Boise State Writing Studies

📚 Interested in English Teaching?
The B.A. in English Teaching leads to teacher certification for grades 6–12 in Idaho—and it can open doors across the country with license reciprocity.

What you’ll experience:
👩‍🏫 Become Classroom-Ready. Take part in three semesters of fieldwork: early placement, internship, and student teaching.
📖 Study What You’ll Teach. Dive deep into linguistics, literature, writing, and English teaching methods.
🤝 Collaborate Across Colleges. Learn from both the English Department and the College of Education.
✅ Get Certified. Complete your coursework, pass the Praxis II ( #5038), and you’re on your way.

Ready to lead and inspire the next generation of readers and writers?

📩 Reach out to Dr Amber Warrington @boisestate.edu to learn more!

Please enjoy our next DWS Faculty Spotlight featuring Jan Roser.

Tell us a little about your time at Boise State? Since 2014, I’ve been a lecturer for the FYW Program teaching English 101 & 102.

What did/do you want to be when you grew up? From ages 8-10, I wanted to be a nun. This was not driven by the divine. My home life was a bit chaotic with an alcoholic father, four brothers, three sisters, two dogs, five cats and a very tired mother. It was also the early 70’s and the Catholic Church was hip (to me) with the emergence of folk music, acoustic guitars and tambourines. Before mass, I attended Sunday school. Dressed in polyester pants and high collared shirts, the nuns captured my attention with silence barely whispering the lessons. I loved their quiet presence. Although we stopped going to church when I was eleven and the idea of becoming a nun faded into the background, I still seek out quiet spaces.

What is something new you are learning?
Italian. My husband and I are planning a hut-to-hut hike in the Dolomites this summer so I am learning some very basic phrases. For example, Vorrei una tazza di tè con zucchero e un croissant. Yep, that’s me ordering a cup of tea with sugar and a croissant. 🤙

Favorite thing about Boise State?
I ❤️ students! Returning from spring break this week has been a joy. Even before I entered the classroom, I could hear a dull roar. It’s a treat to see my students engage with one another, sharing their spring break pictures. One student shared some photos from his trip to Disneyland and laughter filled the room. My goal every semester is to establish a relaxed classroom, which I believe is essential for creating a supportive learning environment that enhances student engagement and participation.

🎓✨ You’re invited to the Silver Quill Graduation Celebration! ✨🎓

Help us celebrate the amazing graduates from the Department of Writing Studies and all they’ve accomplished!

📅 May 8
🕞 3:30 PM
📍 Lookout Room, Student Union Building

All Writing Studies students, faculty, alumni, community members, and families are welcome. Let’s gather to honor this year’s grads and send them off in style! 🎉🖊️

Bronco Ink: Alumni Stories 🖋
Meet Hannah Burns.

A Meaningful Experience: My most meaningful experience was meeting and talking to other teachers. I met some of my best friends in the teaching program, and I heavily rely on them now as an educator!

Applying My Degree: I apply what I learned in my teaching readers and teaching writers class almost every day. In particular, I have found that I LOVE writing conferences and try to do them with my students as often as I can.

What’s Next? Next up, I'm planning to get my master's in curriculum and instruction, and someday I would love to have a student teacher so I can share all of the amazing advice & education that I received when I was student teaching.

Announcing a *NEW* Bachelor of Arts in Professional and Public Writing degree through the Department of Writing Studies.

The program focuses on career readiness, where you build strong writing fundamentals and augment those skills with certificates that match your goals and interests.

This degree will prepare you for careers in:

→ Technical writing
→ Copywriting
→ Public relations
→ Grant writing
→ Editing

Interested? Schedule an appointment with the College of Arts and Sciences student advising office to learn more 👉 🔗

Please enjoy our next DWS Faculty Spotlight featuring Gigi Smith.

Tell us a little about your time at Boise State?
I transferred from CWI to BSU a while back, then got my B.A. and M.A. in English Lit. while working for our fantabulous Writing Center the whole time. Now I'm at CWI as Director of the Writing & AI Literacy Center (the latter half being an inaugural thing this semester!) and still teach an ENGL 102 section at BSU because I can't help but have an affinity for our FYW students.

