University of Minnesota
center for writing
writing.umn.edu


Kirsten Jamsen

photo of kirsten jamsenAs Director, I am honored to lead the Center for Writing staff as we work together to fulfill our mission to support students and educators who practice, teach with, and research writing at the University of Minnesota, throughout the state, and around the world. In addition to my role as Director, I also serve as Co-Director of the Minnesota Writing Project, our local site of the National Writing Project, and as an affiliate graduate faculty member in the Departments of English and Writing Studies.

I came to Minnesota in 2002 from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where I received my PhD in English and taught writing and literature for more than a decade. At Wisconsin, I also taught in and helped direct the writing center and writing-across-the-curriculum program, learning from Dr. Bradley Hughes, whose vision and generosity continue to inspire me.

My work in writing centers began in 1989, when I was a student writing tutor at Carleton College’s The Write Place and first fell in love with the collaborative consultancy method that is a signature of writing center work. In all of my work with students, faculty, staff, and preK–college teachers here in the Center for Writing, I appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with my fellow human beings: talking, listening, reading, writing, and learning together.

Outside of the Center, I spend my time playing ice hockey, x-c skiing, running, biking, and tackling home improvement projects with my husband, Anton Jachim, and our feisty dog, Arya.

kjamsen@umn.edu
612.625.5355