About the Center

The Jacobson Center supports students in becoming skillful writers, speakers, and learners in all areas of their lives: academic, public, creative, and professional. We support faculty in teaching with writing in all disciplines and at all course levels.

Our work is grounded in the following principles and practices:

  • We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome.
  • We approach writing as an ongoing, imperfect process, and affirm that  writers at all skill levels can grow through revision and reflection.
  • We value all varieties of English and encourage students to develop their own voice.
  • We view students as active partners with authority over their work and support them in developing, refining, and articulating ideas with clarity and confidence.
  • We believe that all students inherently possess the skills needed to be effective  public speakers.
  • We recognize that all students can succeed academically through consistent practice, reflection, and supportive relationships.
  • We believe that writing is an essential component of teaching in all academic disciplines and collaborate with faculty on effective, innovative integration of writing into course design.
Overhead view of the Jacobson Center

The Jacobson Center for Writing, Teaching and Learning takes its name from Joan Leiman Jacobson ’47, whose generous gift makes its programs possible.

Appointments

The Jacobson Center is now accepting appointments for in-person tutoring. We are cognizant that some members of the Smith community are immunocompromised, however, and face greater risks from infection. As a result, we will continue to offer Zoom appointments as an option.

  • To schedule a writing counseling appointment with the professional writing instructors and the peer writing tutors, click the button below. You will find a tutorial on registering for the Writing Center Online (WCO) and making appointments on this page.

  • The Jacobson Center is now scheduling both in-person and Zoom appointments.  Be sure to mark which you prefer, when signing up for an appointment.If you elect to schedule an appointment with your writing instructor or peer writing tutor over Zoom, they will send you a Zoom link via email sometime before your appointment.

  • Peer writing tutors are also available for walk-in service in the Neilson Library Learning Commons Sunday through Friday 1–4 p.m. and Sunday through Thursday 7–10 p.m.  No appointment necessary: just stop by 108j, in the Learning Commons. (n.b. Final papers in either of these three-hour shifts will be accepted ½ hour before closing, so as to avoid a last-minute rush and to be sure the final sessions are given adequate time.)

Schedule a writing appointment.

If you have questions about writing services not covered here, please contact Sara Eddy, assistant director of the Jacobson Center, at seddy@smith.edu.

  • The peer content tutors work by appointment; there are also drop-in hours for some languages.
  • Please see the OnceHub page for more information regarding availability.

Schedule an appointment with a peer content tutor.

If you have questions about content tutoring services not covered here, please contact Jactutor@smith.edu.

  • Ren Llewellyn, learning specialist, is available for a limited number of individual appointments.
  • Please email Ren Llewellyn at rllewellyn@smith.edu, or simply click the button below to schedule an appointment.

Schedule a learning specialist appointment.

If you have questions about learning specialist services not covered here, please contact Jactutor@smith.edu.

Meet the Team

Julio Alves

Jacobson Center

Director of the Jacobson Center; Lecturer in English Language & Literature

Julio Alves

Erin Butler

Jacobson Center

Jacobson Center Writing Instructor; Summer Precollege Programs Creative Writing Instructor

Erin Butler

Sara Eddy

Jacobson Center

Assistant Director of the Jacobson Center; Writing Enriched Curriculum Specialist

Sara Eddy

Jaime Green

Jacobson Center

Lecturer in Writing & Public Discourse

Ren Llewellyn

Jacobson Center

Learning Specialist & Tutorial Services Coordinator

Miranda K. McCarvel

Education & Child Study

Multilingual Writing Specialist; Lecturer in Writing & Public Discourse, Education & Child Study, & Anthropology

Miranda McCarvel

Naila Moreira

Jacobson Center

Writing Instructor for Science Writing; Lecturer in Writing & Public Discourse; Co-Director of Journalism Concentration

Naila Moreira

Jonathan Ruseski

Jacobson Center

Writing Instructor & Technology Specialist; Lecturer in Writing & Public Discourse

Peter Sapira

Jacobson Center

Writing & Public Speaking Instructor; Lecturer in Writing & Public Discourse; Academic Director, Creative Writing Workshop

Peter Sapira

alex terrell

Jacobson Center

Jacobson Center Writing Instructor; Summer Precollege Programs Creative Writing Instructor

Magdalena Zapędowska

Jacobson Center

Writing Instructor & Writing Studies Specialist; Lecturer in Writing & Public Discourse

The Jacobson Center Logo

The logo was designed by Elliot Offner, Andrew W. Mellon Professor Emeritus in the Humanities in the Smith College Department of Art, where he taught from 1960 until 2004. He died in 2010. A sculptor and graphic artist, his work is in such collections as the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the Brooklyn Museum, and he designed several pieces for the college, including the Smith Medal.

Jacobson logo

Contact Jacobson Center for Writing, Teaching and Learning

Seelye Hall 307
Smith College
Northampton, MA 01063

Phone: 413-585-3056

Hours: Monday–Friday, 
8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.


Administrative Assistant: Erin Hayes