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Grants

WAU offers grants in support of faculty and staff efforts to pilot best practices in writing pedagogy, to conduct writing-related research/scholarship, and to invite alumni for campus discussion (online or in-person) to discuss their professional writing experiences. A list of past grant recipients, along with the titles of their projects and examples of their work, is at the end of this page.

Best Practices in Writing Pedagogy Grant

Individual proposals: This grant encourages and supports teaching faculty in full-time, ongoing positions who are working to pilot best practices in writing pedagogy in their classes. $1,000 stipend. Offered fall and spring terms. See the list on our “Best Practices” page for help developing your ideas for this grant proposal.

Collaborative proposals: This grant encourages and supports faculty and staff who are working to pilot best practices in writing pedagogy in their classes and programs. $1,000 stipend for each participant, up to 5 collaborators. Offered for fall and spring terms.

Eligible to apply: For Best Practices in Writing Pedagogy Grant, faculty in full-time, ongoing positions and staff teaching writing in their programs. Please see * below.

Applications due November 22, for grants to be used in Spring (Grant report due end of July)
Applications due May 2nd, for grants to be used in Fall (Grant report due end of February)

Research into Writing Grant

Offered over the summer only, this grant supports faculty to conduct research into writing or the teaching of writing in the disciplines and professions. Example of appropriate research topics include studying a specific writing pedagogy to determine if it improves student learning outcomes; researching how the professional writing associated with your discipline is changing; or examining student attitudes, strengths, and weaknesses in a particular writing situation. Others examples of successfully funded grants can be found below. Please contact Dr. Paula Rosinski if you would like to discuss your proposal ideas. $3,000 stipend.  

Eligible to apply: For Research into Writing Grant, faculty in full-time, ongoing positions. Please see * and ** below.

Applications due May 2nd, for grants to be used summer only. Once you have completed your proposal, please email, with “Grant Proposal” in the subject line, to the CWE Program Assistant,��Malinda Spencer. 

*Past WAU/CWE funding may be taken into account depending upon the number of proposal applications received.
**Preference for the Research Into Writing Grant (which supports writing-related scholarly research) and Reimbursable Funds is given to those whose scholarship, faculty position, and disciplinary background are not primarily writing studies. Assuming all writing faculty research advances knowledge in the field, supports the ongoing work of the Writing Excellence Initiative at least indirectly, and can be supported by standard faculty development funding resources, proposals from those whose primary position, disciplinary background, and scholarship are directly linked to writing studies should articulate how the proposed research uniquely supports the goals of ���ϲ�����’s ongoing Writing Excellence Initiative.

���ϲ����� Alumni Writers Grant

Designed to encourage conversations about writing among students, faculty, staff, and alumni of ���ϲ�����. Grants provide $300 to invite alumni to campus, so they can share their experiences with writing in their professional lives after graduation. Grant funding may be used as a stipend for 1, 2, or 3 alumni who speak via zoom, and/or to help defray the costs of hosting a speaker on campus. The CWE provides the stipend, logos for co-sponsorship advertising materials, and suggested speaker prompts to help organize your session. The CWE will also help advertise your planned session to the wider university community. Eligibility to apply: Faculty in full-time ongoing positions, teaching staff, and staff that closely supervise student workers. Deadline: rolling, while funding lasts.

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Summer Scholarships Awarded

Summer 2025

Alexis Franzese (Sociology & Anthropology) “AI and Writing: The Question of Authenticity”

Shaina Jones (English) Creative Writing as Tool for Wellness and College-Writing Success: writing to explore and understand identity and its preparatory relationship to collegiate-level writing

Jessica Navarro (Arts & Sciences) “Adapting the Integrative Processing Model (IPM) for Study Abroad Experiences”

Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler (Psychology) “How do mentors support undergraduate research writing?”

