The Writing Center welcomes Dr. Ian Clark back to our team as a senior tutor!
Dr. Clark earned his BA in English and Philosophy at the University of Portland, his MPhil in Irish Writing at Trinity College Dublin, and his PhD in English and American Literature here at Washington University in St. Louis
Dr. Clark began working in writing centers while serving as writing center coordinator of Roosevelt High School in Portland, Oregon, where he focused on developing programming to support juniors and seniors applying for college and scholarships. He returned to tutoring at WashU as a graduate fellow while completing his PhD in English literature. His teaching and research interests include twentieth century Irish, British, and postcolonial literature, with a particular focus on tracing the connections between literature, landscapes, and identities. He currently teaches in the College Writing and in the First-Year Ampersand programs.
When asked what brought him to The Writing Center, Dr. Clark said, “I’ve always seen the writing process as a conversation, an opportunity to share ideas with others and learn from different perspectives. The Writing Center fosters this kind of conversation and, in the process, turns a process that’s often scary or intimidating into a welcoming, inclusive opportunity to share your exciting ideas and learn from others.” He also noted that “at the Writing Center, I get to work with students studying so many different, exciting disciplines. In no other place would I get to talk to students about med school applications, engineering research, a psychology lit review, and a literary analysis essay in the same day. I feel so lucky that my job entails getting out of my comfort zone and learning new things.”
Having worked with Dr. Clark for two years during his time as a graduate fellow, all of us at The Writing Center are excited to continue working with him, and we know you will enjoy sharing your work with him too!