Freedom Readers: A Book Club That Builds Bridges

You may have read about WRD 377: Writing and Social Engagement here on our blog last year. This course is part of Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, giving DePaul students and their incarcerated peers a chance to learn alongside each other. It is a wonderful opportunity to create more community involvement and connection. But what about students who would love to get involved but couldn’t fit the class into their schedules?  Well, we have good news! Freedom Readers is a book club born out of that class, and DePaul students and alumni are welcome to participate. In this article, we talk to Coray Ames Hoffner and Salli Berg Seeley, the two WRD faculty members who oversee the book club, as well as former WRD 377 student and current TA Michelle. Read on

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Why you should apply to an Internship

According to Forbes, Interns are almost 25% more likely than non-interns to start a full-time position within 6 months of graduation. The article goes on to suggest that even if you don’t secure a job from the company you intern for, there are still invaluable experiences to be had and professional connections to be made. An internship can count as a course credit and the WRD department has many resources to help you succeed during the duration of the internship. Amber Corkey and myself, Callie McNorton, are both MAWRD students who have utilized internships to seek professional growth and gain

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Women of Graceland Cemetery: Composing Audio Tours to Craft Untold Histories

On Wednesday, November 19, 2025 DePaul students, faculty, and Graceland Cemetery staff gathered in the chapel of the historic cemetery on Chicago’s north side for the final presentation of Professor Julie Bokser’s course, WRD 377: Writing and Social Engagement: Women of Graceland. The event showcased the final product of the class’s work during the quarter: a completed audio tour that highlights the overlooked histories of women writers and rhetors buried at Graceland Cemetery. This course was a part of DePaul’s Hidden Narratives Initiative, a program that directly partners with DePaul classes and Graceland to produce accessible resources for visitors to

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Alumni Spotlight – Ella Yates

Do you remember when WRD alum Ella Yates sang the National Anthem at Wrigley Field earlier this year? We sure do! Not only is she an accomplished singer, she also excelled during her time at DePaul until her recent graduation in June. With a Bachelor of Arts in Writing, Rhetoric and Discourse, a minor in Creative Writing, and the William E. Hay Leadership Accelerator Certification, Ella continues to succeed outside of school. Learn more about her time at DePaul and how she applies what she learned in WRD in the real world.  Why did you decide to pursue a degree

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Student Spotlight – Amber Corkey

Amber Corkey is no stranger to WRD as a 5th year student completing the combined degree program. A graduate of the undergraduate program, Amber will soon complete the MAWRD degree with a Professional and Digital Writing concentration and a SWAN (Strategic Writing and Advancement for Nonprofits) certification. Not only is Amber a tutor and Professional Development Student Manager at the Writing Center, they also hold the title of Chief Copy Editor and Newsletter Editor at The DePaulia. Read on to learn more about this star student, their plans for the future, and what experiences have impacted them the most during

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Photo of Dra. Alyssa Cavazos standing in front of a purple background. Image text reads: Event Recap – Rethinking Feedback and Assessment: A Translingual and Reciprocal Approach for All Writers. Dra. Alyssa Cavazos AQ25

Event Recap – Rethinking Feedback and Assessment: A Translingual and Reciprocal Approach for All Writers 

On Wednesday, October 29th, 2025, Dra. Alyssa Cavazos held a workshop on feedback strategies for student writing, focusing on how a broader view of approaches to feedback and assessment can be used to encourage student success.  To start off the workshop, WRD’s Dr. Monica Reyes introduced Dra. Cavazos. She is a professor of writing and language studies at the University of Texas Rio Grande, and is the director of the university’s Center for Teaching Excellence. Much of her work is focused on learner-centered pedagogies that incorporate translingual approaches and support linguistic variation.  The workshop was held over Zoom, with some

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Course Spotlight – WRD 242: Writing with AI

Generative AI has been around in its current form for a few years now, but the conversation around it isn’t slowing down yet. What is its place in our writing, and in the world at large? How does it actually work, and what is it useful for? If you’re curious about any of these issues, Dr. Lisa Dush is teaching WRD 242: Writing with AI this winter, and it’s a great way to find out more.  Why this course?  Generative AI emerged so suddenly that even people with years of experience in writing and new media studies, including Dr. Dush,

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Course Spotlight – WRD 360: Topics in Rhetoric: Cults & Rhetoric of Community

Have you ever been apart of something that made you feel like you belong? Really belong? Within the context of communities and cults, Professor Hohenzy is exploring the way that people are drawn to being apart of something bigger than themselves. WRD 360: Topics in Rhetoric: Cults & Rhetoric of Community tackles the juxtaposition between finding peace and losing autonomy in the process of acceptance. Read on to discover why this new course is a great way to understand rhetorical manipulation and the power of cults. What are your goals for this course and what do you hope students learn? 

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Updated Course Spotlight – WRD 377: Writing and Social Engagement: From Hip Hop to Hashtags

This winter, Professor Coray Ames Hoffner is teaching WRD 377: Writing and Social Engagement: From Hip Hop to Hashtags, part of DePaul’s Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program. It was also offered last spring, so check out our previous course spotlight to learn more about the basics of the course. Keep reading to see photos from last quarter and get an update.  What did you enjoy most about teaching this course last spring? Is there anything you’re especially looking forward to this quarter?   So many come to mind, but I’ll just name a few: an early conversation about the nature of

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Course Spotlight – WRD 540: Teaching Writing

Whether you’re completely new to teaching writing or just want to learn more about doing it at the college level, WRD 540: Teaching Writing with Dr. Jason Schneider is a great place to start. This course allows students to explore the topic from both a theoretical and a practical perspective. You’ll also need to take this course if you’re interested in applying for the Teaching Apprenticeship Program (TAP) next year.   This is Professor Schneider’s second year teaching this class. He’s taught a variety of courses on pedagogy, rhetoric, and applied linguistics to both grad students and undergrads, so he looks

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