preparing for WC work

[DOSSINMM@SPLAVA.CC.PLATTSBURGH.EDU]

Date sent:  1-NOV-1996 10:53:24 
>From:	IN%"cheshire@mail.wsu.edu" 31-OCT-1996 15:38:03.75
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>Subj:	RE: Pursuing WC work
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>Date: Thu, 31 Oct 1996 16:43:11 -0800
>From: cheshire@mail.wsu.edu (Steve Smith)
>Subject: Re: Pursuing WC work
>To: DOSSINMM@SPLAVA.CC.PLATTSBURGH.EDU
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>Dear Mary,
>
>Twila Papay sent me your post from wcenter.  I am not currently subscribed
>to wcenter, but have some thoughts which I'll share off-list in hopes that
>you'll forward them to the list if they interest you.
>
>I am a 27 year old male who decided as a Senior in college (circa 1990)
>that I wanted to go into Writing Center work.  I had been tutoring at the
>Rollins College Writing Center for two years, and student teaching English
>at a local high school.  I ended up taking a few years off after
>graduation, living in the mountains, playing in the outdoors, and moving
>from Oregon to Colorado to Washigton.  I ended up in grad school at
>Washington State University, where I pursued a Master's Degree in
>Composition with an emphasis in Writing Center Practice and Administration.
>Upon graduation (in 1995) I become the WSU Writing Center Assistant
>Director, a position which I'm now in my second year of holding.  To
>summarize the steps that helped me get to where I am:
>
>As an undergraduate, I tutored and went to four or five professional
>conferences (peer tutoring conferences, College English Association, and
>SEWCA conferences)
>
>As a graduate, I became actively involved in the administration of the
>campus WC, while tutoring and continuing to present at conferences.
>
>Nowadays, there are more and more Comp./Rhet. programs out there, but some
>seem particularly disconnected from Writing Center administration.
>Students interested in pursuing WC work might investigate programs which
>not only have Comp. degrees, but which also have Writing Centers.  A Ph.D,
>if desired, might also be a consideration, though I haven't found that a
>Ph.D is required (or necessary, or even recommended in some cases) to be a
>good tutor or WC administrator.
>
>I would be happy to communicate with anyone "out there" who has specific
>questions which I could address.  As I mentioned, I'm not on Wcenter, but
>can be e-mailed at cheshire@mail.wsu.edu.
>
>I hope you find this information helpful, at least as a starting place.
>
>Steve Smith
>WSU Writing Lab
>cheshire@mail.wsu.edu
>
>>Another one of my tutors has become so excited about her work that she
>>wants to prepare for a career in writing centers.  Does anyone have
>>suggestions about the best way to prepare for such work?
>>
>>Like so many others, I prepared for teaching English by studying English
>>literature.  That was how it was done 30 years ago.  all my leaerning about
>>writing centers and tutoring has taken place at conferences, through
>>reading, and now, of course, this wonderful listserve.  Not bad ways to
>>learn, of course, but I would like to know about what programs are out
>>there now for people who want to do what I do.
>>
>>My tutor and I will both be very grateful for any responses to this
>>question.
>
>
Mary M. Dossin
Claude J. Clark Learning Center
SUNY Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY  12901
518 564-6138
dossinmm@splava.cc.plattsburgh.edu