Marna Broekhoff is a new director at a university in southern Chile. In her words, it’s been a “slow struggle” to get the center up and running. We asked her if she’d be willing to share some of her success and challenges—and to give the rest of the writing center community the chance to offer her encouragement and advice in the comments below!

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Plusses:

  • Professors feel great pressure to publish, especially in English (so they want/need WC services)
  • English Pedagogy students are eager to improve their writing skills and writing teaching skills
  • I love consulting about writing without the overlayer of a grade! I am consulting with both professors and students–maybe 25 so far.
  • Space (always a premium) was provided on my arrival at the back of the library
  • An instructor from this university, who recently completed his Ph.D. in Spanish literature the US and worked 4 years at a Spanish WC there has just been hired to take my place when I leave in late November. This is huge!
  • I have finally been given permission to present workshops (TOEFL, writing for publication, etc.). I have now given two. Attendance has been quite good so far.
  • We came through the earthquake just fine, though we were shaken out of our bed (we were in Santiago that week).
  • I have networked very positively with WC people in Santiago (2), and people in Bogota, where I am giving a presentation by Skype for their conference in October.

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Challenges:

  • I have been amazingly isolated during the first half of my 4-month tenure. There seems to be very little inter-departmental communication at this university.
  • I have sent numerous emails regarding planning, website, workshops, etc., but most have not been answered.
  • I have been under strict instructions to do nothing unless told to do so by my supervisor, but trying to schedule meetings to discuss plans has been difficult-to-impossible
  • My Spanish is poor, a real drawback, as very few people speak English here. All emails and meetings (the few I have attended) are in Spanish
  • The university wants me to help professors publish; another stakeholder wants me to encourage students to study in the US. (These are different goals, but not really conflicting ones.)
  • I finally got permission to contact 80 “researchers” on my own–this has brought in a number of people for WC help, after I sent out a mass email. I also have been introducing myself to anyone who looks “professorial” in the cafeteria, hallways, etc. I haven’t quite been hanging out by the men’s restroom, but close!
  • Most people’s best English skills are in reading; worst are in writing.
  • It’s quite cold and windy here! But there are trade-offs with the beautiful landscape, etc.

Marna Broekhoff graduated from Stanford and the University of Michigan, with a Ph.D. in English Language and Literature. She spent most of her career at the University of Oregon, first in the English Department and then in the American English Institute. She has welcomed overseas opportunities and has now taught on every continent except Antarctica. She is now 500 miles north of that continent and does not expect to get any closer.

Have some encouragement/advice for Marna? Please comment below!