The Tutoring and Writing Center (TWC) provides all students in the Rollins community with access to responsive peer educators and resources that support their development as effective, independent learners.
Formally known as TJ's or "The Hub", the TWC has evolved over many years to adapt and meet the needs of Rollins students with the commitment to serving students according to the values of a liberal arts education.
Collaboration | Service | Inclusivity
The foundation of the TWC is peer education. Our particular methodology of peer education is shaped by three primary forces: the mission of Rollins College, the principles of liberal arts education, and the rich history of scholarship on peer tutoring and writing center theory and practice. In synthesizing these forces, we adopt the following as our guiding values: collaboration, service, and inclusivity.
We believe that peer education is most effective when all parties feel invited to participate and valued for their contributions. Therefore, we adopt an ethic of service and spirit of hospitality in which all members of the Rollins community are welcome in our space and encouraged to use our resources. Through tutoring strategies that accommodate differences in learning styles and abilities and that are respectful of students’ diverse identities and backgrounds, we contribute to the formation of an inclusive, engaged culture of learning at Rollins.
Take a look at our annual reports:
2017-2018 | 2016-2017 | 2014-2015
Information on the Tutoring and Writing Center's strategic planning process is also available on the library's Strategic Planning & Impact page.
The TWC is committed to providing a space and resources that are accessible and inclusive of students with disabilities. We are always happy to adjust our approaches in order to help you learn best. Some examples of tutoring accommodations that may be helpful for students with disabilities are: relocating from the Lakeview Lounge area to a quieter space, using talk-to-text or text-to-talk software, using your Livescribe pen or other recording device, welcoming service animals, and more! Our tutors will also be able to recommend additional resources such as helpful technologies, other academic and student support resources on campus, and—most importantly—Accessibility Services.
If you would like to notify us of any accommodations or make other requests, you can make a note of this in your appointment report form, you can contact Layne Porta or Mistie Watkins, or you can let your tutor know in person when you arrive for your appointment.
The TWC is aligned with Accessibility Services in aiming to provide equal access for all students to participate in and benefit from all curricular and co-curricular opportunities at Rollins. If you have any comments or suggestions about how we can improve our accessibility efforts, feel free to reach out to Layne Porta or Mistie Watkins directly or contact Accessibility Services.
What we now call the Tutoring and Writing Center has evolved over many years in order to meet the needs of students in the Rollins community. The TWC has previously gone by TJ's or "the Hub," but no matter what you call us, one thing has remained constant during our journey: our commitment to serving students according to the values of a liberal arts education.
In 1984, a movement towards writing across the curriculum (WAC) meant that professors would infuse writing-to-learn as well as learning-to-write practices in their classrooms. What was then simply "The Writing Center" brought good student writers from across the disciplines to communicate a reader's perspective of the student's draft to the student as well as discuss the ideas in the student’s mind that they had not yet written. The Writing Center became an alternative source of feedback and learning for students outside of their formal classes.
In 1998, we created a content tutoring program to run alongside the Writing Center. This allowed Rollins students to join in conversation with other students who had recently taken their courses and were majors in various departments. Adding content tutors created a powerful cohort of over 90 students able to assist their peers with concepts and assignments in specific areas.
In 2018, our long-standing Coordinator, Susie Robertshaw, retired from Rollins. In 2019, Layne Porta and Mistie Watkins accepted their positions as Director and Associate Director, respectively.
Layne Porta, PhD
Director, Tutoring and Writing Center
Mistie Watkins
Associate Director, Tutoring and Writing Center