First-year Writing Program

A college student sits at an outdoor table and writes on a piece of paper

Writing satisfies a human need for expression and communication, and also for problem-solving, as anyone who has used writing to reflect on a vexing personal or professional problem knows. Writing is a meaning-making activity, one that nourishes and enriches people for the rest of their lives. The First Year Writing Program presents a range of courses and opportunities to engage, showcase, and support the writing development of the members of our academic community. The First-Year Writing Program at Montclair State University is a national award-winning program that provides undergraduate students with coursework required to fulfill the University General Education Communication requirements in Writing. These courses introduce students to the academic discourse of the university community and include College Writing I (WRIT105) and College Writing II (WRIT106).

We welcome students, faculty, and community members to browse this site for resources and opportunities in support of writing and the teaching of writing and to also visit the Deep Down in the Classroom Blog for community discussion of all things writing.

First-Year Writing Faculty   

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Exemplary Essay Awards

The Exemplary Essay Awards are a way for us to celebrate WRIT 105 and 106 students who are writing sophisticated pieces of prose, and a way for students to continue their work beyond their portfolios. There is one $100 Red Hawk Dollars award available for each category: WRIT 105 and WRIT 106. The winning students are listed here on the First-Year Writing website.

WRIT105
Winner: “The Paradox of Invisibility and Visibility”, by Allen Lopez
Allen is a freshman majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Japanese. Outside of school, he takes acting classes and enjoys traveling, photography, drawing, and writing.

Honorable Mention: “The Angel on My Shoulder”, by Natalie Yanes
 

WRIT106
Winner: “Flavors of Resilience: Exploring Palestinian Cuisine”, by Tanya Abu Kamal
Tanya is a Biology major originally from Palestine with a deep passion for science and a strong drive to pursue a career in medicine. Her goal is to become a physician and make a meaningful impact in the medical field. Outside of academics, she loves watching movies and enjoys dancing dabke, a cultural tradition that keeps her connected to her roots. She’s excited to keep learning and growing on this journey!

Honorable Mention: “From Fairy Tale to Nightmare”, by Arohi Vaghani
Honorable Mention: "Adobo Any Time”, by Tori Opitz

WRIT 105
Winner: “The Busta Cake Mistake,” by Johnathan Smith
Johnathan Smith is a Film/Television major from Maplewood, NJ who hopes to join the BFA program for his major. He has always loved telling stories, whether it’s told through a camera or a pencil. “I think storytelling is one of the best gifts Humans have, and our ability to tell stories about our experiences is one of the most defining things of our existence. The stories we create will outlive us, and if the story is good enough, it will be consumed by and outlive future generations till the end of time. So, as a storyteller, that’s my main goal.”


Honorable Mention: “Toxic Relationships in the Media: The Bad and the Ugly,” by Malak Bayoumy
Honorable Mention: “The War on Drag,” by Jessica Sconfienza

 

WRIT 106
Winner: “The Not-So-Authentic Native American Experience,” by Kelly Naspo, WRIT 106 Winner
Honorable Mention: “Power Dynamics of Sex Work in ‘The Company of Wolves,'” by Anonymous
Honorable Mention: “Disenfranchised Grief: Exploring the Complexities of Hidden Sorrow,” by Annabelle Kempf

WRIT 105
Winner: “Creating and Coping: How Art Therapy Can Improve Mental Health,”
Sabrina Whikehart is in her freshman year at Montclair State University. She is a Psychology major with a minor in Film.

 

WRIT 106
Winner: “A Bad Case of Intolerance”
I am a queer writer in my sophomore year at Montclair State University, originally from Clifton, New Jersey. I study Medical Humanities, and when I’m not plotting against corrupt healthcare institutions, I enjoy writing narrative-heavy music and crying over Adam Silvera novels.

Multimodal Gallery

Students in the First-Year Writing Program engage their creative and critical thinking abilities with the development of variety of multimodal projects in their WRIT 105 and WRIT 106 classes. This page acknowledges our most recent award-winning multimodal creations.

First Place: Ryan Lui for his video project, “Alan Becker: A Genius in Animated Action.”

Honorable Mention: Jamie Bressler for her magazine presentation “Going Gray.”

Honorable Mention: Daniela Vasconcellos for her multimodal profile, “Art and Engineering.”

First Place: Adrianna Sewell for her original song, “Natural Hair: The Beauty That We Need”

Honorable Mention: Maya Chavez Velasquez for her website, “Mental Health Stigma in the Latino Community”

First Place: Jide Fadairo for his multimedia text, “Black Characters in Cartoons“

Honorable Mention: Franklin Estrada for his video, “Ganzeer“

Honorable Mention: Joyce Kouami for her Canva presentation, “Jim Crow Cast List“

Honorable Mention: Rey Uzebu, “The Runway to Self-Acceptance”

Jack Power, “Should You Listen to Music While You Work?”

Chris  Giacomini, “Athletes are Human”

Alexandra Leet, Untitled comic