Apply to be a Writing Associate

The Writing Associates Selection Committee is looking for enthusiastic and highly motivated students to apply to be Writing Associates--paid peer writing tutors at Trinity’s Writing Center. We’re looking for a wide variety of academic majors who are active learners with an interest in working with other students. All Trinity students are eligible to apply.

Working at a writing center is highly rewarding for thoughtful and empathetic individuals who value working collaboratively, and who can call on their creativity to engage constructively in diverse situations. Our Writing Associates work with any kind of writing, from lab reports in the sciences to research papers in the humanities. Writers come at every stage of their process; they come to brainstorm ideas, for constructive feedback on their rough drafts, and to get help polishing their final versions.

Students who are accepted into the program will take RHET 302 “Writing Theories and Practice” in the fall term, which will introduce new Writing Associates to theories and practices of working at a writing center.

Our goal is to not just help Trinity students produce better writing, but to help them develop their skills as writers, and we are committed to fostering a community of inclusion, diversity, and equity through which we all become better students and writers.

Applications are due by Friday, February 14, 2025

Submit the Following Materials

To apply for the Writing Associate Program, submit the following materials (information form, personal statements, and reference letter) for consideration by the Writing Associates Selection Committee. If you have any questions, please email James Truman at [email protected].

Information Form:

Fill out the information form at this link. It asks for some basic information—your major(s)/minors(s), expected graduation year, and organizations/activities you’re involved with on campus. If you’re having trouble accessing the form, you can email this information to [email protected] along with your personal statement responses; use the subject heading “Writing Associate Application.”

Personal Statements:

Please respond to these four (4) prompts either in the spaces provided in the application form (above) or emailed as an attached document to [email protected]. Respond to each question with a short essay of no more than 250 words. With four questions, that’s a maximum of about 3 pages, double-spaced!

1. Tell us about why you’re interested in working as a Writing Associate. (250 words max)
2. Generally speaking, successful Writing Associates have the skills of effective collaborators, creative problem-solvers, and empathetic communicators. Tell us about an experience (or series of experiences) you’ve had that would help us understand the sort of skills you’ve developed that could be relevant to working at the Writing Center. These could be experiences from work, co-curricular activities, internships, academic settings, etc. (250 words max)
3. Tell us about a recent writing project you’ve done (for a class or other context). What does your writing process look like? We’re not looking for a “correct” answer—this is a chance for you to share how you think about your writing! (250 words max)
4. Giving constructive feedback is central to what Writing Consultants do. Tell us about a time when you received useful feedback on a project or task you were doing (it doesn’t have to be a writing project, or even academic work, but it can be!). What, in your experience, made that feedback particularly useful to you? (250 words max)

Reference Letter:

Ask a member of the Trinity community to write you a reference letter; have them send it as an email to [email protected]. This person should be able to speak to your interpersonal skills, your creativity, and/or other qualities that would help you be a successful Writing Associate. You could ask a faculty member, coach, supervisor, or student colleague with whom you’ve worked closely.

Selection Process

Everyone who completes an application to the Writing Associates Program will be interviewed. We strongly encourage applicants to make an appointment at the Writing Center before the interview to get a sense of what we do. Interviews take place over a two week period, and are conducted by a pair of interviewers consisting of one Writing and Rhetoric Faculty member, and one senior Writing Associate. Applicants will be asked questions like: Why do you want to be a Writing Associate? and Please share an example of your typical process for responding to a writing task or assignment from beginning to end. 

Students accepted to the Program are invited to the end of year Writing Associates Banquet. At the banquet new Writing Associates are introduced and inducted, and we say goodbye to our seniors. All graduates names are added to our perpetual plaque that hangs in the Writing Center.

The Writing Center is interested in attracting diverse applicants, especially those in STEM majors, and International students.

Working in the Writing Center

Writing Associates are expected to work at least four hours per week, and are paid to attend monthly All-staff meetings (with lunch provided) during common hour on one Tuesday per month. Writing Associates may choose to attend professional development conferences once per year.

Once a student has been accepted to the Writing Associates Program, they are a Writing Associate for the remainder of their time at Trinity.