The primary goal for The Magnificent Seven is to help all seven members of the group earn promotion to full professor. The story of this unique group began in the fall of 2006 in the College of Liberal Arts, and it all started with stickers. Dr. Noeleen McIlvenna (aka Dr. No), Associate Professor in the History department, complained to Dr. Sarah Twill, Associate Professor in the Social Work department, that she was having trouble finding time for scholarship. Dr. Twill presented a novel idea: if you wrote for a half an hour you earned a sticker, and only if you met your goal could you go to lunch with everyone who was writing. Dr. No was dubious at first to say the least. She thought, “I don’t need gold stars!” But she tried anyway and it worked wonders. These meetings eventually evolved and the writing group members now rotate turns bringing prizes for everyone who meets their goal. Over time this created accountability among the group; you couldn’t show up to the meetings without having completed the writing.
Almost two years later the group organized what was called a “boot camp;” a week-long session set aside to nothing but writing. The bond created at these boot camps made it so much easier to write. Everyone in the room wants to stop writing and get on Facebook, send a text message, or check their email, but they don’t. Because of this “sharing of the pain,” boot-campers concentrate fully. By the time the next boot camp came around, news had spread and many other people around the university signed up to participate.
Dr. No has completed two books and has begun research on a third. Without the group, she feels certain that she “wouldn’t even be close to finishing the second.” From this experience she has learned that the idea of a “muse” inspiring you to write is a complete myth. It’s about discipline. All you have to do to write is simply sit down and put your “fingers on the keyboard.” Just type.
The other women have also generated impressive publication lists. On average, women are promoted to full professor much less often than men, yet now three of the faculty writing group have achieved full professor status and two more are close behind. The support of the writing group and the boot camps has been a positive influence on their careers and demonstrates how professors at Wright State University are not only pushing the boundaries of the possible and expected, but they are changing the entire university for the better.
