The AWAC Mentoring Committee offers numerous resources for members of the WAC community.
Each academic year, Mentoring Committee hosts four workshops for AWAC members on WAC-related topics. Past workshops have included discussions on ungrading, AI and WAC, and maintaining DEI efforts in WAC programs during times of challenge, as well as an annual panel hosting the winners of the Exemplary WAC Program Awards.
Details for upcoming workshops can be found at https://wacassociation.org/events/.
Keeping up-to-date on scholarship is often challenging for busy academics. Additionally, it can be a lonely endeavor, with few opportunities to dig into and discuss publications with colleagues.
AWAC Reads is a reading group that aims to create a space for collegial conversation about WAC and writing scholarship (while hopefully encouraging all of us to squeeze some of that reading into our schedules!). Both AWAC members and non-members are welcome to participate.
Twice in the Fall semester and twice in the Winter/Spring semester, AWAC’s Mentoring Committee selects an article to read, then organizes and facilitates a Zoom discussion about a selected article.
In addition to being distributed to AWAC members, opportunities to sign up for AWAC Reads are posted to the WAC-L and WritingStudies-L listservs. (See the email lists page on the Clearinghouse to learn about these lists.)
Past article selections:
AWAC Summer Reads is an extension of Mentoring Committee’s AWAC Reads reading group. Each summer, AWAC’s Mentoring Committee selects a book-length work focusing on WAC or writing studies. Participants read the book over the summer, then meet on Zoom early in the Fall semester for a facilitated discussion with Mentoring Committee facilitators about the book.
Both AWAC members and non-members are welcome to participate!
In addition to being distributed to AWAC members, opportunities to sign up for AWAC Summer Reads are posted to the WAC-L and WritingStudies-L listservs.
Past book selections:
Mentoring Committee’s Summer Mentoring Program pairs professionals in one-on-one relationships that not only offer mentoring, but also create opportunities for cross-institutional connections among like-minded peers. This mentoring program is available to all professionals in writing and communication studies.
Participants have their choice of focus areas, which include many different disciplines in addition to a myriad of pursuits such as program development, curriculum design, writing centers, first-year writing, research/publication, career development, incorporating DEI, and more.
Mentors and mentees are asked to give just one hour of their time during the months of June, July and August, for a total of three hours. Mentoring can be conducted on Zoom, via email, or in any other format that makes distance connection possible.
AWAC PODs are self-forming and self-supporting small groups of 4-6 WAC administrators who meet on a regular schedule to discuss program development, problems, successes, project development, assessment, student recognition ceremonies, and other such WAC initiatives.
Pods are self-selected. Members are free to shape their PODs to meet their interests and needs. Members may choose to participate in more than one POD.
Administrators may want to join groups of like institutions or programs, considering institution size, WAC program similarities, international status, or specific initiatives. PODs may be long-term relationships or may serve as short-term support groups to plan, build, and problem-solve specific programs. Participants may choose to remain in a single POD over the course of several years or may choose to move to different PODs depending on specific needs and interests.
PODs may choose to contact the Mentoring Committee to make an occasional request for a visit from an experienced administrator in a specific area or to support Pod formation and facilitation. AWAC is committed to providing professional opportunities for support and exchange. Contact AWACPods@gmail.com for help.
More information about AWAC PODs can be found on the Mentoring Committee page on AWAC’s at https://wacassociation.org/committee/mentoring-committee/.