Writing Consultants Needed!

A position at the ECU University Writing Center (UWC) offers you the opportunity to:
• Work with and learn from writers across disciplines;
• Strengthen your own writing and research skills; and,
• Present at and publish in the field of writing centers.

Writing Consultants work with ECU students, faculty, and staff to support writers with any type of writing at any point in the writing process through consultation and material development.

In addition to working with writers, consultants answer email, schedule appointments, design and provide workshops, and work on professional development projects. Projects include efforts to better their understanding of writing and the writing process and tasks that expand and support the work of the UWC.

Essential Job Responsibilities:
A. Giving feedback to students, teachers, and staff on any type of writing at any point in the writing process via one-on-one writing consultations.
B. Promoting the UWC in online settings
C. Responding to the UWC Email
D. Completing weekly professional development
E. Attending weekly staff meetings
F. Attending weekly individual check-ins.
G. Attending a pre-semester orientation
H. Other duties and professional development as assigned

Consulting:
We employ a facilitative approach in which the writer always retains control over both the form and content of the paper. Consultants specialize in guiding writers to work on higher order concerns such as assignment goals, clear focus, thesis development, organization, audience awareness, and content development. Consultants also possess skills and resources to teach writers how to address lower order writing concerns including sentence structure, style, word choice, and punctuation. Consultants may work with writers either online through online chats or e-tutoring within the Online Writing Lab (OWL). Additionally, consultants may work with writers face-to-face at our Joyner and Laupus Locations.

Professional Development:
During down time consultants will work on professional development and projects that encourage reflection and further learning about writing center work. Writing center work and projects take precedence over consultant’s coursework and personal work while a consultant is working.

Shift Journals:
We use shift journals as a form of professional development to document consultant’s growth. Each consultant will be given a digital shift journal, which includes weekly professional development expectations and self-assessment activities.

Minimum Qualifications:
a. A successful completion of ENGL 1100.
b. 2.0 cumulative GPA

Knowledge, Skills, and Ability:
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with a broad range of diverse peoples, abilities, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds, to maintain good working relationships within the writing center and across campus.
• Ability to take initiative and self-direct learning, while also collaborate with peers and ECU writers.

Additional Information:
In addition to this application, please upload an academic writing sample (written during your studies at ECU) and the name of an ECU faculty member who could serve as a reference. This faculty member should be familiar with your writing skills and can respond to why they think you would be an effective writing consultant. For questions, contact the UWC Director Dr. Nikki Caswell (caswelln@ecu.edu).

Materials to upload
• Response to Essay Question
• Academic Writing Sample
• Name of an ECU Faculty Member who could serve as a reference

Read about our mission and purpose here: https://writing.ecu.edu/uwc/mission/