Mentorship, Research and Growth: Mackenzie Hammack’s JMU Experience
News
James Madison University alumni Mackenzie Hammack (M.A. ’25) has a passion for teaching writing. She started working with writers as an undergraduate, extended her learning as a graduate student leader in JMU’s University Writing Center, and has now advanced to become a fully funded doctoral student in the Writing and Rhetoric program at George Mason University.
She credits her time in the JMU Learning Centers, which houses the writing center, as foundational to her academic trajectory. “I was able to begin to understand writing center work as a field of study,” she said. She served as a graduate assistant in 2023-24 and a graduate intern in 2024-25 as she worked toward her master’s degree in Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication (WRTC).
“Working in the writing center helped me understand what students struggle with in their writing,” Hammack said. “I built my teaching philosophy—and the section of WRTC 103 that I taught—around my writing center experiences.”
Hammack maintains professional ties to JMU and left a lasting legacy during her two years on campus, said Rudy Barrett, associate director of the writing center. “From day one, Mackenzie brought a genuine, contagious enthusiasm for writing and collaboration that energized our center,” Barrett said. “She mentored with generosity and care, fostering the welcoming community necessary for writers to feel safe sharing their work and refining their skills.”
A key element of the Learning Centers’ work-based learning experiences is mentoring students in collaborative research, presentations and professional engagement to develop them as thought leaders in the field. Hammack’s scholarly endeavors included conducting writing center research and attending and presenting at disciplinary conferences such as the Mid-Atlantic Writing Centers Association Conference. Those experiences bolstered her confidence and prepared her to present a poster at the Conference on College Composition and Communication the following year.
"The work I completed helped me feel prepared to pursue further graduate study and consider a future as a writing center professional,” she said.
As Hammack continues her educational journey, she reflected on how her experiences shaped her professional development. “Once I started teaching, there were many moments when I felt out of my depth,” she said. “In those instances, I regularly turned to writing center faculty, and I continue to appreciate their willingness to answer my questions about teaching and more.”
Graduate students’ time at JMU builds on their K-12 and undergraduate foundation, and Hammack’s story illustrates how two years can expand and strengthen that foundation. Whether graduates enter the workforce, public service or further education, their JMU experience informs their future success. Through engagement with faculty in coursework, research, conferences, student services, professional development and work-based learning, JMU graduates gain an advantage that extends beyond their time at the university.
