The Writing Institute is seeking graduate students with an interest in teaching and writing program administration for a program that focuses on Writing Center theory and practice and program administration. Two graduate students will be chosen to tutor in the Writing Center for up to 7 hours a week and help to run a Writing Center program or research or develop resources for the Writing Center (total weekly commitment is 10 hours). The program will run in fall term with an opportunity to renew for spring term.
Administrative projects will be developed in consultation with participants’ interests, experience, and abilities. Potential projects include helping to run a series of workshops for international writers, helping to support the undergraduate peer tutor program, researching and developing materials to help tutors better support neurodiverse writers. Writing Center Scholars who aren't ready to define an administrative project in Fall Term can use that time to research possibilities and propose a project that they can then pursue in Spring Term.
Writing Center work and writing program administration can be valuable experience for graduate students who are planning to seek teaching positions after they complete their credentials. Working with students one-on-one can help instructors become better assignment writers and respond more effectively to student work. The Writing Center faculty will work with participants to reflect on their experiences so that they can represent it in their future job searches.
Part of the experience will involve regular meetings to read and discuss relevant scholarship as well as engage with guest speakers who have administrative experience. This part of the program will be open to any graduate students who wish to enroll in the one-credit ENGLIT 2921 “Writing Center Theory." (You do not need to apply to be a Writing Center Scholar in order to enroll in this course. You can simply register for it.)
Eligibility and Compensation
Candidates must have teaching or tutoring experience and be beyond their first year in graduate school. Graduate students from outside the English Department need to have past experience tutoring in a Writing Center and permission from their department.
Selected participants will have two options for acknowledgement of this experience: they may be paid $18/hour or they may receive credit in lieu of pay. International graduate students with full appointments (TA, GSA, etc) or those on fellowships (like the Mellon and Lawler) who apply and are selected must receive credit instead of pay due to University regulations.
Participants who select credit will have this experience show up as “Writing Center Practice” and “Writing Center Theory” (two one-credit courses) on their transcript.
Participants with a TA/TF/GSA must have an approved Overload Request before they accept the position/begin work. Please consult your major advisor for guidance on your workload commitments. We can help you with this process if you are selected.
The Writing Center offers in-person and remote writing support for undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and staff. Participation in this program requires that participants are available to work both in-person and online during the hours the Writing Center is open. Staff meetings are Wednesdays 9:30-11 a.m. (though not every Wednesday).
Application
If you are interested in applying for the program this fall, please write a brief email explaining why you are interested, attach your current CV, and send it to angief@pitt.edu and jgrace@pitt.edu by March 29, 2024. Selected candidates will begin in Fall term 2024.
Past Writing Center Scholars
2023-24: Gabbi Guedes, English
2022-23: Celena Todora, English