Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) and The Center for Language Education (CLE) have always understood the value of high-quality writing skills, as a critical key to communicating effectively with others. Over the last week, CLE has presented an exhibition of written work by students who had attended its Writing Workshops throughout the Spring Semester. On Thursday night, SUSTech President Chen Shiyi, Vice President Lu Chun and Dean Chen Yuehong of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences attended the exhibition.

As part of its commitment to cultivating global and innovative talent, CLE developed the Writing Center two years ago with the intention of helping the entire SUSTech community. It started with a small group of teachers, volunteering their time each week, and has since turned into a much larger program that now hosts weekly Writing Workshops. The workshops covered a broad range of topics, including practical writing, modifying resumes, persuasive writing and logically linking sentences.

Students would approach teachers for assistance on an individual basis for a wider range of writing issues, whether it was crafting the optimal personal statements or preparing a perfect piece of poetic prose with which to woo a potential love interest. As a result, students found confidence in not only their ability to write but the way they approached writing. Nearly 30 students took advantage of these unique service this semester, with many of them continuing onto top universities around the world, including the University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley), King’s College London and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

On Thursday evening, CLE teacher Matthew Jellick hosted the exhibition, which included English works and Chinese works by both Chinese writers and Cambodian students. Some of the international students had shown their dramatic improvement in their language ability in the three years they have been at SUSTech thus far.

President Chen Shiyi emphasized the importance of English writing and communication, and thanked CLE. He hoped that they would continue their hard work in supporting the SUSTech community.

CLE plays an integral role in the development and advancement of the communication skills of SUSTech students. The skills are critical for students, particularly when they are applying for graduate or overseas study programs. A personalized program combined with writing workshops provides the educational environment that crosses disciplinary boundaries.

The works that were on display this week reflects what SUSTech students are capable of doing, and CLE looks forward to their continued development with its Writing Workshops.