As a Professional Development Student Manager, you work closely with Associate Director Erin Herrmann and the other PDSMs to collaboratively coordinate all aspects of staff professional development across key programs and initiatives at the Writing Center, including events—from all-staff gatherings to small-group ones, tutor onboarding and ongoing education, the Mentoring Program, and Writing Groups. These responsibilities are shared across the three PDSMs, and each PDSM should be prepared to accomplish any and all of them in a given quarter.
In addition to the core work of managing content, logistics, and communications for these events and programs, you serve as a 
Mentor, collaborate with other student managers to facilitate Tutor Talk, and attend weekly Operations Team meetings.
Mentor, collaborate with other student managers to facilitate Tutor Talk, and attend weekly Operations Team meetings.✨ Principal Duties & Responsibilities
As a Student Manager, duties and responsibilities ebb and flow throughout each quarter and over the course of an academic year. We are committed to making sure your duties and responsibilities are realistic and manageable.
Support and engage tutors in professional development programs, initiatives, and events
- Develop new ways or initiatives to enhance tutors’ work (e.g. Tutoring Tip of the Week, resource-sharing, ongoing observations, etc.)
- Support tutors who are reported to be struggling with elements of tutoring by offering one-to-one or small group resources, such as collaborative observations, tutoring practices and reflections, and check-ins
- Seek tutor feedback at key points throughout the year through surveys or other means toward the goal of ongoing program improvement
- Develop and implement a mentor application and selection process
- Coordinate mentor-mentee pairs for the academic year, including initial pairings and any adjustments needed due to staffing changes
- Work with the Operations Student Managers (OSM) to ensure overlapping time is scheduled for mentor-mentee pairs each quarter
- Plan and host mentoring social events to build community within the Mentoring Program, such as the AQ Social and SQ Letter Writing Event
- Solicit applications and hire writing group facilitators when needed
- Conduct semi-regular check-ins with writing group facilitators, e.g. pre-quarter planning, mid-quarter check-ins, and end-of-quarter reflections
Develop and manage content and materials for professional development programs and events
- Manage professional development content in the Writing Center Handbook through Notion, including the Writing Center page for current-year professional development, onboarding materials, and Mentoring Program content
- Ensure materials are accessible to relevant audiences
- Collaborate to create, revise, and launch onboarding materials for new staff in Autumn Quarter, including the onboarding checklist, the Collaborative Observations process, etc.
- Support the Associate Director in developing agendas and materials for all-staff events like All-Staff Orientation and Winter Retreat
- Prepare quarterly Tutor Talk agendas and materials
- Collaborate with other student managers to prepare facilitators
- Review and update mentoring-related materials including but not limited to mentoring check-in agendas and mentor community group agendas
- Revise or develop materials for Autumn Quarter Mentor Training and any other mentoring trainings or meetings
- Review writing group facilitator training materials and develop additional resources for writing groups as needed
- Develop processes and systems for organizing and managing professional development content and resources
Facilitate professional development events
- Host portions of All-Staff Orientation and Winter Retreat (e.g. Conversation Cafe) as requested
- Facilitate Tutor Talk quarterly
- Lead Autumn Quarter Mentor Training, host mentoring socials, and facilitate any additional mentoring professional development sessions throughout the year
- Lead writing group training with new facilitators when needed
Create and disperse professional development communications
- Draft, revise, and publish communications (e.g. newsletter, Slack posts, etc.) to keep staff up-to-date about Professional Development, including Tutor Talk, quarterly PD Check-in process (timelines for quarterly SMART goal setting, ePortfolio development, and PD Check-ins), Mentoring Program updates, tutoring tips, etc.
- Manage Slack channels—creation, content, membership, and engagement—relevant to professional development initiatives and events
- Gather relevant resources and manage follow up with any tutors who are absent from required professional development events
Manage scheduling and keep records of schedules for all professional development programs and events
- Schedule tutors for professional development events
- Input placeholders in WCOnline
- Maintain attendance/completion records for each tutor
- Manage any schedule changes impacting participation
- Complete all scheduling—placeholders in WCOnline and record-keeping elsewhere—for the mentoring program, including mentoring check-ins, Mentor Community Groups, mentor trainings, mentoring placeholders, and any other mentoring scheduling needs
- Create a quarterly Writing Groups schedule in WCOnline for facilitators to track writers’ attendance
- Schedule regular preparation time for writing group facilitators to collaborate and prepare for their writing group
Assist in planning and executing events
- Coordinate logistical planning and organization of events and writing groups
- Support Liz Awards planning and event management
- Design flyers, graphics, and invitations as needed to promote events and writing groups
- Set up lu.mas, Zoom links, and any other software aspects of events
- Ensure all aspects of event planning are completed for each event, including room reservations, catering, flyers/registration, invitations, promotion, supplies, scheduling logistics, etc.
- Work with Outreach Coordinator Jen Finstrom and/or Outreach Marketing & Social Media Student Leader or corresponding party to design and post marketing materials to promote events open to the DePaul community, including writing groups
- Collaborate with event hosts and writing group facilitators to promote external events across DePaul, including the flyer approval and posting process through the DePaul Office of Student Involvement
- Assist with planning, logistics, and scheduling for other Writing Center events when they arise
Meet regularly with the Professional Development leadership team, the Writing Center Operations Team, as well as one-on-one with the Associate Director as needed
Perform other duties as assigned
🏆 Position Requirements & Qualifications
- Must be a current undergraduate or graduate student who will also be a student for the duration of the 2023-2024 Academic Year
- Commit to serving as a Student Manager for a full academic year, including 20 hours/week all 10 weeks of Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters, with the potential to work December Intersession
- Have a regular presence in the office to be a source of support to tutors and daily operations
- Demonstrated high-quality tutoring practices
- Demonstrated skills in collaboration, facilitation, and communication
- Ability to be self-driven, follow through, and work independently
- Have a passion for connecting with others
🧑🏫 Principal Learning Objectives
- Develop an action-oriented vision to impact the direction of professional development at the Writing Center
- Exercise creative problem-solving and attention to detail in managing event planning and scheduling logistics
- Further develop leadership skills in collaboration, facilitation, and communication
- Exercise skills in organization and time management
🧑⚖️ Direct Supervisor
Associate Director, Erin Herrmann