A pilot project begun this summer has produced the first two Graduate Writing Consultants. Under the tutelage of Dr. Paula Gillespie, Director of the Ott Writing Center, Paul Heidebrecht of the Department of Theology and Lorelle Lamascus of the Department of Philosophy completed the new graduate course “Graduate Writing in Disciplinary Genres” by which they strengthened their own writing skills, developed a deeper connection to the genres of their disciplines, and were trained in methods of assisting others to become stronger writers. Both are now serving as Graduate Writing Consultants in their respective departments.
Paul Heidebrecht
Lorelle D. Lamascus
About Marquette’s Graduate Writing Initiative
Paul Heidebrecht is a Ph.D. Candidate in Religious Studies at Marquette University. His area of concentration is theological ethics, and his primary research interest is the relationship between Christian faith and practice and technology. He has earned a B.A.Sc. in mechanical engineering from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario (Canada), and a M.A.T.S. in theology and ethics from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. Prior to returning to graduate school in 2004, he spent six years working as a product engineer in the automotive industry, and continues to be a member of Professional Engineers Ontario. He has also worked overseas as an appropriate technology engineer in Bangladesh, and a theology lecturer in Nigeria. Paul currently resides in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin with his wife Carmen Brubacher and their four children, who range in age from 9 months to 6 years old.
Lorelle D. Lamascus is a fourth year PhD student and PhD Candidate in the 
Department of Philosophy. She holds an MA in Philosophy and a Bachelor of Music from The Catholic University of America. Her interests include Ancient Philosophy, Early Medieval Philosophy, Metaphysics, and Aesthetics. Though she has taught Philosophy at the university level for the past five years, she has also taught piano, voice, and mathematics. Prior to her time at Marquette she spent a year in residence and service with St. Mary’s Dominican Sisters in New Orleans as part of the Dominican Volunteer Program. During this time, she worked in direct service to the homeless and indigent residents of inner-city New Orleans. Upon completion of her doctorate, Lorelle plans to continue a life of teaching and research as a university professor. Lorelle is a native of San Antonio, Texas.
The written word remains a primary means of communication of the scholar. Clear, effective writing is essential for effective communication and success in business and in academic careers. Producing effective discipline-specific writing is difficult, so mastering one genre on one level of sophistication may not easily or automatically translate to the next. Writing in the graduate-study environment is more extensive and more demanding of organization and precision of thought than is typically developed in the undergraduate experience. In recognition of this, Marquette University has initiated a unique and ambitious project that aims to support each discipline in its quest to strengthen the writing skills of its graduate students.
The initiative is being developed first among the Ph.D. programs wherein occur the greatest demands for writing in diverse genres, the dissertation usually being the most challenging experience, perhaps eclipsed only by the rigors of scholarly publication.
This initiative works with each discipline by preparing a student nominated by the discipline to become a Graduate Writing Consultant. Such a student is trained to assist other students in the discipline to improve as writers. This service is akin, but not identical to that afforded by the staff of the Ott Writing Center, where generalist tutors aid writers from all disciplines. The Graduate Writing Consultant, however, is pursing a doctorate in a specific discipline and is trained also in the various genres and conventions of the discipline. As with the Ott Writing Center’s services, this new service does not displace faculty as primary mentors for their students in courses and scholarly endeavors, but rather provides a peer-to-peer connection aimed at improving the written products that are ultimately submitted to the faculty.
