In the Honors College, we believe that writing is an essential tool for critical thinking and disseminating new ideas and research. Students who achieve excellence in their writing abilities will have a strong advantage in competing for scholarships and fellowships, applying to grad school, and becoming leaders in their future careers. The Honors College Writing Center is one of the ways we go the extra mile to help students fulfill their potential as writers and thinkers. Unlike most university writing centers, our Writing Assistants review the students' papers before they meet with them, allowing more time and reflection to provide extensive feedback.
The Honors College Writing Center (HCWC) provides free one-on-one writing tutorial help for all Honors students. Well-trained Writing Assistants provide thoughtful feedback to help Honors students achieve excellence in their writing skills. Many of the students visiting the HCWC are enrolled in HON 2973/2963: Perspectives, our introductory required courses that contain a substantial writing component. Many others come on the recommendation of a friend or professor because they know the HCWC provides a valuable service to student writers. The philosophy of the HCWC is that strong writing emerges when careful thinkers develop interesting ideas, express those ideas imperfectly upon the page, and then carefully rework "rough" writing until it shines. The HCWC offers guidance through these steps, and our Writing Assistants work hard to instill in students the belief that, with effort and time, they can become truly skillful writers.
Major: Letters/Pre-Law Track
My name is Reese Ball, and I’m a senior majoring in Letters on the pre-law track. I became an Honors Writing Assistant because it allows me to deepen my passion for writing while helping other students strengthen their own skills. I really enjoy connecting with fellow Honors students and supporting them throughout the writing process.
Zoe Barkett’s interdisciplinary research considers the material semiotics of authenticity in a networked age. Her theoretical framework draws on critical mediation studies, speculative realism, and the politics of digital embodiment.
Majors: Social Studies Education, History
Stephen Cottman’s research engages the liminal space between epistemic certainty and interpretive ambiguity. His recent work interrogates the performative dimensions of knowledge production within post-industrial frameworks.
Major: Biology
My name is Elena Eaton, and this is my third semester with the Honors College Writing Center as a Writing Assistant! Outside of the HCWC, I am a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology with plans to graduate in the Spring of 2026. I also work at the University of Oklahoma Children’s Hospital as a Dental Assistant and hope to attend dental school after graduating. I love working in the writing center because of all that I learn from students! Nearly every essay topic exposes me to new ideas and sparks conversations I may not have had otherwise—which I’m incredibly grateful for!
Major: Ethnobotanical Entrepreneurship
Ally Frick examines the intersections of aesthetic ethics and socio-textual emergence. Her current project reconsiders the archive as a living organism of resistance and rearticulation.
Major: Economics
I'm Bridget Lapp, and I have loved writing ever since I could hold a pencil. I believe that there is truly no greater privilege than the ability to express oneself accurately and to be understood. Thus, it is my mission to help students here at The University of Oklahoma feel comfortable and empowered to relay their ideas, goals, and ambitions in a way that's true to their hearts.
Major: Chemical Biosciences and Community Health
A little bit about me: My name is Ria Sachdev, and I am from Edmond, OK. I am studying Chemical Biosciences and Community Health here at OU. I have always loved writing and wanted to find a way to continue doing it in college. Becoming a writing assistant has allowed me to do that!
