The Writing Place is staffed by a talented group of juniors and seniors who are good writers and—equally important—good readers, listeners, and responders. When they are not working one-on-one with clients, Writing Place consultants engage in various forms of writing-related community service and outreach to the university community, including social media, videos, resource development, workshops, class visits, and special projects.
We are currently accepting applications to serve as a Writing Place tutor in the 2024-2025 academic year. You can find the online application form here. Applications are due Sunday, April 28.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of Writing Place consultants include:
- One-on-one consulting: assisting writers from the Northwestern community at any stage of the writing process, on topics from any discipline, through face-to-face and distance sessions
- Content and program development: developing resources and programs for Writing Place staff, clients, and other writers in the university; conducting workshops on writing-related topics
- Professional development: participating in staff meetings and other professional development as provided and proactively continuing to learn more about writing and to fill in gaps in your knowledge
- Outreach: speaking to classes and groups of students about the Writing Place and promoting the Writing Place at activities fairs, through social media, and through special events
- Community-oriented tutoring and mentoring: providing writing support to students in the Northwestern Prison Education Project; helping to develop and support a peer tutoring program at Evanston Township High School; co-facilitating writing workshops and with partner organizations at Cook County Jail and Grace House
In any quarter, your job would include a mix of these things.
Benefits
The benefits of being a Writing Place consultant are numerous.
In addition to earning money, consultants:
- Learn to teach and work with writers who come from a variety of backgrounds and possess a range of skills and interests
- Cultivate knowledge about the writing process and ways of looking at writing that may be unfamiliar to them
- Learn about writing in different disciplines and genres beyond their major
- Advance their own writing skills through exposure to the work of others and the consultation experience
- Develop leadership and presentation skills while planning and leading workshops
- Are identified as skilled writers by peers, mentors, and potential employers
- Do meaningful community service work as part of their job
Pay
Starting pay is $15.50 per hour.
Eligibility
To qualify for this job, you should:
- Be a junior or senior in 2024-2025
- Be a solid, experienced writer and a good student
- Enjoy working with others and handling responsibility
- Have good interpersonal communication skills
- Be self-directed to work on Writing Place resources and projects when you have time during work shifts
- Be able to register for English 304, Practical Rhetoric, in Fall 2023*
You do not need to qualify for work study.
*English 304 combines readings, discussion, and peer tutoring experience. It is a co-requisite with beginning to work in the Writing Place. The class is scheduled to from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Mondays during FQ.
If you are studying abroad or cannot register for English 304 in the fall for some other reason, please apply anyway. If there is a need, we may offer an additional section of English 304 in the winter, to accommodate those who cannot take the class in the Fall.
For additional information, contact Professor Meaghan Fritz (meaghan.fritz@northwestern.edu) in the Cook Family Writing Program.