ASC Graduate: Alexa Kostopoulos

The Academic Success Center (ASC) regularly hires tutors and academic peer mentors as well as writing consultants for its undergraduate and graduate writing centers. Both positions are on-campus, paid opportunities for students who enjoy helping their peers be academically successful.

To give a better idea of what it’s like being a student worker in the ASC, we spoke with some alumni who worked there during their time at NC State. Alexa Kostopoulos, psychology ‘23, worked as a writing consultant for the Undergraduate Writing Center (UWC) during her junior and senior years. In that role, she worked with students in either one-on-one or group sessions on developing their written and oral communication skills, teaching them how to complete specific types of writing assignments, and showing them how to use different citation styles. She observed other consultants in their sessions and received peer feedback about her own sessions, so she could continue to refine my skills throughout her employment.

During her time with the UWC, she participated in a variety of professional development opportunities offered to ASC employees, as well as team-building activities with other staff. She also took part in the process of interviewing new applicants to the Writing Center.

Here is what she had to say:

What did you enjoy most and what did you gain from your experience with the ASC?

One of my favorite things about being a writing consultant was seeing the huge variety of writing assignments across different majors! I learned so much about topics I had not been exposed to before, which made me feel even more connected to my peers at NC State.

I really enjoyed helping students who struggled with writing in their academic careers. Teaching them how to structure assignments and edit their own work really made a difference in their confidence. I loved watching students develop skills that will serve them well throughout their time at NC State and beyond!

Gaining so much experience with certain assignments also made my work in my own classes stronger. For example, I needed to write plenty of research papers in my major, and working on so many of them in consulting sessions made my own writing go much smoother.

What are you doing now, and what transferable skills from your job with the ASC have helped you in your current work?

I’m currently a behavioral tech who works in a clinical setting with children with autism. I work directly with kids to help them build life skills and encourage functional communication, and I feel that my experience at the ASC has prepared me very well for this role. As a writing consultant, I loved helping students develop ways to make their own writing process easier and more effective, and those teaching skills are very useful at my current job. Working with individuals to find solutions that work for them is a major goal of my position. The time management, rapport building, and organizational skills I developed at the UWC are put to use daily, as well as my experience writing reports about each of my sessions.

What other perks or advantages did you enjoy from your work at the ASC?

A major perk of working at the ASC was the level of support I had from my supervisor, Wendy VanDellon. She went above and beyond when it came to encouraging professional development of the staff. I was able to attend many presentations, book clubs, and other opportunities available to me as a student employee. Many of these opportunities helped me with my job search after graduation, including lessons on writing resumes, cover letters and other professional correspondence. I felt as though I was really valued as an employee at the ASC, and that my growth was a priority to my employer. Hours were also very flexible, which made it so easy for me to fit shifts into my class schedule and balance my job with my coursework.

What advice would you give students who are considering applying to work for the ASC?

I would advise anyone with an interest in helping other students to apply — no matter what major you come from, you have unique skills that can benefit other students! Working at the ASC is such a special opportunity-there is such a focus on the wellbeing of the employees. Being part of the Undergraduate Writing Center team really enhanced my time as a student at NC State, and provided me with skills that I will continue to use in anything I do in the future.

If you are a current student interested in working as a tutor, peer mentor or writing consultant within the Academic Success Center, please apply here.