Our next Tutor of the Week is Caroline Sawatzki, a second-year electrical engineering major.
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| Caroline Sawatzki |
"When I applied at the Writing Center, I was nervous. All I had to offer was (what I assumed to be) a strong portfolio of academic essays and an appreciation for the art and science of writing. I had never taught anyone anything before. I thought that helping people write meant to point out and correct the mistakes that they made. The interview seemed like a disaster. I felt like a failure. Despite my many errors, I was offered the job. From the interview, I learned that mistakes are part of the process. This applies to writing as well. If you have a perfect piece every time, you don’t learn anything from it.
"Through the Writing Center, I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with so many students from diverse backgrounds and relate to them through the medium of writing. It has been such a personally enriching experience. I am one of the lucky young adults to have a job that gives me great pride as I assist students who come in with a rough draft, or maybe no draft at all, and leave with a full outline and a sense of direction for their paper.
"Through the Center, I also had the opportunity to serve students as an international tutor in Tokushima, Japan, at Shikoku University. There, I engaged Japanese students studying English as a Second Language by helping to set up an embedded writing center where they could seek help with their English writing, reading, and grammar concerns. It was the most rewarding experience of my lifetime. My experience as an international student at Shikoku University, attempting to navigate despite my struggles with speaking Japanese, inspired me to return to SVSU and help international students navigate here. I became a member of the SVSU Friends and Family Program and the International Student Club and helped to host an election watch party in November, where I answered questions from international students about the American political process and helped facilitate the Writing Center’s “Dear Future President” campaign, which allowed students to write their concerns on postcards that would be mailed to the next President of the United States. I think it is a very powerful thing to feel that you have a voice in the politics of the country in which you reside, even if you can’t vote.
"One of the most fulfilling aspects of my job is the opportunity to relate to my fellow students through my interests. Some of my sessions begin by briefly discussing a video game (I am an avid gamer), my dogs and cats, excellent novels, or what was on NPR that morning. (My favorite NPR show is Wait! Wait! Don’t Tell Me. I am a giant trivia nerd whose favorite TV show is Jeopardy.) Even as an introvert, I love the opportunity to get a glimpse into the lives of the students I work with. My only hope is that they leave our session with something added to their life: an appreciation of and a sense of confidence in their writing."
"Through the Center, I also had the opportunity to serve students as an international tutor in Tokushima, Japan, at Shikoku University. There, I engaged Japanese students studying English as a Second Language by helping to set up an embedded writing center where they could seek help with their English writing, reading, and grammar concerns. It was the most rewarding experience of my lifetime. My experience as an international student at Shikoku University, attempting to navigate despite my struggles with speaking Japanese, inspired me to return to SVSU and help international students navigate here. I became a member of the SVSU Friends and Family Program and the International Student Club and helped to host an election watch party in November, where I answered questions from international students about the American political process and helped facilitate the Writing Center’s “Dear Future President” campaign, which allowed students to write their concerns on postcards that would be mailed to the next President of the United States. I think it is a very powerful thing to feel that you have a voice in the politics of the country in which you reside, even if you can’t vote.
"One of the most fulfilling aspects of my job is the opportunity to relate to my fellow students through my interests. Some of my sessions begin by briefly discussing a video game (I am an avid gamer), my dogs and cats, excellent novels, or what was on NPR that morning. (My favorite NPR show is Wait! Wait! Don’t Tell Me. I am a giant trivia nerd whose favorite TV show is Jeopardy.) Even as an introvert, I love the opportunity to get a glimpse into the lives of the students I work with. My only hope is that they leave our session with something added to their life: an appreciation of and a sense of confidence in their writing."
