Megan Lankford

           The National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing provides an opportunity for professionals to come together and present on a variety of topics across the Writing Center world. My panel, consisting of two coworkers and myself, addressed the challenges and rewards of tutoring student-athletes. We discussed tutor, student, and community relationships and their specific challenges in regards to athletes.
            My portion of the presentation addressed how we, as tutors, view our role in assisting athletes. This presentation was especially important to me because of my experience tutoring athletes over the past three years. I used this conference as an opportunity to emphasize professionalism and empathy in the workplace. My goal was to encourage other tutors to think critically about how they view athletes in their role as students.
            This conference challenged me because I was speaking about a sensitive subject matter that required attention to detail and clarity. It was important that I not disclose names or details regarding my students because of NCAA laws. I also had the trust of the athletic department to clearly convey our actions and ensure tat we are NCAA compliant in all that we do. This challenge forced me to consider the needs of a multitude of departments within my discussion.
            The NCPTW presentation provided me with a unique opportunity to collaborate with my coworkers. I worked to empower my coworkers through support and writing assistance. I also sought to provide the attendees with a unique perspective and challenge critical thinking.