What We Do

Launched in fall 2020, the Community Writing Center (CWC) at Duquesne University offers writing instruction and literacy programming for children and their families in the Pittsburgh region.

Building upon the mission of the University's on-campus Writing Center, the CWC seeks to develop the writing skills of community members by providing assistance with schoolwork, professional applications, résumés, and other creative endeavors.

Join Us

Why Join Us?

This experiential learning opportunity fulfills requirements in the University’s core curriculum and positions you for post-baccalaureate success by providing training in English Language Arts, tutoring, cultural competency, professional writing, and the myriad connections among these fields of inquiry.

You can register for a zero-credit course, Community Engaged Learning, to recognize this work on your transcripts.

As a CWC tutor, you can use this experience to become a better communicator, problem solver, collaborator, and citizen. This work enacts DU’s mission of serving God by serving students so you can serve others, of embracing diversity, and of reaching out to the underserved.

Taking the Writing Center Beyond Campus Into the Community

In 2020–2021 the CWC formalized its partnership with ACH Clear Pathways, a non-profit educational organization that provides afterschool arts programming to underserved youth from historically African American neighborhoods. Since then the CWC has expanded to seven community partners.

The CWC also provides training to secondary school writing centers in the greater Pittsburgh area, allowing area teachers to support students in their own schools more effectively.

Community partners include:

Community Writing Center awarded NEH Grant

Since founding the Center in 2020, English Professor Dr. James Purdy has brought the power of storytelling to underserved populations through the public outreach extension of the University Writing Center. Now, thanks to another grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, that work will be fortified for years to come.

CWC Work and Accomplishments

ACH Clear Pathways student working virtually with the Community Writing Center

ACH Clear Pathways

We help ACH students with their English Language Arts homework and create their showcase projects, including "All about Me" creative writing books, a play script for a Claymation movie, and more.

Voices from the Hill newsletter

Macedonia FACE Active for Life Senior Center

We help seniors create "Voices from the Hill," the first print-based newsletter in the Hill District.

Peters Township writing coaches working with Duquesne writing center consultants

Local Secondary Schools

We help Peters Township Middle School Writing Coaches and Woodland Hills High School Writing Consultants learn to be peer tutors of writing at their schools.

Elsinore Bennu Think Tank for Restorative Justice

We work with EBTT members to write their stories for a collection of essays.

 

Stay in touch with us!

 

Contact Us

James P. Purdy, Ph.D.

Community Writing Center Director

Dr. James P. Purdy, Writing Center Director