By Mia Kweskin
Susan Lowther joins The Writing Center staff as special programs coordinator. Previously she served as the writing programs coordinator at Cornerstone: The Learning Center. Susan discusses her new role at The Writing Center, the exciting challenges it presents, and what she’s most looking forward to (which may or may not include some serious redecorating!).
M: What will your new job entail?
S: As special programs coordinator, I will provide one-to-one writing instruction for WUSTL undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff working on any kind of writing or speaking project, as well as design and run workshops and other programming in collaboration with partners.
M: What daily tasks and long-term projects will you work on?
S: I will work directly with students on a daily basis, just like other tutors, but I will also serve as The Writing Center’s specialist for working with and supporting students who are at risk. What this support looks like will be developed over the next year, and I am excited to see where it takes us. I will also be taking on a larger role in the writing portion of the College Prep Program as well as other programming connected to The Writing Center.
M: What are you most looking forward to?
S: Where this will all go! I love working one-on-one with students, and I am excited to be given the opportunity to do that more fully. In particular, I am excited to be part of the university effort to better support at-risk students and see them successfully navigate in, through, and out of the University. This new role is a great opportunity to provide more focused writing help for students, and I can’t wait to get started!
While I am a little sad to be leaving Cornerstone, I am looking forward to being in The Writing Center and being able to see all the tutors more often. I love the sense of community there, and I can’t wait to be a part of that community on a daily basis. Oh, and I can’t wait to redecorate with my bedazzler–just kidding! (…or am I?)
M: What do you think some of the challenges will be in this new role?
S: Probably the same as what I am excited about; since this is a newly created role, the possibilities are endless. That is a bit daunting. Sometimes I feel like I have “imposter syndrome”, and I worry that I won’t be able to live up to the challenge. Pretty much the same worry most people have when they start a new adventure!