Writing Support

Important Note (9/23/2025) - The appointment scheduling system is currently experiencing issues. If you need to schedule an appointment please contact Dr. John Hawkins (jchawk2@ilstu.edu) for assistance. 

The Graduate School offers writing support to graduate students in three ways: one-on-one Writing Fellows, community writing spaces, and workshops and class visits.

We also aid faculty through class visits, consultations, and dissertation/thesis support.

Want us to run a mini-retreat or tailored workshop for your class, department, or affinity group? E-mail John Hawkins (jchawk2@ilstu.edu) for more information. 

Graduate Writing Fellows

The Graduate Writing Fellows provide one-on-one writing support for graduate students from any program and at any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming on a blank page to revising a dissertation. 

We can meet in person or online to help you with ideas, drafting, organization, style, grammar, and source use. Please note that we cannot proofread or edit your writing. 

If you would like us to read a draft before a session, upload them ahead of time through Accudemia. While we accept pages at any time, we strongly encourage you to submit them at least five days ahead of your appointment. 

If you can’t find an open slot or want to share any feedback, feel free to email us at GraduateWritingCenter@IllinoisState.edu. 

Find us at the new Graduate Support Annex in Milner 213B. 

Shishi Liyanage

Background: Hello! My name is Shishi, and I’m a STEM MBA student at ISU. I also hold a BBA in Finance from Japan and a MSc in Applied Economics. I’ve worked with Masters and PhD students from various fields including TCH, EAF, Nursing, Health Sciences, Chemistry, and MFA programs, so I understand the different expectations and thesis needs across disciplines, from ACS citations to creative projects. With this background, I help students develop clear, well-structured writing at any stage. 
 

• Skills: 
• Academic writing support: brainstorming, citations (APA, Chicago, MLA), and formatting
• Thesis and dissertation guidance: chapter structure, integrating research, and presentation work
• Data analysis: incorporating quantitative findings into clear, well-organized writing

Need assistance beyond listed hours? Feel free to contact me at coe_ssliyan@ilstu.edu 

Appointment location: Milner Library, 2nd floor 213B (Graduate School Annex)

Schedule an appointment with Shishi

Baboshia Yusuf

Background: Hello! My name is Baboshia Yusuf. You can call me Miss Yusuf. I am currently in my final year of graduate studies in the Project Management program. I hold a BA in History and International Studies, an MA in History, and a Certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. 

I bring a unique perspective from both Social Sciences and STEM, helping to ensure your writing is clear, organized, and comprehensive. Over the past year, I have worked closely with over 200 students as a graduate assistant in the History department. I also served as a Patron Service Officer at Milner Library this summer, giving me a strong understanding of the campus resources available to you. 

Skills: 

• Project and time management: managing writing anxiety and creating structured and realistic writing plans. 
• Academic writing assistance: refining tone, restructuring ideas, formatting, and citation guidance 
• Resource navigation: connecting with Milner Library, other campus resources and sources recommendations. 

Appointment location: Milner Library, 2nd floor 213B (Graduate School Annex)

Schedule an appointment with Baboshia

Dr. John C. Hawkins

Background: My role at ISU is to build writing support for graduate students across campus. I am passionate about making the academic writing process approachable for students from all backgrounds. My areas of expertise include writing anxiety and writer’s block, thesis and dissertation drafting, and the power of self-compassion and resilience in academic writing. 

I earned my PhD in English, with a concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies, from Loyola University Chicago. My research focuses on political imagination in human-animal relationships, especially in U.S. fiction and media. I love to hear people’s animal stories! 

Skills:

• Navigating the academic writing process
• Helping grad writers when they feel "stuck"
• Providing tools and resources for long-term writing projects

If you are feeling stuck in your writing, are working with a professor on a particular challenge, or want a friendly sounding board for your projects, feel free to contact me for a one-on-one appointment. 

I also provide faculty consultations, class visits, and subject-based writing groups as requested.

If you would like to set up a meeting, please send a message to jchawk2@ilstu.edu.

Appointment location: Hovey Hall, 211A

Email Dr. Hawkins for an appointment

Community Writing Spaces

Community Writing Spaces provide graduate students with quiet, dedicated environments to focus on their writing and graduate work, with Graduate Writing Fellows available for support. 

• Friday Graduate Writing Nest (Drop-In):  Come any Friday afternoon for a peaceful, distraction-free place to think, write, and make progress alongside peers. No sign-up required.
  • Fridays throughout the semester from 1:00 – 4:30 p.m.
  • Location: Milner 213B and Zoom
  • To join the Writing Nest Teams chat, e-mail Dr. Hawkins (jchawk2@ilstu.edu). 

• Saturday Writing Sprints: Select Saturdays offer structured, focused writing sessions. Graduate Fellows are on hand for guidance and encouragement. Advanced sign-up required. 
  • Fall 25 Sprints: 9/6, 9/27, 11/8, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
  • Location: Milner 6th Floor
  • Register on the Workshop Series page

• Writing Retreats: Extended sessions in a supportive community setting, complete with light meals to keep you fueled and focused. Advanced sign-up required.
  • Fall 25 Graduate Writing Retreat: October 3-4, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Location: Milner 6th Floor 

Workshops

Our workshops provide targeted support for graduate writers at different stages of the process. Sessions are interactive, practical, and designed to help you strengthen your skills while connecting with peers. 

Starting Fresh: Strategies for Graduate Writing 
 
Writing as a graduate student can sometimes feel like a puzzle, an unknown language, or a stubborn piece of furniture that just won’t move. Join the Graduate Writing Fellows for an interactive introduction to graduate writing. In addition to fielding your questions, we will discuss mapping assignments, choosing topics, and finding your academic voice. Whether you are a returning student coming back to the classroom after years in the workplace or in your third year and scratching your head over your lit review chapter, this workshop offers a fresh look at the graduate writing process. 
 
September 4, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., online
Register here
 
Overcoming Writing Anxiety: How to Change Our Relationship to the Writing Process

“Being stuck in our writing isn’t just an intellectual or emotional problem; it’s a power problem.” - Michelle Boyd 
What do we do when the labor of writing seems overwhelming? How do we make sense of the risks we take when we write? This conversational workshop, co-hosted by WGSS and the Graduate School Writing Support team, suggests that writing might become a site for meaningful work with others instead of an isolating burden. We will discuss strategies for breaking through writer’s block, risk assessment in 2025, and the importance of community in the writing process. 
Though directed toward graduate students, all members of the campus community are welcome at this event. 
 
September 23, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., Rachel Cooper WGSS lounge 
Register here
 
September 25, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., online 
Register here 
 
How to Make Friends with APA Style

This workshop helps graduate writers understand APA as a writing style that works in recognizable patterns. Rather than memorizing rules, participants will learn tools to navigate APA and use it intentionally in their academic writing. Topics include in-text citations and source integration, clarity and voice in APA, and use of the manual and website to answer questions. 
 
Please bring questions: we will tailor each workshop to the material participants most want to cover. 
 
October 28, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., Milner Library 213C
Register here
 
October 30, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m., online
Register here 

Additional Resources

Video tutorials on Thesis/Dissertation formatting

Milner Library's Guide to Academic Writing - Resource repository for topics related to academic writing including strategies for writing, grammar, punctuation, and avoiding plagiarism & self-plagiarism as well as information on writing literature reviews and abstracts.

Milner Library's Guide to Citing Sources - Style guides for APA, MLA, Chicago, and other citation methods, as well as source management/citation creation suggestions.

Graduate Student Canvas Site - Collection of resources related to writing support.