Published August 26, 2025
Writing is a foundational skill for success in graduate school. Unlike undergraduate writing, which often focuses on summarizing research, graduate-level writing asks students to develop and articulate new knowledge, adding to scholarship and inspiring change. Many incoming graduate students, even at top institutions, are not prepared for this level of academic writing (Born and Brock, 2022).
"We often expect students to arrive fully formed, but that expectation creates gaps and inequities that ripple throughout the graduate experience," shares Dr. Mike Murashige, writing mentor for the UO's Center on Diversity and Community.
Innovative and accessible writing resources address this disconnect, strengthening essential writing skills and expanding meaningful mentorship opportunities. These efforts reflect a deep commitment to student success and professional growth, defining what it means to pursue graduate education at Oregon.
The Graduate Writing Mentorship Program
Unique to Oregon, the Graduate Writing Mentorship Program utilizes a two-prong approach designed to build skills for both graduate students and their faculty writing mentors.
"We need this so badly," said one graduate student after completing the program.
We need this so badly.
Through participation in the Graduate Writing Mentorship Program, small groups of graduate students come together for six intensive sessions - led by Murashige - that focus on the essential principles of academic writing, common barriers like procrastination and writer’s block, and targeted strategies rarely covered in academic writing guides.
For Cecilia Morgan, a master's student in the UOTeach Program, the Graduate Writing Mentorship Program reshaped her writing process. "Mike helped me approach writing with greater structure and purpose by guiding me through a process of deconstructing my own work," Morgan shares.
"One of the most helpful strategies he introduced was what he called 'writing math'," Morgan explains. Writing math helped her set realistic and achievable goals in her scholarly writing. "This process helped me approach a large and demanding writing task with more clarity and efficiency. What once felt overwhelming became far more manageable."
After the six weeks, graduate students have concrete tools, greater accountability, and a community of support.
"This training gave me the tools I needed to finish my dissertation and do it well," one participant shared.
What once felt overwhelming became far more manageable.
The Graduate Writing Mentorship Program doesn’t just support students; it also equips faculty with tools to mentor more effectively. Six focused sessions with Murashige provide mid-career and senior faculty members with advanced tools and materials for mentoring graduate student writers. Through frameworks, strategies, and reflection, the writing and advising practices of faculty participants are significantly improved, allowing them to better serve graduate students.
Providing faculty members with tools to enhance their mentorship abilities acknowledges the complexity of institutional assumptions. For students, this means clearer feedback and stronger guidance from faculty who better understand the challenges of academic writing. Together, the mentorship training and graduate student sessions create a holistic approach to providing graduate students with the support they need to thrive.
Writing circles and off campus support
Other opportunities, both on and off campus, allow graduate students to build a community of colleagues across disciplines for accountability and support, alleviating some of the pressure. On campus, students can join peer writing circles that accommodate the diverse needs of graduate students.
"Hosting graduate writing circles has transformed writing into a consistent, less daunting part of the week for me and my peers," shares W. Jamie Yang, doctoral candidate in sociology. "In some cases, long-stalled projects finally move forward—resulting in manuscripts, conference papers, and grant applications being submitted. Most importantly, we’ve built a supportive community where graduate students face writing challenges together, share strategies, and celebrate progress."
This popular initiative, directed by Dr. Lara Bovilsky, associate professor and associate dean for graduate studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, features structured, peer-led spaces for graduate students to work on scholarly writing projects.
"In addition to simply providing a dedicated calendar appointment and physical or virtual space to work on writing, the Neurospicy Circles allow grad students to 'hold space' for one another," shares Kimberly Olivar, writing group leader. "That means that we take time at the end of each session to listen to each other’s writing-related frustrations or excitement. Together, we celebrate (with applause!) every little success, no matter how small."
Most importantly, we’ve built a supportive community where graduate students face writing challenges together, share strategies, and celebrate progress.
Graduate students can also access writing resources through the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD), a national network that supports graduate students, postdocs, and faculty. NCFFD offers live workshops, on-demand trainings, and structured multi-week courses to help participants overcome writing barriers and sustain productive habits.
"NCFDD’s writing resources are full of helpful tools, structures, and encouragement systems designed to turn scattered ideas into polished, publishable work," says Paolo Daniele, Director of Professional Development and Career Preparation for the Division of Graduate Studies.
A defining feature of graduate education at Oregon
More than just a collection of professional development opportunities, writing support is a necessary function of graduate programs and a commitment to the long-term success of graduate students. With support from these initiatives, fear of needing to write perfectly can give way to experimentation and growth. Graduate students can intentionally reflect on their prose and get unstuck from writers’ block.
Collaborations across the university make these initiatives possible and demonstrate an institutional commitment to support students pursuing higher degrees. These programs continue to evolve and rewire the ecosystem of graduate writing at the UO, where intentional and grounded approaches to student success and preparedness are a defining feature of graduate education.