VWC Peer Consultants
VWC Staff
Working for the VWC
VWC Peer Consultants
Casey Buonocore is a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology program. Prior to attending AUNE, she earned her B.A. and M.A. in Forensic Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. She loves music (particularly musical theater) and is incredibly passionate about helping others – especially her peers in the Writing Center!
Hey-o, I’m Morgan Chester, and I am a Clinical Psychology PsyD student at Antioch University Seattle. As a recent Texas transplant, I love the contrast of being surrounded by progressive thinkers and actual trees, and I am happy to call Washington my new home. I am an artist, avid gamer, and a full-time nerd. My interests include astronomy, paleontology, cooking, and travelling, but one can often find me at home curled up with my cats, Taliyah and Lulu. I look forward to connecting with writers across Antioch and work as a team to navigate the world of writing.
Hello! I’m Madison Dell, and I’m in the Couple and Family Therapy program at Antioch University Seattle. Before coming to Antioch, I lived in Vermont where I completed my B.S. in Community and International Development at the University of Vermont. Besides working for the VWC, I also teach yoga and lead workshops on breath and meditation. I am passionate about mountain biking and rock climbing and am excited to see what outdoors opportunities Washington has in store! I look forward to not only supporting other writers, but also to learning from my peers and continuously improving my own writing.
Hello, I’m Julie Fortney. I am in the graduate program at Antioch University in Seattle for Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Art Therapy. I moved to Seattle from Virginia where I had lived nearly all of my life. I love to travel; so far I’ve made it to Europe twice and hope to visit Peru or Singapore soon. I like caving. You haven’t done it right if you didn’t get any bruises. I also like tattoos. I currently have 7 and am hoping to get many more. I’m looking forward to advancing my education and having new experiences at Antioch.
Ashley Forwood is a student in the International Sustainable Development and Climate Change program. She is from Mobile, Alabama and has a degree in Environmental Economics and Management from Mississippi State University. She enjoys all forms of exercise ranging from yoga to crossfit, and she loves to travel, garden, and paint in her free time. Ashley is passionate about the future of our environment, and she’s excited to help other students bring their passions to fruition through the Writing Center.
Hello, my name’s Rachel Frank and I’m a clinical PsyD student at Antioch University New England. I earned my BA in Psychology from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts and MSc from Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. I’ve worked as a Research Assistant in many labs, including positions at the UMASS and Dalhousie University, across an array of subjects. I love writing in all forms and understand the anxiety that can get wrapped up in sharing writing with others. I’m just here to say, that’s okay! Thank you for taking that vulnerable first step and I can’t wait to get to know you better through your writing!
Hello, I’m Teresa Hoffman, and I’m currently in a Clinical Psychology PsyD Program at Antioch University New England, but in my first life I was a software engineer. I’ve never really thought of myself as a writer, however I am a voracious reader and I love wrestling with new ideas and trying to make sense of things. I’m fascinated by how we use language to communicate. I am grateful for all the hours other people have donated to the improvement of my own writing and I hope I can pay it forward.
Hi, I’m Nichole Kain, current Environmental Studies PhD student at Antioch University New England. My professional path began with a BSc in Occupational Therapy and MA in Gerontology. As a career changer myself, I understand the nerves that may accompany students into the university experience. I’m thankful that Antioch University offers such a robust Virtual Writing Center, and I’m looking forward to connecting with fellow students through their writing.
Hi, I’m Vero Lecocq, and I’m working toward my M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Drama Therapy at Antioch University Seattle. I grew up in Colorado, which is where I first discovered my love of literature and theater. I attended college in New Hampshire and double-majored in Theater and Linguistics modified with French. After graduation, I taught in the Marshall Islands, then worked as a tutor for some years. My path then led me here to Antioch and the Virtual Writing Center, and I am ecstatic to be supporting my peers on our shared journey with the written word.
Hi, my name is Madeline Schmitt, and I am currently working towards my Master in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with Drama Therapy at Antioch University Seattle. I am originally from South Dakota where I earned my undergraduate degrees in Theatre and Psychology with an Arts in Healthcare certificate. I worked at my previous school’s writing center and thoroughly enjoy reading papers covering any and every subject! I am one of those people who find all topics fascinating, so I love my job at Antioch’s VWC!
