Mississippi College Writing Center Tutors Attend Starkville Conference

This talented bunch of Mississippi College Writing Center tutors travels to Mississippi State University for a conference later this month. Pictured: MC English instructor Daniel White, MC students Chloe McCarthy of Lafayette, La., Nolie Ramsey of Pine Hill, Ala., Sarah Kate Griffin of Grenada, MS, Matt Ansley of Pearl, Justin Mainous of Kosiusko, Elaine Everett of Clinton and Lingshan Song, the center's assistant director.

Fans of Jackie Chan, the martial arts expert turned Hollywood movie star, probably don’t know his real name is Chan Kong-Sang.

But that’s the case for the swift-footed native of Hong Kong. His sudden move to a “Western” name didn’t hurt Jackie Chan at the box office.

In similar fashion, the use of “American” names for Chinese students in the USA fascinates Mississippi College’s Elaine Everett. A student tutor at the MC Writing Center, the Clinton resident thoroughly explored the subject.

Elaine is among eight undergraduate tutors presenting her research findings at an April 16 conference at Mississippi State University.

“What’s in a Name” is the topic of her talk at Mississippi Writing Centers Association meetings April 16 in Starkville. Everett will discuss English and traditional name preferences among Chinese students served at the Writing Center in the Leland Speed Library.

Some Chinese students adopt American names because their real names in East Asia may be hard to pronounce. In addition, their new American names like “Ken” or “Joe” are often easier to remember for classmates from the South or other parts of the USA.

Elaine’s research looks at how MC Writing Center tutors can better understand and respect international students’ cultural values through the names they use. Mississippi College enrolls 500 international students, including some 100 who come here thousands of miles away from China.

English professor Steve Price, director of the MC Writing Center, is delighted to see so many students sharing their valuable research findings at the spring conference on the Starkville campus.

“We’re excited this year because now we are in a position to bring our tutors into the organization,” Price says. “Their (work) is true undergraduate research. It’s not part of a class, but grows from their own interests in the topic and their desire to keep exploring on their own.”

MC students will focus on topics including social media, the use of motivation in a writing center setting, non-verbal communication and much more. Delivering the keynote address at the conference will be Elizabeth Boquet, an English professor and director of the Writing Center at Fairfield University in Connecticut.

Students and faculty will come from writing centers at Mississippi College, Mississippi State, the University of Mississippi and Jackson State University, among others.

The MC Writing Center continues to grow with more than 40 tutors this year. Its task is to help students improve their writing on school papers, organize their thoughts and enhance grammar skills. Elaine Everett believes they are more than just tutors. They build friendships with the classmates they’re serving, while enriching their own writing skills.

“Tutoring is rewarding in every way,” Elaine said in the MC Writing Center’s spring newsletter. Along the way, tutors learn more about themselves as writers, she believes. And they help others “build confidence in their writing.”

Other MC students taking the trip to the MSU conference include: Chloe McCarty of Lafayette, Louisiana, Nolie Ramsey of Pine Hill, Alabama, Sarah Kate Griffin of Grenada, Matt Ansley of Pearl, and Justin Mainous of Kosciusko.

For more information, contact Lingshan Song, the MC Writing Center’s assistant director and interim secretary of the Mississippi Writing Centers Association. The MC graduate can be reached at 601-925-3268 or by email at song00@mc.edu