This Monday was the National Day on Writing, and The Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Author collaborated with the Padnos International Center and the Office of Multicultural Affairs to put on a celebration for international writing.

While the National Day on Writing is an all-day celebration, there was a special open house from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. where various departments from around campus had representatives available to discuss programs, opportunities and other information pertaining to their departments.

The representatives from the Padnos International Center and the Office of Multicultural Affairs spoke with those interested in learning more about each program’s influence on campus. The Writing Center also had consultants available to talk about how their services might help and support those who write in non-English languages, either for academic or personal purposes.

For students, faculty and staff that stopped by the Writing Center, there was a raffle for those who were willing to participate by writing something down in a non-English language on either decorative paper or on one of the writing prompts provided. Each submission earned an entry into a raffle for door prizes. Each submitted entry was decoratively taped up on the window and walls of the center.

There was also a remote controlled balloon shark, named “the Great Write Shark” that people took turns flying around the office.

Event coverage was also provided by Bryce Carlton, the Writing Center’s ESL graduate assistant, who updated the Writing Center’s Facebook page, Twitter feed and Instagram account with photos, fun facts pertaining to international languages and links to more information about writing, speaking and reading in non-English languages.

Melanie Rabine, the Writing Center coordinator, hopes that this event will become an annual non-English writing day.

“We are hoping to increase awareness of this event since it’s the first we’ve done,” Rabine said. “We want students and faculty and staff to feel comfortable stopping by to participate in our raffle, engage in conversations about writing across campus and seek a community at the Writing Center for encouraging multilingual literacy across campus.”

Patrick Johnson, director of the Meijer Center for Writing, said the event focuses on the global conversation of writing, which is essential for a global society as well as the experiences of international students and graduates who work in other countries.

“For the event, there are several opportunities to gain information about other languages and support programs at Grand Valley,” Johnson said.

Liz Hendriks, a freshman studying international business, was participating at the event. Hendriks is a foreign exchange student from the Netherlands that keeps a blog and updates it frequently about her experiences at GVSU.

“To learn how to write and to write in general is important,” Hendriks said.

Writers were also allowed to come into the center for writing-related concerns during normal office hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.