Consulting as a non-English major

Having never visited the writing studio at USF before this semester, when I started working as a consultant here, I was not exactly sure what I was in for. After a three-day orientation at the start of the school year, I started to think that I might have gotten in a bit over my head. [For clarification, this is not to say that I felt intimidated by any of the people or the setting, because actually it was very refreshing to interact with non-engineers. Hint, hint- I’m an engineer.] What I began to consider was: What if my writing skills are not advanced enough to support some of the writers? What if I cannot recall some English language rule that I learned back in high school? I’m not an English major- far from it.

I knew that I would not fully understand what this new job would demand of me until my first consultation. I have spent a lot of time in the past tutoring students and working as a TA for a variety of engineering/science/math courses, but never for a subject so personal as writing. This is a significant shift for me that I am realizing I truly enjoy. A tutoring session in math, though student’s mathematical competence can vary dramatically, often follows the same structure: explanation of a concept, going over of example problems, and then practice practice, practice. (Seems a bit dull, I can see why it’s not for everyone.) Transitioning from this seemingly emotionless practice, to thoughtfully guiding people to be better writers, has evoked a new side of me that has been hidden behind the “science-y stuff” stored in my head for years.

Though some writing pieces brought to the writing studio are far more personal than others, I knew from the start that it would be important to gauge a writer’s personal connection to their piece, in order to give appropriate feedback. My first consultation ever was with a writer working on her personal statement for an application to pharmacy school. Her paper was written well, but lacked a good hook and any pizazz. She had significant experience working at a pharmacy, and I spent some time trying to getting to know her and getting her to divulge an outstanding experience that she could describe to start her essay. By the end of the consultation, not only had her personal statement dramatically improved, but I also felt a connection to the writer and her application to the program. (I wish we had a way to get updates on these applications!)

Any concerns I had before starting working at the writing studio have since dissipated. Even as a non-English major, I am able to showcase my experience as a writer and a reader to any writer who sits down at my consultation table. Not only am I encouraged by the potential improvements I can assist in delivering to incoming writers, but also by the restructured ways of thinking and teaching that I am gaining myself.

By Melanie Pickett, PhD Environmental Engineering