Allison Wente (Arts & Sciences) “Guiding the Writers of the AI Era: Rethinking Writing in Women in Music”

Summer 2024

Cheng (Chris) Chen (Communications) “The Effects of AI Involvement and Student Disclosure on Instructor’s Perceptions and Assessment of College Student Writing”

Travis Maynard (English) “���ϲ����� Alumni AI Writing Study”

Nina Namaste (Arts & Sciences) “Discovering the Intercultural Self-Developing Self-Awareness Through Writing”

Summer 2023

Shannon Duvall (Computer Science) “Leveraging Large Language Models in the Classroom”

Binnan Gao (Arts & Sciences) “Comparison Between Advanced Chinese heritage learners’ and L2 learners’ Writing Skills in Narrative and Argumentative Essays”

Sowjanya Kudva (Communications) “Interactive Citations for Video Scholarship”

Aaron Piepmeier (Arts & Sciences) “Writing for Kids – Non-Fiction Picture Books about Exercise Science”

Katy Rouse (School of Business) “Incorporating a Semester Long Policy into an Intermediate Microeconomic Theory Course”

Summer 2022

Elizabeth von Briesen (Computer Science) “Researching Writing to Learn and Writing in the Profession: Pedagogical Interventions in an Advanced Computer Science Course”

Laura Taylor (Mathematics & Statistics) “Investigating Alumni Writing in Statistics”

Summer 2021

Alexis Franzese (Sociology and Anthropology) “Writing for Rapport: Using Writing Assignments to Foster Connections in Online Courses”

Janet Myers (English) “Bringing Best Practices in Writing Instruction into the Literature Classroom”

Aaron Trocki (Mathematics) “Assessing the Effects of Multimodal Writing in a First-Year STEM Course”

Summer 2019

Ayesha Delpish (Math and Statistics) “The Effects of Using Drafting and Revision on Student Engagement and Learning of Report Writing Skills in Statistics”

Kim Epting (Psychology) “Project Emo: Influences on Content and Production of Writing about Emotional Experiences”

Byung Lee (Communications) “Improving Undergraduate Writing Using Learning Analytics Visualization and Text Mining”

Summer 2018
Philip Motley (Communications) “Professional and Reflective Writing in a Graduate Thesis Course”

Summer 2017
Kim Epting (Psychology) “A Behavior Analyst Enters Conversation with a Rhetorician”

Pedagogy Grants Awarded

Spring 2026

Carrie Eaves (Political Science) “Strengthening Capstone Writing Through Structured Reflection in Political Science”

Sabrina L. Perkins (Psychology) “Exploring Race with a Developmental Lens: Writing in an AER Lifespan Development Course”

Kai Swanson (Cinema & Television Arts) “Ethical AI Integration in Iterative Writing Practices for Film & Media Production”

Fall 2025

Clare Callahan (English) “Integrating Digital, Multimodal, and Public Writing in FYW Instruction”

Cynthia Fair and Yanica Faustin (Public Health) “Together We Write: Facilitating Collaborative Writing in Public Health Pedagogy”

Jacob Rutz (Environmental Studies) “Using AI to enhance reflective writing for Community Based Learning Experiences in Environmental Studies”

Michael Strickland (Environmental Studies & English) “AI Enhanced Writing Project Management in Interdisciplinary Spaces”

Spring 2025

Greg Hlavaty (English) Megan Isaac (English), Lina Kuhn (English), Ben Murphy (English) and Erin Pearson (English) “Integrating Generative AI in the First-Year Writing Classroom”

Collier Lumpkin (Student Professional Development) “Writing Your Future: Guiding Authentic Personal Statement Writing Through Structured Reflection, Guided Peer Feedback, and AI-enhanced Revision”

Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler (Psychology) and Sabrina Thurman (Psychology) “Beyond “Babies are Cute”: Scientific Observation, Coding and Writing about Early Childhood Development”

Shawn Tucker (Arts & Sciences) “Writing to Sharpen the Learning Experience”

Byung Lee (Communications) “Integrating NotebookLM to Foster Critical Writing Skills and AI Literacy in COR 1100: The Global Experience”

Hwayeon Ryu (Mathematics & Statistics) “Implementing Writing-to-Learn to Enhance Student Critical Thinking in MTH 2410 Discrete Structures”

Fall 2024

Kim Epting (Arts & Sciences) “One-for-All and All-for-One: Improving Collaborative Writing Assignments and Assessment”

Srikant Vallabhajosula (Health Sciences) “So tell write to me about your research!”

