2025 Ideas Exchange

The Michigan Writing Centers Association Ideas Exchange (MiWCA Ideas Exchange) will be held on the

campus of Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, on October 4, 2025. We welcome

proposals on issues related to tutoring and teaching. Proposals (250-500 words) will be reviewed and

notifications about acceptance status will be made on a continuous basis between March 31 and August

31, 2025.

 

We encourage proposals addressing the following topics in tutoring and teaching:

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● Agency: How do we empower students to own their writing so that they’re not only writing

because they have assignments to turn in? How do we encourage students to invest in their

studies so that they’re not simply studying for grades? How do we, as tutors, teachers, and

administrators, motivate students (to take control of their education) and ourselves (to invest in

our work)?

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● Equity: What does equity in writing centers, learning commons, and classrooms look like? How

does accessibility help ensure equity? How do we respect our students’ individual learning styles

and help them achieve their learning goals? Why is it important to keep equity in mind when

tutoring/teaching? How can we, as writing consultants, tutors, and/or teachers, ensure equity in

our tutoring sessions and/or classrooms? How do we negotiate for equitable working conditions

and pay?

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● Partnership: What are some partnerships we can build to enhance student learning and

professional development for tutors, teachers, and professional staff? How can we break

boundaries or cross bridges to take that first step toward understanding differences and

discovering strengths in each other?

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As the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is relatively isolated and our connection to Lower Michigan is

through the Mighty Mackinaw, we’d like to focus the MiWCA Ideas Exchange, which is usually held

downstate, on the theme of Bridging Gaps – how each of us can help facilitate our writing centers,

tutoring centers, classrooms, divisions, and institutions to bridge gaps within and without.

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To that end, we’ll organize our one-day conference in the following format:

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● Individual Presentations (10-15 minutes with extra time for Q&A)

● Panel Presentations (50 minutes including Q&A, 3-4 speakers)

● Poster Presentations (25 minutes including Q&A)

● Roundtable Discussions (25 minutes including Q&A)

● Walk-and-talk Excursions (2 hours)

● Workshops (50 minutes including Q&A)

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We are excited to welcome you to our campus and we are scheduling time for you to explore the

southern shores of Lake Superior -- “walk and talk” sessions will be hosted by NMU undergraduate and

graduate students. Here’s a tentative conference program for your perusal:

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8:30-9:00 Check-in and Coffee/Tea Social

9:00-10:15 Welcome and Opening Session (keynote speaker

10:30-11:20 Concurrent Presentations/Workshops

11:30-12:20 Concurrent Presentations/Workshops

12:30-1:20 Box Lunch and Noon Session (luncheon speaker)

1:30-2:20 Concurrent Presentations/Workshops

2:30-3:20 Concurrent Presentations/Workshops

3:30-5:30 Walk-and-talk Excursions (sign-up information will be available when registering)

6:00-7:30 Dinner and Closing Session (Roundtable Discussions and Poster Presentations)

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The Proposal Submission Form can be found here. We look forward to reviewing your proposals!