Outside the Learning Studio!

A perk to being a grad student at Columbia College Chicago is the exposure to different campus jobs. There is a multitude of jobs and opportunities, most of which can be found on Columbia Works (an online job board for students and alumni). Personally, I have the great fortune of working as a Writing Center tutor.

As a writer, professor, and student there is nothing more rewarding than getting to talk about writing all day. I get to work one-on-one with students looking to become better writers, and ultimately learn about my own writing in the process.

I want to linger on this idea of “becoming a better writer” and explain why this concept makes Columbia College Chicago incredibly progressive, and how our Writing Center exemplifies the schools dedication to the students at a personal level of attention. Faculty and students alike act on a peer-to-peer basis, which allows us to engage in a more personalized discussion and mutually inquiry into our respective art forms. The atmosphere is incredibly inviting!

Check out my office: (Who’s got the Chalk?)

Random drawings we share around the work space :)

I have a pitch phrase I use whenever a new student comes into the Writing Center.

Are you ready to kick it and talk about writing?

And then that’s what we end up doing for the next 16 weeks. Almost every student comes back to “hangout” and engages in the process of becoming a better writer. And I use the word hangout in the sense that my mission is to make writing fun.

Not only is working as a writing tutor amazing, but it opened other possibilities for me to grow professionally. My peer, Natalia Kennedy, and I were put in charge of launching a mentorship program for undergraduate creative writing students. Check out the program here.

I’m speaking from experience here, Columbia College Chicago makes it possible for change to occur. The community and faculty are always exploring new ways of supporting students, and then empowering the students to take charge of that change. Cool right!?

If you’re ever around, stop by the Learning Studio and say hi—to me or the 80+ other tutors ready to support the community! And check out views, like this one from last Winter!

View of Grant Park last winter!