Writing support services at Xavier University began in the early 1970s under a federally funded program designed to strengthen writing skills among students enrolled in developmental English. The funds enabled the English Department to provide the staffing and establish a location where students would receive writing assistance. Called the Composition Workshop (Comp Shop, for short), it offered one-on-one tutorials to beginning college writers as they worked to improve their grammar and composing skills.

In 1981, the Comp Shop's new director expanded its focus, signalled by a name change to the Xavier University Writing Center. The staff envisioned a center for academic writing that would grow to serve all areas of the University and not primarily the English Department. We established a new campus-wide referral system and requested an enlargement of our physical space to meet growing demands. Throughout the 1980s, the Writing Center assisted increasing numbers of students and supported faculty development activities in writing across the curriculum

During the 1990s, the Writing Center experienced its greatest changes in clientele, technological resources, and diversity of services. We continued our original commitment to students in developmental English. Yet we also attempted to reshape the image of the Writing Center from a remedial lab to one where continued growth in writing is promoted among students at all levels and abilities.