What should the WRAP program be doing over the next five years?

In Spring 2025, realtalk@MIT partnered with WRAP (the MIT Writing, Rhetoric, and Professional Communication Program) to support groups of lecturers in reflecting on their work, their collective identity, and the future of their program.

Dr. Andreas Karatsolis, director of the MIT Writing, Rhetoric, and Professional Communication Program, reached out to realtalk@MIT with the intention to collectively set a future direction for his department’s next five years of work. After convening 30 lecturers across seven small group conversations, WRAP had these answers and much more.

The Questions We Asked

Can you start by telling us a story of the first teacher in your life who inspired you?
What do you love about your work with WRAP that you want to ensure carries forward in the future? Share a story from your experience that will help us understand what you love and why.
What most concerns you about the future of WRAP? If possible, share a story from your experience that will help us understand this concern a little better.
Given our conversation today and the Task Force Learning Objectives, how should WRAP’s focus and charge evolve over the next five years? What could we be doing that we’re not yet doing?
In our final few minutes, we invite you to share what is one thing you heard today that you’ll be taking away from this conversation and that you’d like other people to hear?

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The Answers We Received

The sense of community and collegiality within WRAP is a powerful catalyst for educational innovation and personal growth.
WRAP's integration across the MIT landscape enhances its value, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and relationship-building.
At the same time, there is a need to address the misalignment between workload and compensation, highlighting the challenge of translating intellectual rigor into easily quantifiable hours.

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Our Partners

Dr. Andreas Karatsolis, Senior Lecturer and Director of WRAP
Jane Abbott, WRAP lecturer

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Dr. Andreas Karatsolis, Senior Lecturer and Director of WRAP

JS Needed

"We have the space now to be able to talk about things that normally we don't get to talk about."

Next Steps

The project helped identify several working groups to start in August (e.g., the integration of generative AI into curricula, visibility and advocacy for the department, professional development). This project was also expanded to include some warm conversations with retiring lecturers to ensure the retention of institutional knowledge between generations of lecturers.

Get Involved

Check out our opportunities, fill out the interest form to pitch your own project, or email realtalk@mit.edu with questions! We would love to hear from you.