Bienvenidos a la 17¬ Conferencia IWAC

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The University of Maine's Department of English is delighted to host the 2027 International Writing Across the Curriculum (IWAC) conference in Orono, Maine!

This biannual conference brings together scholars, teachers, and students who use writing and speaking to enhance learning in disciplines across the K-16 curriculum and in disciplinary spaces outside of academia. The Conference is presented by the Association for Writing Across the Curriculum and supported by the WAC Clearinghouse, among others.

UMaine has over 150 years of experience as a leader in education and research. As an R1, learner-centered institution, our flagship campus is committed to integrating critical thinking and disciplinary literacy into its courses to contribute to an educated and engaged citizenry.  

We are located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation, where issues of water and territorial rights, and encroachment upon sacred sites, are ongoing. Penobscot homeland is connected to the other Wabanaki Tribal Nations -- the Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, and Mi'kmaq -- through kinship, alliances and diplomacy. The University also recognizes that the Penobscot Nation and the other Wabanaki Tribal Nations are distinct, sovereign, legal and political entities with their own powers of self-governance and self-determination.

The University of Maine in Orono is conveniently located off Interstate-95 in Central Maine; eight miles (under 15 minutes) from Bangor International Airport. It is a two-hour drive from Portland, another primary hub for air travel, and four hours from Logan International Airport in Boston. Affordable bus lines run directly from Logan Airport and Portland to Bangor.

Additionally, the Central Maine region has a wealth of activities at its disposal:

• On campus, UMaine has the New Balance Recreation Center, the Hudson Museum, the Versant Power Astronomy Center and Jordan Planetarium, the Collins Center for the Arts, and the University of Maine Forest (which is home to 600 acres with walking and mountain biking trails). Our university rents kayaks and canoes for a modest daily price, and is adjacent to the Stillwater River (which is lovely to swim in during the height of summer).
• Off-campus, UMaine is 54 miles (1 hour drive) from Acadia National Park, 69 miles (~1.5 hours) from Baxter State Park, and within an easy drive to many other recreational areas (i.e., Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Penobscot River Trails). In the immediate locale, our area is home to a variety of local breweries–including (but not limited to) Marsh Island Brewing, Orono Brewing Company, Black Bear Brewing, and Mason's Brewing Company–as well as family-friendly locales like Moore Manor Lavender Farm (30 mins) and the Maine Alpaca Experience (50 mins).