When Kami Thompson was completing her master’s degree in communication and media, she knew she wanted to work with students. Now she’s living that dream as the new Dungy Writing Studio Director. She and her team of more than two dozen writing tutors have already tackled over 300 writing sessions this semester.
The writer extraordinaire lives in a small Iowa town about 25 minutes from campus with her husband, in a home she describes as a “really old” farmhouse—150 years old, to be exact.
Want to know more about her? Here we go:
What are you most excited about here at Cornell?
I was really excited about this job because I’d get to work with a lot of students one-on-one, plus I would get to be in the classroom as well. I’m especially excited about visiting with first-year classes because I get to introduce them to the Writing Studio. That way, they’ve met me in class and might feel less intimidated to set up a meeting with me later. I will visit pretty much any class if the professor reaches out to me with a request.
What’s the secret sauce to teaching student writing?
I think the thing for students is that, a lot of the time, they know what they want to say; they’re just not sure how to say it. By asking them different questions or doing fun exercises or games, they don’t even realize that they can come up with their own answers. Then, they see it wasn’t as hard as they thought. It’s all about games with purpose, so they’re learning something and having fun.
What is your main goal for the year?
My goal is to keep the Writing Studio as accessible and engaging as it has been in the past. I want to make sure it stays a strong resource and a spot where students can feel comfortable coming for help.
What do you want students to know?
I want them to know that they can come in with a blank sheet of paper. They do not have to come in with a perfect, polished draft just to have somebody proofread it. They can come in with absolutely nothing and set up five appointments, if that’s what they need. The first one, we can brainstorm. The second one, we can figure out our argument. The third one, we can determine the sources. We’re not a one-trick pony here. We can do anything, literally, at any point in the writing process. I’d also want them to know that they can bring in things not related to school, whether that’s applications or personal writing projects. We are a judgment-free zone. We’re not here to judge your work or tell you that your work is bad. We’re here to make you a better writer. We are a confidential studio, so any work that you bring in will stay confidential. Plus, we have free Jolly Ranchers.
Free candy?
Yes! We have cases of Jolly Ranchers. I want students to feel comfortable coming in here. I don’t want it to be a scary place. Students can come in here, have a Jolly Rancher, sit on the comfy chairs, and hang out or just write.
Okay, finally, what are some fun facts about you?
I majored in musical theater, and I’m still a huge theater nerd. My husband and I were actually in a Coralville community theater production this summer. And it was his first production ever. We had a lot of fun. I love anything related to theatre and music. I also love the color pink. Pretty much everything I own has some pink on it somewhere.
The Dungy Writing Studio is open Monday through Thursday: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (closed 5 to 7 p.m. for dinner), Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday: 1 to 10 p.m. (closed 5 to 7 p.m. for dinner). Students can stop in or make an appointment online.