGE A look back at Coe through the lens of George Henry ’49 Asampling of photos from the George T. Henry College Archives at Stewart Memorial Library, this page is dedicated to Coe’s history as captured through the lens of George Henry ’49. The collection includes an unparal- leled record of the life of a college over more than half a century by a single photographer. 50 years ago — Head Coach Bob Schulz with members of the 1958 Midwest Conference Champion basketball team including (seated, left to right) Al Pursell ’58, Mel Kupcinet ’58, Dick Keel ’58, Don Huff ’58, (kneeling) Don Roby ’58, Ralph Pucci ’58 and Billy Black ’58. The 1957-58 Kohawks went 20-7 and won the Iowa NAIA Tournament before advancing to the quarterfinals of the National NAIA Tournament. The Class of ’58 will celebrate its 50th Reunion June 6-8. For more information visit www.coe.edu/alumni/junereunion. 25 years ago — A wrestling match at Eby Fieldhouse in 1983. On March 7-8, former Kohawk wrestlers and coaches are invited to reunite at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids. Coe, along with Cornell and the Iowa Conference, will be hosting the championships at the US Cellular Center. Coe College Courier 10 years ago — Vice President for Student Affairs Lou Stark is a picture of concentration during the Coe-Lympics egg toss in 1998. Sponsored by the residence life staff, Coe-Lympics is a college tradition. 45 www.coe.edu
Page 1 and 2: Cover Story: Coe’s Defining Momen
Page 3 and 4: Vol. 107 No. 3 Winter 2008 Editor L
Page 5 and 6: man in whom we can see our own stru
Page 7 and 8: even when their subject is sufferin
Page 9 and 10: Coe College Courier Photo by Frank
Page 11 and 12: season as she had four top-10 finis
Page 13 and 14: No CouNteRfeit Bill Don’t look fo
Page 15 and 16: “I knew it was a matter of time,
Page 17 and 18: NFL Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy
Page 19 and 20: like a long time, his back pain wor
Page 21 and 22: Cody Staker ’90 (wearing shorts)
Page 23 and 24: ENT FrOzEN IN TIME Student Senate P
Page 25 and 26: A display of college archives in Do
Page 27 and 28: iNg 2007 Defensive back Jeremy Squi
Page 29: Andrew Decker ’09 is one of 60 st

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