Spring 2024

Brooks Depro (Economics) “Exploring Economics and the Environment Using Real-time Process Writing and Social Annotations”

Pamela Runestad (Sociology and Anthropology) “Portfolio project alignment for Introduction to Cultural Anthropology”

Fall 2023

Aaron Trocki (Mathematics and Statistics) “Adapting and Creating Multimodal Writing Engagements for a Calculus 1 Course”

Lorraine Ahearn (Communications) and Amanda Sturgill (Communications) “Developing Fresh Stories – a co-curricular opportunity for first year students to learn journalistic writing in a community context”

Janet Myers (English) and Megan Isaac (English) “AI Generators and Writing in the Literature Classroom”

Cheng Chen (Communications) and Qian Xu (Communications) “How Do Educators Use and Perceive AI Writing Tools for Higher Education Teaching and Learning? A Dual-Method Approach”

Fall 2022

Dan Burns (English) and Kai Swanson (Communications) “Teaching Best Practices through Multimodal Composing: The Videographic Essay”

Kathleen Crosby (English) “Empowering Writers: Incorporating Linguistic Justice Principles in Pedagogical Design and Assessment in ENG1000”

Douglas Kass (Communications) “First Person and Intensive Autobiographical Multi-Modal Writing: Best Practices and Methods”

Cassie Kircher (English) “Creating Assignments to Help Students Create Assignments”

Amanda Sturgill (Journalism), Colin Donohue (Journalism), and Kelly Furnas (Journalism) “Editors Write: Using Audience Analytics to Improve Writing and Curation Skills”

Scott Windham (World Languages & Cultures) “Defining and Articulating Writing Activities Leading to a Portfolio”

Fall 2021

Jessica Merricks (Biology) “Evaluating the Impact of Reflective Writing Portfolios on Transformative Learning in non-STEM Majors”

Scott Windham (German) “Enhancing Written Proficiency in German Through Pre-Writing, Meaningful Evaluation, and Revision”

Spring 2021

Erica M. Thomas (Education and Wellness) “Reflective Writing in a Mindfulness Course”
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Shannon Duvall (Computer Science), Kim Epting (Psychology), Megan Isaac (English) “Designing Reflective Writing Assignments for Novice Researchers”
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Kaye Usry (Political Science) and Joel Shelton (Political Science) “Teaching Writing About Political Methodology”

Janet Myers (English) “MultiModal Writing in the Literature Classroom” �ٱ�����������������:��

Evan Gatti (History), Kirstin Ringelberg (History) and Yidi Wu (History) “Un-grading & Contract Grading in ARH/HST Courses as Anti-Racist Pedagogy”

Spring 2019
Kyle Altmann (Physics), Benjamin Evans (Physics) and Chris Richardson (Physics) “Improving Letters Home Lab Reports”
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Summer 2019
Douglas Kass (Communications) “Improving and Updating Core Media Writing: Best Practices”

Fall 2018
Michael Strickland (Environmental Science/Professional Writing & Rhetoric) “Rebranding the Typical Science Report in Environmental Studies”

Kate Upton (Finance) & Adam Aiken (Finance) “Writing for Clients in Finance”
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Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler (Psychology) and Cassandra Kircher (Creative Writing) “When Travel Becomes Transfer: Writing Towards an Understanding of Cultural Humility”

Ryan Johnson (Philosophy) “Teaching Through Parallel Writing Senior Seminar in Philosophy”

Spring 2018
Ayesha Delpish (Statistics and Education) and Andi Metts (Mathematics and Statistics) “Enhancing Presentation Writing in STS 212”

Erika Lopina (Psychology) and Kim Epting (Psychology) “Removing Writing Blocks: Promoting Course Transfer of  Disciplinary Writing Training”

Fall 2017
Lynn Bisko (Associate Librarian) and Michelle Kleckner (Computing Sciences) “Beyond the Traditional Research Paper”

