ASC Graduate: Emma Trudan

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.

Emma Trudan, Psychology and Foreign Languages & Literatures ‘22, started working as an undergraduate writing consultant for the program during her freshman year.

In that role, she met with students to address their goals for their papers, guide them through the writing process, and collaborate with them to develop oral and written communication skills. Later on as a peer supervisor, she helped her fellow writing consultants to develop their tutoring skills by observing their sessions and providing constructive feedback.

Here is what she had to say:

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

My favorite part of working at the ASC was getting to know my peers! I developed close bonds with the students and staff who I worked with, and I enjoyed getting to know students from all kinds of disciplines during my sessions.

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 second-year master’s student studying speech-language pathology at North Carolina Central University. With a more clinical degree, I was surprised by how much of the skills I developed while working at the ASC were transferable to this field.

The way that I learned to ask questions during my sessions, listen to students’ concerns and collaborate with them towards their writing goals is very similar to the way that I now work with patients to meet their goals and progress in their recovery. I also kept detailed written records of each of my sessions at the ASC, which was great preparation for all of the documentation I maintain for treatment sessions. And of course, working at the ASC helped me realize how much I love working with and helping people!

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

A huge advantage of working at the ASC for me was being able to build my own schedule so that I could work around my classes and other extra-curricular activities. The flexibility was a huge bonus. It was also really convenient to work on-campus since I already lived nearby and I could go straight to class or home afterwards. The staff are really supportive and understanding of your busy student schedule and will work with you to make sure you’re never feeling overwhelmed.

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

For students who are considering applying to work for the ASC, my advice would be to go for it! Even if you’re curious and just want to know more about the ASC, see if you can get in touch with some of the students who work there. Working for the ASC was a huge part of my college experience, and I came to view it not just as a job but as a community.

You’ll have the opportunity to gain valuable skills that are transferable to almost any profession, and you’ll learn so much about yourself through your interactions with your peers. Working with students from so many different disciplines and walks of life helped me to broaden my perspective of others’ experiences. I highly recommend taking a chance and submitting an application to the ASC!

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.