Hello and Welcome.

My name is Jen Finstrom, and I am so very pleased to welcome you to my 2014-15 UCWbL Digication ePortfolio! 

If you follow the above link, you'll be able to learn more about what DePaul's University Center for Writing-based Learning (UCWbL) is and does, but that still wouldn't provide a complete picture of what it means to UCWbL. I am in the midst of my sixth year working as a peer writing tutor—among other roles—and what I have gained from my experiences working on different teams over the years, seeing Writers Guild expand and grow, and integrating the UCWbL's core beliefs into other aspects of my world, have been nothing short of life changing.  

If you look at the banner image above, you'll see a group comprised of UCWbLers both past and present as well as some non-UCWbLers who have become a part of our community through Writers Guild, one of the writing groups offered by our writing groups program. This picture was taken at the Poetry Foundation, arguably a sacred space in Chicago for the poetry community, and the reason we all look so happy is that Clare S, my Writers Guild co-facilitator, was a featured reader there. This event happenned in September and was a great start to our year, but I feel that the picture shows how supportive Writers Guild is of its members all of the time and that when we are goal-oriented and work together, we can accomplish anything. 

As for my e-Portfolio, what is new, now, for both Autumn and Winter Quarter, is the beginning of my peer tutoring philosophy where I begin to reflect on UCWbL Core Belief #5, my exciting new goals for this academic year, my Curriculum Vitae, and my list of poetry Publications. 

As I put the finishing touches on my ePortfolio, just like last year, I am realizing how full of people it is.  Again I will conclude by saying that it's not possible to write about the UCWbL without writing about UCWbLers.