(Disclaimer: I was not asked by anyone in UDHP to write this! I’m just very happy with this activity and would encourage any invited students to look into the WF program!)
This title probably made no sense at all, but something like “My First Round of Writing Fellow Conferences” likely wouldn’t have caught your attention. Here at 186 South College we love to share our personalities and this time in our lives even when it’s not directly related to college, UD, or UDHP. This week, however, I’m discussing a specific Honors Program activity I am involved in, the Writing Fellows Program. Get it, I was a Russell (Fellow) last year, and now I’m a Writing (Fellow)?! Yeah, not my best.
The Writing Fellows (WF) are a group of UDHP juniors and seniors selected and extensively trained to serve as writing tutors to Honors first-year students in all colloquia and some Honors English 110 courses. The wonderful Mr. Peters oversees this program, and teaches all students selected into the program in a semester- long seminar class focused on theories of writing and tutoring writing before they become official WFs. Because colloquia and E110 courses are mandatory for all Honors freshmen, Writing Fellows encounter a broad variety of majors, interest in writing, and comfort with writing among their tutors.
As referenced above, I recently finished my first round of Writing Fellow conferences (tutoring sessions with our assigned students). I knew I was prepared, but it was still a little nerve-wracking. However, after a few conferences it became clear to me that not only do I enjoy being a Writing Fellow, but that the job helps to develop some important professional abilities. The WF training class was great at refining my own writing and critical reading skills, but so far in my short WF career, I have especially seen how the conferences improve my interpersonal communication skills.
Especially in the first round of conferences, we’re encouraged to talk to our tutees about where they’re from, their majors, how their college experience is going, etc. I’d like to think that these conversations made a difference because they made the tutees feel comfortable and less scared of an upperclassman who is (constructively!) criticizing their papers. It was exciting for this Southern Californian to learn that just among the nine students I am tutoring this semester, one is from right next to the tiny Connecticut town in which I have family, and another is a San Diego native! Furthermore, establishing a rapport is hugely important in creating an environment in which the tutees are receptive to suggestions, and willing to converse with me about their concerns with and goals for their papers. I’m sure this skill will be immensely useful as I prepare to enter the workforce! In short, the Writing Fellows Program is a great asset of UDHP, both for tutees and Writing Fellows.
~Ruby Harrington
