For those who don’t know, what is the WORD Studio?
The WORD Studio is student resource for one-on-one assistance with communication projects from any discipline. “WORD” is an acronym for Writing, Oral communication, Reading, and Design. As such, the WORD Studio’s trained peer tutors can assist students with any project related to those four areas. We help at all stages of the communication process. Students can come in to talk about their ideas for their work as well as bring in more polished drafts for reader/audience feedback.
What is your role?
As the WORD Studio Director, I recruit, train, and supervise peer tutors; oversee the daily aspects of the Studio, like scheduling; share information about the WORD Studio across campus; design and deliver workshops for faculty related to writing and communication; and support faculty in assigning writing and providing feedback to their students.
How has being the new WORD Studio director been thus far?
So far, it’s been really good. I’ve learned a lot about the institution and the students we serve already, though I know there’s much more to understand to do my job as effectively as I can. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the peer tutors and the students enrolled in the tutor training class. Those folks have been very helpful and kind as I learn more about SLU, the WORD Studio, and our students.
What is your vision for the WORD Studio?
Luckily, the WORD Studio is well-established on campus, so my primary focus for now is to maintain what’s already been working. I plan to continue the efforts of the previous director by training peer tutors in antiracist and linguistic justice-focused strategies for working with writers from various backgrounds and languages. That work can always be expanded and done better, so that’s a goal for me, both professionally and personally. And, of course, I’d like for every student on campus to know about the WORD Studio and how we can assist them, so increasing our visibility, especially after the pandemic, is a goal.
Any changes you are planning to implement?
Honestly, I’m not sure yet. It’s always been my practice to wait and listen for a bit before implementing any changes. It’s not very becoming to bulldoze things that are working and people already like. I’m sure there are small tweaks here and there that would help me do my job better, but overall, the mission of the WORD Studio is to meet students where they are and help them get to where they want to be, and I believe we’re doing that.
Do you have a final message to students?
Students, even if you’re a good or strong communicator, we’d love to see you in the WORD Studio. It’s also okay if you’re not as good or strong with communication as you’d like to be. Everyone needs help from time to time; we’d love to help you. Our tutors are trained, but more importantly, they are passionate about working with students and want to help you succeed. We realize it can be scary to share your work with others, but we are genuinely nice people who just want to help.
What if a student is interested in becoming a tutor?
The WORD Studio is calling for new tutors to join our team. If students are interested, the first step is to reach out to me at mdenny@stlawu.edu for more details. Those who work in the Studio are required to take PCA/EDUC 225, which is being offered in the spring and won’t be offered again until spring of 2024. The days and times of this course will be determined after we know the schedules of the students who plan to enroll. While strong communication skills are helpful for this position, we are especially interested in hiring good people who are kind and patient. We’d also like to diversify our staff by hiring a variety of majors, minors, backgrounds, and language speakers.