Southwestern University 2020 Annual Report

13 A Library for Learning and Living Through the generous support of Travis Mathis ’88 and Bettina Mathis, the A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center was recently renovated to outfit the Academic Commons with lighting and furniture that meets the needs of students working in groups or independently; establish a new home for the Debby Ellis Writing Center; and create Maria's Cafe, a cozy spot (named for the Mathises' daughter, Maria Mathis ’17) to grab coffee, salads, sandwiches, and snacks. “Moving to the library has changed the culture of the writing center,” said Jennifer Marciniak, director of the Debby Ellis Writing Center. “We are now more visible to the campus community. We are also now a stop on all campus tours, which shows potential Southwestern students that the work we do is valued and extremely important to success at Southwestern. Not only do the consultants see this shift in visibility, but the students do, too. It shows what we do is meaningful, and, in turn, instills the consultants with increased pride in the work we do as writers and writing consultants.”