University tutors were celebrated on National Tutoring Week, Oct. 9-13.
Students, faculty, and staff showered gifts, snacks, treats, and praise on the university’s three main sources of academic aid: CASA, TRIO/Student Support Services, and the Writing Center.
All three departments, which fall under the Programs for Academic Support and Enrichment, treated their tutors to luncheons, breakfasts, and prizes, not to mention gratitude. The Writing Center in particular got quite a surprise from its biggest fan.
In a university-wide email, Writing Center Director Randy Koch hailed his employees as being “among the most conscientious, energetic, personable, and skilled writing tutors with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working.”
Koch, who has directed the Writing Center for close to 5 years, originally sent the email to Steve Harmon, director of Public Affairs and Information Services, asking him (and the university) to help recognize the Writing Center’s numerous accomplishments, such as conducting 2,831 sessions during fall 2005.
That number is on the verge of being exceeded. Thus far, Writing Center tutors have conducted more than 780 sessions, which, according to Koch’s email, is at least 15 percent more than the first six weeks of fall 2005.
The Writing Center tutors also drew compliments from its office coordinator, Jessica Villanueva, who has worked there for nearly three years and witnesses the tutors work firsthand.
“People don’t see the extensive training,” Villanueva says, “or the back-to-back tutoring sessions. It’s a drain on them. Not only do they have their own studies, but they have to help others.”
Villanueva said she is proud of how National Tutoring Week has turned out for the tutors. Aside from all the goodies, a large sheet of paper adorned with comments such as “Thank You! We would be lost without you!” and “You guys are the best” hangs on one of the Writing Center’s walls.
National Tutoring Week allowed not just students but staff and faculty as well to extend words of appreciation to the tutors. Perhaps the most amusing example involved a reference to a VISA commercial.
“Tuition: $1980. Books: $650. Parking Permit: $30. Getting tutored at TAMIU: Priceless.”
And just how are the tutors responding to it all?
“It’s pretty fulfilling,” writing tutor Erica Matos says. “I would definitely want to keep this job.”