Writing Workshop Ford Fellow

The Writers Room supports Wesleyan students in all aspects of their writing process. We offer three distinct peer tutoring and mentoring programs to support the diverse range of Wesleyan writers. In all our work, we foster environments of collaboration and encouragement. Undergraduate tutors and mentors are trained to work with students in all academic disciplines on all forms of writing. They engage students in the writing process and help students build skills and confidence that they can bring to current assignments and apply to future writing.

The Office of Academic Writing's Ford Fellowship, awarded to a Wesleyan alumnus/alumna, is a prestigious one-year, post-graduate position.

The Ford Fellow works closely with the Assistant Director of Academic Writing to manage the three programs offered through the Writers Room. This includes administrative tasks such as payroll and communications along with supervisory roles such as performing observations, assessing staff development, and mentoring undergraduate Writers Room staff.

The Ford Fellow has the opportunity to design and help teach the Ford Seminar, the professional development course for all Writers Room staff. The Ford Fellow will also work closely with faculty and staff in the Office of Academic Writing including the Director of Academic Writing, the Assistant Professor of the Practice in TESOL, and the multilingual writing fellow.

The combination of teaching, administration, event planning, public speaking, communications, and management experiences provides Ford Fellows with a comprehensive post-graduate position that will prepare them for a range of professional and academic pursuits.

Key responsibilities include:

• Organizing the Writers Room student-facing programs;

• Serving as the primary contact between the student body, employees and Office of Academic Writing staff/faculty, including answering emails, phone calls, providing information to visitors, etc.;

• Advertising Academic Writing resources through various channels, including flyers, directed emails, social media accounts, and other communications;

• Coordinating the schedules of a staff of 30 undergraduate tutors and mentors;

• Managing payroll;

• Managing the application process for writing tutors and mentors;

• Assisting the Assistant Director of Academic Writing in planning and running new tutor training at the beginning of each semester;

• Creating professional development programs for tutors throughout the semester which may include the Ford Seminar (.5 credit tutor training course);

• Developing new programs and collaborations to expand the resources offered by the Writers Room and to reach more of the Wesleyan student population;

• Scheduling, planning and hosting events for students and tutors throughout the academic year including receptions, staff meetings, writing bootcamps, orientation events, writing workshops, and meet and greets;

• Maintaining the Academic Writing website, email, and social media outlets;

• Collaborating with other Academic Writing fellows and student workers.

The position is for 37.5 hours per week beginning August 17th, 2026 and runs until May 30, 2027. Any work needed before or after this timeframe will be paid per diem by Academic Writing through a separate payment process.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.

• Demonstrated writing proficiency.

• Demonstrated creativity.

• Interest in teaching.

• Exposure to event planning.

• Exceptional interpersonal and organizational skills.

• Effective critical thinking skills.

• Demonstrated ability to take initiative.

• Excellent working knowledge of MS Office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

• Demonstrated commitment to work within a diverse environment and interact collegially with individuals of different backgrounds.

• Ability to work some evening and weekend hours.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous leadership position.

• Previous experience in teaching, or mentoring positions such as, Writing Tutor or Mentor, Teaching Apprentice, or Peer Mentor.

Consideration for this role is limited to a graduating Wesleyan Student or Wesleyan alumnus/alumna.

How to Apply

Our application requests:

• A one-page cover letter explaining your interest in the position and how your academic and professional experiences prepare you for this position. Feel free to address how this fellowship will aid in your future plans;
• A transcript or academic history showing the courses you've taken with grades;
• A resume;
• The names of two faculty, staff, or Wesleyan community members who can speak to your interpersonal, organizational, and/or academic skill sets. Your references may be contacted if you are a finalist, but no letter of recommendation will be requested.
• Applications are due by March 30, 2026 by midnight. We will hold interviews for candidates during the week of April 6th, 2026. We intend to make offers around April 17th and will require offers to be officially accepted within two weeks (by 5/1).

Contact current Ford Fellow Sarah Huang (writingworks@wesleyan.edu) or Assistant Director of Academic Writing Lauren Silber (lsilber@wesleyan.edu) with any questions.

Compensation: $21.54-$24.36/hr

Work Location: On Campus

All offers to external applicants are contingent on the candidate's completion of a pre-employment background check screening to the satisfaction of Wesleyan University.

Wesleyan University, located in Middletown, Connecticut, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, marital status, ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability, political belief, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or non-position-related criminal record. We welcome applications from women and historically underrepresented minority groups. Inquiries regarding Title IX, Section 504 or any other non-discrimination policies should be directed to Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, Title IX and ADA/504 Coordinator.

Wesleyan University complies with the Clery Act and maintains records of campus crime statistics and security policies. Copies of Wesleyan University's Clery Act Report are available on request and online at https://www.wesleyan.edu/publicsafety/clery.html.

Experience is taken into consideration in the determination of salary offers. For more information visit https://www.wesleyan.edu/hr/handbook/compensation-practices/index.html

Wesleyan offers a broad range of employee benefits and development opportunities, including comprehensive group insurance plans, wellness programs and incentives, generous paid time off and retirement plans, flexible work schedules, employee and dependent tuition programs for those who qualify.

Detailed information on the benefits of working at Wesleyan is located at: https://wesleyan.edu/hr/careers/prospective-resources.html.