Cassie Kircher (English) and Janet Myers (English)  “How to Make Your Home Among Strangers: Entering Academic Discourse Communities”

Sean Giovanello (Political Science), Joan Ruelle (Dean of the Carol Grotnes Belk Library and Associate Professor) and Vicki Siler (Assistant Librarian) “Zotero as a teaching tool: Citing it right, Writing it right”

Kevin Otos (Theatre) “Writing to Learn: Enhancements in the Acting Classroom”

Douglas Kass (Communications) “Best Practices for Motion Picture Formats”

Barbara Gordon (English) “The Creation of a Global Studies Multimodal Project”

Summer 2017
David Buck (Psychology) “Course Pen Pals”

Byung Lee (Communications) “Students’ Use of Mind Mapping Software to Improve Analysis and Synthesis Skills in Research”
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Spring 2017
Shannon Duvall and Megan Squire “Adding Writing to the Computing Sciences Curriculum”

Michael Carignan (History), Xiaolin Duan, Clyde Ellis (History), Charles Irons (History) and Andrea Sinn (History) “Scaffolding Writing Instruction in the History Major”

Meredith Allison (Psychology), CJ Fleming (Psychology), Rachel Force (Psychology), India Johnson (Psychology) and Katie King (Psychology), “Using Lesson Study to Improve the Teaching of Writing in Psychology”

Tonmoy Islam (Economics), Introducing “Writing to Learn” to Principles of Economics

Joy Goodwin “Simulating a TV Writers’ Room in an Intro Screenwriting Course”

Harlyn Skinner “Writing a Public Health Research Proposal”

Fall 2016
Scott Beuchler, Mark Courtright (Management), Alisha Horky (Marketing) and Rob Moorman (Business Leadership and Organizational Behavior “Incorporating Writing into a New Course in the Business Core”

Alexis Franzese (Sociology) “Enhancing Student Writing in Senior Seminar and During Study USA Courses Through Best Practices in Writing Pedagogy”

Paula Weller (Accounting) “Improving Feedback to and from the Writing Center for ACC 336”

Ren Bryan (Education) “Teaching Transfer of Academic Writing Skills for Portfolio Entries and in Practicum Classrooms”

Byung Lee (Communications) “Using Mapping Software for Effective Lit Review”

Summer 2016
Sirena Hargrove-Leak (Engineering) “Can First-Year Engineers Ride the Wave of Change by Developing Entrepreneurial Mindset in a Service-Learning Project?”

Michael Strickland (Environmental Studies and English) “Establishing a Foundation for Reflective Writing Assignments in Environmental Studies”
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Shawn Tucker (Art) “Evaluating Effectiveness of Changing a Daily Writing Assignment”

Johnathan Albright “Promoting Data-Centered Writing Literacy”

Amanda Sturgill (Communications) “Providing Feedback That is Used and Useful”

Scott Windham (German) “What Sort of L2 Grammar Instruction Supports Writing and Literacy?”

Spring 2016
Janet MacFall (Environmental Studies/Biology), Steve Moore and Michael Strickland “Building the Scaffold for Effective Multi-Genre Transdisciplinary Writing in Environmental Studies”

Li Li (English), Jessie Moore (English), Rebecca Pope-Ruark (English), Paula Rosinski (English) and Michael Strickland (Environmental Studies/English) “Embedding Multimedia Writing in the Professional Writing & Rhetoric Curriculum”
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Tonmoy Islam (Economics), Jennifer Platania (Economics) and Katy Rouse (Economics) Introducing “Writing as a Citizen” Component in Economics Courses

Kevin Bourque (English), Rosemary Haskell (English), Megan Isaac (English) and Kim Pyne (English) “Supporting the Teaching of Writing in English 255, Topics in Literature: A Multi-Section Course”

Kim Epting (Psychology) “Enhancing Revision Practices in PSY 460: Empirical Senior Seminar”

Robin Attas “Teaching Disciplinary Writing in Music Theory: A Mini-Conference Project”

Douglass Kass (Communications) “The Writer’s Room”