LONGVIEW COMMUNITY COLLEGE NAMED
"COLLEGE OF THE YEAR" BY TIME MAGAZINE / THE PRINCETON REVIEW

TIME Magazine/The Princeton Review announced today that Longview Community College is one of four institutions named as "College of the Year" in The Best College for You guide, a co-publication of TIME Magazine and The Princeton Review. Longview was honored as the two-year college for its writing program that encourages students to write, think and communicate clearly.

Longview, which serves 6,000 students a semester places an uncommon emphasis on teaching its students to communicate effectively, TIME editors report. From music appreciation to psychology to auto mechanics, students are putting pen to paper and learning critical skills that will help as they graduate to four-year universities or the work force.

"We used 'Writing Across the Curriculum' and similar programs as a vehicle to explore how institutions are helping their students develop the high-level critical thinking skills that are so important to society," said Ellie McGrath, editor of the guide. "Because these courses require attentive teaching, this approach also enables us to underscore the ongoing importance of faculty/student interaction."

Longview's Writing Across the Curriculum program is an organized effort to improve student writing by providing opportunities for writing, writing instruction, and instructor feedback in as many courses as possible beyond English composition. It makes the development of writing skills the responsibility of all faculty, focuses on writing as a universal skill, develops opportunities for critical thinking, and emphasizes the value of writing in improving student learning in any course or field.

"Being named as one of the 'colleges of the year' by TIME Magazine/The Princeton Review for our efforts to help students write, think and communicate clearly is very special to us," said Dr. Fred Grogan, president of Longview. "This recognition is particularly satisfying to us because it gives us national recognition for helping to develop student skills in areas that are essential to student success in the classroom and in the workplace. There is no other aspect of learning for which we would rather be recognized." These efforts have required the sustained efforts of faculty, staff, and administrators working together for many years to enhance student learning and provide maximum opportunities for student success.

As one of the Metropolitan Community Colleges, Longview has greatly benefited from the leadership of the MCC Board of Trustees and Chancellor Wayne Giles in encouraging initiatives for student learning and success. Longview's Writing Across the Curriculum program is only one of many initiatives at Longview and MCC that are making a real difference for our students.

In addition to Longview, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, N.Y.; Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.; and Clemson University, Clemson, S.C., were the three other colleges honored for their excellent writing programs.