I’m Lara Vander Woude, and I’m currently finishing up my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Antioch University Seattle. I completed my BA at AUS as well, with a dual focus in psychology and creative writing. Prior to grad school, my career involved various permutations of work with children, office administration, and grant writing. I love playing with language and ideas, and I’m fascinated by the ways we help each other to think more deeply, both in writing and in relationship. My intention as a writing consultant is to help fellow writers to stretch, to enable movement toward greater clarity and complexity. In my own work I have an affinity for the pairing of creativity and structure found in poetry and psychoanalytic theory, but love learning from the wide range of subjects and styles that come through the VWC.
VWC Staff
Hello and welcome to the Virtual Writing Center! I’m Anne Maxham, and my official title is Director of Writing Support for Antioch University. I came to Antioch University Seattle in 2000 as a faculty member in the School of Education in a program that genuinely reflected AU’s commitment to social justice through offering a rigorous BA + Teacher Preparation program for Seattle area para-educators. Through the past few years, I’ve moved into more administrative work in developing writing support and programs at AUS with the past four years focused on developing virtual writing support across the five campuses. I am proud to be a part of a team deeply committed to support Antioch University writers wherever they are.
Hi, I’m John Dunham, the Coordinator for the VWC. In addition to working in the VWC, I direct the campus Writing Center at Antioch New England. I started writing as the son of an editor, attended Marlboro College and enjoyed the school’s rigorous writing standards, and worked in the AUNE Writing Center during my graduate work. I have studied History, Writing, Linguistics, Asian Studies, Environmental Studies, and Social Justice Advocacy, which gives me a broad knowledge base and appreciation for multiple kinds of writing. I also worked for five years in Wilderness Therapy with at-risk youth in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, where I learned many of my tutoring and coaching skills. I’m delighted to continue helping Antioch students develop their writing, thinking, and learning skills.
Working for the VWC
The VWC hires current Antioch students from any campus who are enrolled in a Master’s or Doctoral degree program and have a work study award for the current academic year. Typical appointments are 10 hours per week for a minimum of one year, renewing on June 30 (the end of the Academic Year), and all work-study positions within the VWC pay at the same rate. The VWC does not close for quarterly or semester breaks except for Winter Break, between the second-to-last week of December and the second week of January.
Job Description: A VWC Peer Writing Consultant’s primary responsibility is to review and respond to student writing submissions. The Writing Consultant must have a strong proficiency in writing and facility with online communication. The consultant should be an effective collaborator and communicator, interested in supporting other AU students’ growth as writers, and interested in joining the conversation about composition/writing center theory and practice. The majority of the work of the VWC is responding to writers’ submissions and contributing to the VWC community.
Peer Writing Consultants are responsible for monitoring the online queue for writing submissions, and responding in a timely fashion. The Consultant begins with the oldest submission and provides feedback according to VWC protocols. Written responses are based on a hierarchy of needs: first, alignment with the assignment; second, higher order concerns such as organization, information development, focus, and integration of source material; third, suggestions for lower order concerns such as sentence structure, word choice, grammar and syntax. In certain circumstance, the Consultant is advised to confer with the VWC Director or Coordinator before responding.
Additionally, the Writing Consultant may confer with other students through synchronous virtual meetings. These meetings are scheduled on request, and each Peer Consultant will provide potential days during their normal shifts that they could also be available for a virtual session. The same protocols apply to these sessions, as well as additional elements for effective in-person response.
The Consultant’s remaining responsibilities involve professional development through reading resources available on the VWC and Consultant Sakai sites. Consultants also engage in monthly conversations with other consultants during staff meetings, and regular one-on-one meetings with the VWC Coordinator. Most consultants are also engaged in other ancillary projects related to resource development and writing for the VWC Newsletter. Consultants are paid for all professional development time in addition to their shifts monitoring the VWC queue.
Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Adhere to established protocols of responding to student writing
- Monitor the VWC queue for writing submissions
- Respond to new writing submissions in a timely and appropriate fashion
- Assist in developing new materials and resources
- Participate in monthly staff meetings and stay current with required readings
- Represent the VWC on campus when needed
- Consistently read and respond to work-related emails
- Contribute to VWC newsletter
- Communicate and schedule work and absences with appropriate lead time
- Make up for any missed meetings through written engagement with meeting minutes.
Consultant Learning Objectives:
- Develop skills for offering authentic written feedback that fosters writers’ growth
- Deepen understanding of writing as an epistemology and cognitive process
- Acquire insight into the expanding frontier of online learning
- Practice reading written work and providing valuable feedback
To inquire about available positions, please e-mail us at vwc@antioch.edu.