Want to Become a Tutor?

Peer Academic Support is staffed by dedicated and engaged students who want to improve the academic environment at Williams. Students interested in becoming tutors need not earn straight As or be experts in their fields. Far more important to us is a shared belief in peer-to-peer support and the ability to engage students academically through friendly conversation. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable learning environment for all students and believe every member of our team enriches that environment by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and connect with students. We hope you’ll consider applying!

• Writing Tutors

  Job Description

  The writing center hires new tutors once per year, a process that begins in March for work that commences the following fall. After extensive training that begins with a 30-40 hour asynchronous course completed over the summer and continues with a one-day, in-person training just before classes start, writing tutors work roughly two 2-hour shifts/week in the Writing Workshop in Sawyer Library’s lobby. During each shift, writing tutors are available to meet individually with students for one-hour sessions to discuss college writing, brainstorm ideas, review drafts, offer feedback and suggestions for revision, and sometimes connect students with other resources on campus.

  Who should apply?

  • Students with strong oral and written communication skills who are personable, reliable, and interested in helping others develop as writers.
  • Rising sophomores are encouraged to apply, as extended training and on-the-job experience allow tutors to become increasingly skilled over time. Once hired and trained, tutors are automatically eligible for rehire until graduation, even if they study away.
  • Applicants do not need to have declared a major by the time of application, and applicants from all disciplines, including math and science, are encouraged to apply.
  • Peer writing tutors must be able to work at least 4 hours per week during the semester.
  • To be eligible, applicants must be on campus in the fall of their first year working in the center. 
    • All new writing tutors must be available to complete summer training (30-40 hours, on your own time) and attend in-person training the Tuesday before fall classes begin. 
    • JAs and other campus leaders may be ineligible due to time conflicts with required fall trainings.

  Applications open before Spring Break. Keep your eyes on Daily Messages and Workday for more!

• Content Tutors

  Job Description

  Content tutors help students understand core concepts and practice their knowledge in specific courses. They have previously succeeded in the courses they cover, learned tricks on how to tackle the material, and are excited to share that information with their peers. Content tutors are not always the best student in a class or absolutely confident they can answer every question about a given topic. Content tutors excel at working through the difficulties at hand with individual students by providing a space for others to practice with someone who has been in the class before.

  Job Responsibilities:

  • Provides discussion-based, patient, and engaging tutoring to peers for specific courses or skills. 
  • Helps students learn how to study for particular material and recognize patterns in problems or 
  • Welcomes peers warmly and creates a tutoring space where others can be confident in asking questions and seeking help. 
  • Provides availability at the start of the semester for our tutoring schedule and proactively communicates when needing to deviate from schedule.
  • Records student attendance at tutoring meetings through our scheduling software.
  • Attends one annual training, held each year on the Tuesday before the fall semester begins. 
  • Reads communications from Peer Academic Support staff and responds in a timely manner when requested.
  • Actively refers other students to academic, social, and emotional resources that are available on campus. 
  • Regularly submits timesheets to be paid appropriately. 
  • Maintains good academic and disciplinary standing.

  Applications open before Spring Break. Keep your eyes on Daily Messages and Workday for more!