{"id":2397,"date":"2013-11-15T09:07:41","date_gmt":"2013-11-15T15:07:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wordybynature.org\/?p=2397"},"modified":"2013-11-15T09:07:41","modified_gmt":"2013-11-15T15:07:41","slug":"english-undergrad-friendly-conferences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.wordybynature.org\/newsite\/english-undergrad-friendly-conferences\/","title":{"rendered":"English Undergrad-Friendly Conferences"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"kboles150\"<\/a>by Kelsey Hixson-Bowles
\nStudent Advisor
\nKansas State University<\/a>, Manhattan, KS<\/p>\n

I am a conference-going junkie. Seriously. I love presenting my research, hosting workshops, and traveling to different cities. The Sigma Tau Delta 2010 Convention<\/a> in St. Louis was my first conference-like experience. For those of you who have been fortunate enough to attend our annual convention<\/a>, you know what I mean when I say it is a great place to meet people you never knew you missed. Convention bonds English majors.<\/p>\n

\"KelseyBlogPic1\"<\/a>
Sigma Tau Delta members Hunter Gilson, Alicia Beeson, Kelsey Hixson-Bowles, and Rachel Smith explore the town during the Midwest Writing Center Association Conference in Chicago.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Convention is so much more than just a social experience. What I loved most about convention is also the part that made me search out other conferences: it is a concentration of ideas. It is a place to refresh your brain, gather new insights on your favorite author, reshape the way you have always thought about what qualifies as literature. As a writer, a reader, a feminist, and a thinker, I was interested in finding other conferences that engage in discussions beyond literature.<\/p>\n

Like many of you I tutor writing. As a beginning tutor I thought, “Great, I can help people and enhance the marketability of my English skills.” The more I tutored and read about tutoring, the more I realized that there is a lot more to it than I originally thought. This was exciting and I wanted to share my excitement with other writing center enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

\"Students<\/a>
Students presenting at the Midwest Writing Center Association Conference. From left to right Alicia Beeson, Dory Cochran, Kelsey Hixson-Bowles, and Kate Nygren.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lucky for me (and for you), writing center conferences are especially friendly to undergraduate scholars. Undergraduates are treated as equals among the graduates and faculty. Though I’m a grad student now, as an undergrad I always felt welcome and comfortable with the writing center crowds at the International Writing Center Association\u2019s Conference<\/a>, the Midwest Writing Center Association\u2019s Conference<\/a>, and the National Conference on Peer Tutoring Writing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Do you have a favorite conference? Use the comments below to share your conference experiences!<\/p>\n