Tutor of the Week: Anna Paling

Our next Tutor of the Week is Anna Paling, a  graduating senior with a Professional & Technical Writing major and a Creative Writing minor.

Anna Paling

Anna has been a tutor at the writing Center for three semesters. Here is what she had to say about her time as a tutor:

"What I like most about working at the Writing Center is how much I’ve learned from the students I work with. Most, if not all, of the work I do involves around communication in one form or another, and I believe that writing as a form of communication has real power. I love working here because I get to see that power in action. I love helping writers gain more confidence in their writing, and I love the moments during brainstorm sessions when everything seems to click. Of course every session is different, and academic writing is only one form of writing (that comes steeped in its own issues), but what I value most out of all of my work here is those moments of connection. Sitting down with someone and talking about their ideas, their writing, and even language itself is powerful. I’m grateful to have been a part of that."

Outside of her work in the Writing Center, Anna has been heavily involved in other on-campus work through the PTW program and Cardinal Sins:

"Besides tutoring at the Writing Center, I’ve done a lot of work related to communication, writing, and design during my time at SVSU. For about two years now, I’ve served as a research assistant for the PTW program’s Center for Usability Studies & Universal Design. Through working with them and various clients, I’ve realized how much I value the importance of accessible design. I also served as the graphic design intern for Cardinal Sins last semester, and have been on the journal’s writing committee since I was a freshmen four years ago. Community work is also important to me; I’ve been a member of SAGSA (the Sexuality and Gender Spectrum Alliance) since its start last semester, and over the course of this semester I’ve been thinking of all the ways I might combine my love of writing with activism."

Tutor of the Week: Victoria Phelps

Our next Tutor of the Week is Victoria Phelps, a graduating senior with an English major, and history and creative writing minors.

Tori Phelps

Tori has been a Writing Center tutor for nearly three years. During her time as a Writing Center tutor, Victoria has served as a senior tutor, a mentor tutor, an online tutor, and a grad tutor. She has created two workshops and co-led three workshops for the Writing Center: a Short Story Writing Workshop for high school students, an artist's statements workshop, and a writing for creative publication workshop. The Short Story Writing Workshop was preceded by a trip to Interlochen's Creative Writing Retreat, funded by an SVSU Foundation grant.

Here is what she had to say about her work at the Writing Center and writing in general:

"A good number of my sessions begin with the writer claiming they're "not a good writer" or even that they're "a bad writer." Maybe writers think poorly of their own writing because it's challenging to write or because they've received poor grades on past papers. Whatever the reason, I don't think it exists. This is the point most people say/think "yeah, well, you haven't read my writing." But honest to god, in the three years I've worked at the center, I don't think I've ever met the mythical "bad writer."
"What is a bad writer, anyway? Writing is incredibly subjective and varies from form to form. What may make for so-called "bad writing" in one discipline is entirely appropriate "good writing" in another. Does "bad writing" hinge on grammar? I don't think so, since grammatical rules are themselves problematic, and the real purpose of writing is to communicate ideas, which can be done with total disregard for "rules" of any kind. No, I think perhaps a "bad writer" is a writer who has given up entirely on communicating. Writing is an act of persistence, and the act of coming into the Writing Center is itself an act of persistence, which may explain why I've yet to meet a "bad writer." So you may want to become a stronger writer in your discipline or in the ease of the craft, but don't consign yourself to the fate of a "bad writer" and claim a label that's beneath you. Writing is perseverance, and you own it."

Tori is also heavily involved outside of her work at the Writing Center:

"In addition to tutoring, I'm Editor-in-Chief of Cardinal Sins and a staff writer for the Valley Vanguard. Last year, I co-chaired SVSU's first Human Library. I'm a member of the honors program, and completed my thesis on disabilities in Victorian fairy tales last year. I also serve as vice president of SVSU's Sigma Tau Delta chapter and an officer of Cardinal Readers. Since I read all the time, in my down time, I like to watch TV and movies. I'm currently working through Hayao Miyazaki's films and watching the latest season of New Girl. I also enjoy listening to TV and movie scores while working; my favorite composer is currently Ramin Djawadi, who composes for series like Game of Thrones and Westworld."

Tutor of the Week: Kelsey Hyde

Our next Tutor of the Week is Kelsey Hyde, a senior currently studying a second bachelor's degree in French.

Kelsey at Montmorency Falls during his studies in Québec. 

Kelsey's first bachelor's degree in chemical physics, which he sought at SVSU, was completed in May of 2015, about one year before Kelsey joined the Writing Center team, where he has remained for the last two semesters. Here is what Kelsey had to say about his time at the Writing Center:

"In my short time here at the Writing Center, I have had the opportunity to be a CWC tutor in both Saginaw and Bay City.  Work in both of these communities helped to inform my work here on campus, as it gave me my first opportunity to serve as a writing tutor.  This opportunity working in the CWCs not only allowed me to get my feet wet as a tutor, but it also presented me with the chance to serve as a poetry judge for the inaugural edition of “Still Life”, a collection of poetry from local Tri-Cities writers from varying age groups. Philosophically, what I enjoy about being a writing tutor is the chance to help others become more confident communicators.  I feel that each writer that comes into the center has a unique voice that deserves to be expressed and heard.  I see my position as a tutor as a chance to give writers the tools and encouragement they need to best express this unique voice."

Outside of his work at the writing center, Kelsey enjoys travelling and has been working to solidify plans to continue his education after he graduates in May of this year: "I thoroughly enjoy travelling internationally.  I have studied abroad the past two summers in Québec and France studying French in intensive summer programs.  I hope that I can continue my travels to see more francophone countries in the not too distant future.  After graduating this May and concluding my work at SVSU’s Writing Center, I will start my graduate studies at Eastern Michigan University this fall, where I will be pursuing my MA in speech-language pathology.  Luckily, I will also be able to continue working as a writing tutor this fall, as I have recently accepted a graduate assistantship at the EMU Writing Center."

Tutor of the Week: Yi Hua Tsai

Our next Tutor of the Week is Yi Hua Tsai, a graduating senior with a dual master degree program in Teaching and Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. 

Yi Hua with President Bachand

Here is what Yi Hua had to say about her work in the Writing Center: 

"This is my second semester working at the WC. I always have passions for teaching. As an international tutor, I sometimes need to work harder in order to keep up with other tutors, but I absolutely enjoy working at the WC! I might not be a perfect tutor, but I always try my best to help the students. For me, tutoring American students English writing is challenging, yet very rewarding. Whenever I see students learn something from me, the sense of the achievement is always beyond any description. Although I haven't been as involved in the conferences the other Writing Center tutors attend and the community writing centers, I do my best to help the Center whenever I can."

Yi Hua is also very engaged outside of the Writing Center:

"Outside of the Center, I work as a Mandarin teacher, teaching and promoting Chinese Language and culture to SVSU students and the people in this area. I have lived and worked in different countries before, but working at the Writing Center is undoubtedly one of the greatest experiences for me not only because of what I do, but also because of the excellent and supportive supervisors and tutors."

Yi Hua will be graduating this May. After graduation, she plans to take her tutoring experience from the WC, along with her passion for teaching, with her into the 'real world' where she hopes to find a positions that allowed to her capitalize on these skills further.