Tutor of the Week: Sam Geffert

Our next Tutor of the Week is Sam Geffert, an fourth-year Secondary Education student with a concentration in English and a minor in Japanese and English as a Second Language. 

Sam holding baby chicks in Kyoto, Japan.

Sam has been a tutor at the Writing Center for four semesters, and has plans to remain a tutor until her anticipated graduation in May of 2019. Sam is currently involved in several aspects of Writing Center work in addition to everyday tutoring: "Currently I’m tutoring on campus and at the Saginaw and Bay Community Writing Centers. I also co-lead creative writing workshops at the Saginaw Correctional Facility." This semester, Sam also plans on presenting in the upcoming ECWCA conference this March.

Last semester, Sam attended the MiWCA and IWCA conferences where she presented independently regarding her experience tutoring abroad at the Writing Center's sister university in Japan, Shikoku University. While, there Sam worked alongside another writing center tutor to prepare native Japanese-speaking students to use English orally, through conversation hours and one-on-one conversation practice. She also assisted in English-speaking camps put on by the professors at Shikoku University, and middle and high school English-speaking workshops alongside assistant language teachers through the Japan Exchange and Teaching program. Of her time in Japan, Sam writes: "One of my best experiences working in the Writing Center was being able to tutor at Shikoku University in Tokushima, Japan. This opportunity to travel has shaped my goals for the future. I would love to teach English abroad after I graduate."Additionally, Sam has also worked as a social media coordinator, led Friday workshops, and judged several creative writing contests through the Writing Center.

Sam believes that writing is a skill that takes practice and dedication. She writes: "I believe that writing and tutoring is like anything else—skill comes over time through practice and dedication. One of my favorite parts of working at the writing center is being an active part in that process for others." When Sam isn't in the Writing Center, you can usually find her studying or working on homework on-campus. Sam loves rollerblading with her dog Coco and reading horoscopes in her free time, and looks forward to getting outside and gardening this spring.  Sam doesn't know what she plans to do after graduation just yet, but she is considering teaching abroad or travelling for awhile before settling on one dream. Whatever she ends up doing, she hopes to someday settle down in Massachusetts: "I love tours and museums, and there are so many to explore in there - I'd like to travel, but I want to end up in Massachusetts someday."

Tutor of the Week: Emma Kirsch

Our next Tutor of the Week is Emma Kirsch, an Early Childhood and Elementary Education major set to graduate in December of 2019.

Emma with Coop the Cardinal

Here is what Emma had to say about her work at the Writing Center:

"Here at the Writing Center, I tutor fellow students in a variety of disciplines and assignments. Outside of the Center here on campus, I also serve as the coordinator for the Saginaw and Bay Community Writing Centers. These Centers each operate twice a month, serving residents of Saginaw and Bay Counties. As coordinator, I am responsible for marketing the centers through email blasts, our websites, and fliers as well as facilitating writing workshops, tutoring in the centers, and making sure they operate smoothly. In addition to these two roles, I have co-presented at a Michigan Writing Center Association Conference and will be presenting in March at the East Central Writing Center Association conference at The Ohio State University. I have enjoyed each opportunity I have had, and look forward to the future!"

Emma is also a strong advocate of improving one's own writing and really enjoys being able to assist other students and community members with their writing, through the Writing Center:

"Writing is such a valuable skill to have, and being a tutor allows me to help others improve upon this skill. Every profession includes writing in some form or another, so being able to clearly communicate ideas through written word is crucial. I like tutoring because it allows me to interact with people I wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to talk to. Connecting with others through the words they have written and the reasons behind their words is really special. I like to help others. I like to hear other people’s perspectives. Tutoring allows me to do so."

When she isn't working in the Writing Center or the Community Writing Centers, Emma is highly involved in other activities and groups on campus:

"In addition to working at the Writing Center, I am a member (and future Board of Directors member) of Forever Red, the Co-president of Pie Club, an Orientation Leader, and a Foundation Scholar. SVSU has given me so many opportunities to grow academically, professionally, and personally, and I cannot stress my love for this university enough. This is truly a special placed filled with faculty who care and so many ways for students to get involved and find their passions. It’s always a great day to be a Cardinal!"

Tutor of the Week: Sara Houser

Our next Tutor of the Week is Sara Houser, an Elementary Education and English Language Arts senior seeking a minor endorsement in Teaching English as a Second Language (K-12).

Here is what she had to say about her work at the Writing Center:

Sara Houser (and Akira)

"I started working as a tutor in the Writing Center about three and a half years ago, just after transferring to SVSU. Even before transferring here, I knew that I wanted to work in the Writing Center. I wanted to combine my two passions – teaching and writing – and I knew that this would be the best place to do so, even though I struggled with confidence in my own writing. Working here has allowed me to do this and so much more. Because of my experiences in the Writing Center, and my collaboration with students and faculty, I have become a better researcher, writer, listener, teacher, and individual, and I have become exponentially more confident in my writing and teaching abilities. I have had the opportunity to be involved in research projects, and presented my own research at a handful of conferences from the state to international level; facilitated a creative writing camp for middle and high school students; and have even presented workshops to prepare future educators for the College of Education Professional Readiness Exam during my time here. Currently, in addition to the tutoring I do throughout the week, I am also serving as a mentor tutor and as the social media coordinator for the Writing Center and our two Community Writing Centers in Saginaw and in Bay City. I have been challenged to become a better writer and thinker by my peers, both students and other tutors, and continue to push myself in this regard each minute I spend in the Writing Center. I have learned how to genuinely listen to the concerns of others, and use my passion for teaching to help them, and myself, grow. All of these experiences, facilitated by my work in the Writing Center, gave me the courage to take on bigger challenges: it is where I found my passion for working with ESL students and decided to work for the minor endorsement. It is where kept my passion for teaching alive on a day-to-day basis, and it is where I made the decision to student teach abroad in Costa Rica to further these passions.

"When I am not in the center, I am usually working on homework, working my other part-time job (I have to save up for after graduation, after all!), or spending time with my friends, fiancé, and our dog, Akira. I will be starting fieldwork for my ESL endorsement this semester, and am currently preparing for this new fieldwork experience by writing lesson plans and reflecting on my teaching practice, especially in relation to working with English learners. My goal is to teach elementary level English language learners here in Michigan, after graduation this spring. In my free time, I like to play video games with my friends (especially Borderlands and Minecraft), exercise, and spend time walking Akira while daydreaming about my upcoming wedding."