Faculty Spotlight: Maureen Murphy-Smolka

Staff Writer

Photo by J. Jeffreys

Maureen Murphy-Smolka has called SCCC her home for nearly 40 years, but of all the things that she is most proud of as a tenured professor, the SCCC Writing Center takes center stage. Almost 7 years ago, as Chair of the English Department, she presented the need for a writing center to the SCCC Administration. After the writing center was approved, it quickly became a staple on campus, with students from various backgrounds and disciplines utilizing its services, with incredible results. 

To Professor Smolka, a big misconception that people have pertaining to the Writing Center is the notion that writing consultants are “tutors.” To her, this cannot be farther from the truth. “We are not tutors, we are consultants,” she says. “When students come to us, rather than merely helping them with their assignments, we collaborate with them on their writing and work with them to produce the best writing that they possibly can instead of lecturing them,” she added. 

The Writing Center also offers support on cover letters, developing resumes, and has even assisted faculty and staff with crafting industry-relevant dissertations. In addition, the Writing Center has supported veterans through workshops, an initiative that it is proud of. 

Ultimately, Smolka’s core goal is to allow the Writing Center to become a resource for the community at large, and she is very proud that this is exactly what the Writing Center has been growing into.