What was your first job?
My parents were first gen. immigrants who came to the U.S. and needed any jobs they could find. After picking up some assisted living shifts, they found purpose in caregiving so they opened a residential facility for elderly folks. By the time I was 10, I was there every Saturday morning to work the weekend. I only made $10 a month, too! No it wasn't the 1800's...my family's culture believed we kids shouldn't get paid to help the family survive, so the money was more like a hesitant tip.

Favorite thing to do on a Saturday morning?
Grab a bagel with cinnamon sugar, butter & a bit of cream cheese, and head to pickleball. That's my GAME. If it's snow season, though, I'm going to Bogus Basin with my snowboard and a breakfast sandwich instead.

What is a project (academic or otherwise) you are working on?
I've worked with my WC team at CWI to take the Writing Center and turn it into the Writing & AI Literacy Center dedicated to students--first of its kind! I'm also working with CWI leadership to create a college-wide AI Literacy Center that serves faculty and staff. An otherwise project is playing with aesthetics: I like painting old bookcases and chairs and dabbling in decorating around the house.

Favorite thing about Boise State?
So many things...I'd have to say the many Engl. dept. unsung heroes who I've had the privilege of learning from in the halls of our L.A. building. And the students who make the work worth it, of course.

Please enjoy our next DWS Faculty Spotlight featuring Emily Thorsen.

Tell us a about your time at Boise State?
I’m the Assistant Director of the Writing Center. I’ve been in this position for the past two and a half years. I started there as an undergrad student way back when. I teach English 101 and 102 in the First-Year Writing Program, and I’ve taught English 101P. I frequently serve as a Group Instructor for Honors 390, as well, helping students write personal statements for grad school or medical programs.

What did/do you want to be when you grew up?
As a little girl, I would very earnestly answer this question with the answer that I wanted to be a librarian. I do love books. It’s probably why I ended up studying English literature.

Favorite thing to do on a Saturday morning?
I head to the Boise Co-op to get my groceries, then sometimes head to my office on campus to write for a while. After that, pretty much without fail, I head to a movie theater, often The Flicks, for a matinee.

Favorite thing about Boise State?
This is too obvious of an answer, but I love the staff at the Boise State Writing Center. I get excited on Monday mornings because I get to see them soon. Another thing: Our campus has beautiful landscaping. Such gorgeous leaves in the autumn and flowering trees in the springtime.

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Calling All Writers!

The 2025 President’s Writing Awards are officially open for submissions. Whether you write poetry, fiction, research papers, or critical essays, this is your chance to showcase your work and win cash prizes.

Eligibility: Open to all Boise State undergraduates for coursework completed from Spring 2024 – Spring 2025.
Deadline: Submit your work between December 1, 2024 – March 7, 2025.
Prizes: First place: $200 | Second place: $100 (in each category).

Categories include:
Creative Nonfiction | Research-Based | Fiction | Journalism | Poetry | Identity, Culture & Languages … and more.

Visit the Boise State President’s Writing Awards website for full details to submit. Special thanks to Dominic Giuffrida for designing this year’s promotional materials.

📢 Scholarship Writing Workshop! 🎓💰

Struggling with scholarship essays? In this workshop, you’ll:
✍️ Learn winning writing strategies
🔎 Find scholarships you're eligible for
📝 Start drafting with expert feedback

Market your skills & experiences like a pro and boost your chances of securing that scholarship! 🌟

📅 Don’t miss out!

🎉 Congratulations, Shelly! 🎉

The Department of Writing Studies thanks Shelly for her incredible 34 years of service! Her dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment have made a lasting impact on our students, colleagues, and the entire university community.

Thank you, Shelly, for your years of hard work, mentorship, and contributions to the success of our department. We are so grateful for you! 💙🧡

Albertsons Library's Doty to retire after 34 years of service, reception Feb. 13 Shelly Doty will retire in February 2025 after an incredible 34 years, 5 months, and 29 days of dedicated service to Albertsons Library.