Academic Support Services Coordinator
Marian E. Wright Writing Center
Vicky Dawson began her journey at UM-Flint in 1999, when she decided to return to school as a young mother of two small children. She attended Northwestern Community College in Traverse City after high school, but as a first-generation college student, she struggled and wasn’t successful the first time.
After getting married and having two children, she decided it was time to try again.
“My children were my driving force to come back to school. I wanted them to see that with dedication and hard work, mistakes and challenges could be overcome; I felt it was critical to model that for them. For me and many other non-traditional students, returning to school can be a terrifying, overwhelming, and isolating experience. I started as a biology major here at UM-Flint to become a physical therapist. I excelled in my STEM classes but secretly dreamed of being a writer. However, I didn’t think I could do it professionally. So, I played it safe and thought I should get a ‘real’ job that would support my writing habit. I was always toying with the idea of being a creative writer.”
After doing well in her college rhetoric course during her first year, Vicky didn’t quite believe it. “I got up the courage to take the advanced composition class, but I was sure that as soon as the professor saw my work, they would oust me! I had experienced some rather painful criticism of my writing in high school, so I was very nervous,” she recalled. “During our first peer review session, I realized, ‘Wait a minute, I’m not the worst. I’m not the best, either, but maybe I can do this.’
During his office hours, Vicky visited her professor, Jacob Blumner, to get confirmation that she was on the right track.
“Even though I was doing great in my STEM courses, I still had this dream that wouldn’t go away. I blurted out, ‘I want to be a writer!” and he just said, ‘well, then be one.’ But I told him I was afraid because I wasn’t confident with grammar. He told me, ‘Grammar is a skill, not a talent. I think you’ll figure it out.’ That was a big a-ha moment for me. It was the first time someone opened the door and told me it was possible. I didn’t care how hard I had to work; I’d do it. I left his office and changed my major from biology to English. Fast-forward to today, it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
With her change in major, Vicky also got a job as a tutor in the Marian E. Wright Writing Center. The center’s director at that time, Bob Barnett, encouraged her to apply, and she blossomed under his mentorship and that of the coordinator, Scott Russel.
“Becoming a tutor was transformational for my self-confidence and growth as a writer and professional. I shared my writing journey with students and loved passing along the tips and tricks I learned,” she said. “Not only that, but Bob and Scott empowered us to be strong critical thinkers. Bob encouraged us to find creative ways to connect with students to help them find their confidence to succeed. I learned to meet students where they are, precisely what Bob, Scott, and the other incredible English department faculty did for me. Bob took us to conferences and invited us to take on leadership roles in the Writing Center. We gained incredible skills, and it meant the world to us that he believed in us and valued our ideas.”
It was at one of those conferences that Vicky had a funny experience.
“One of my friends, who was also a tutor, and I went to the International Writing Center Conference. We created a presentation titled ‘Tutor Anarchy: Redistributing the Role of Authority in the Writing Center.’ It was meant to highlight how Bob and Scott truly valued our input and encouraged us to take on key leadership roles that allowed us to do incredible work,” she recalled. “Their leadership style made tutors feel like our contributions mattered to them. However, the presentation by two directors of another center was much more geared towards top-down leadership and didn’t encourage as much tutor input. After finishing our presentation, they were impressed and tossed their notes. ‘You just blew up our entire presentation — let’s talk! If we can have our tutors do some of the things you’re doing, it would make our work easier, not to mention tutors could gain additional leadership and professional skills.’”
After graduating, Vicky worked for UM-Flint as a project coordinator for the former Women’s Educational Center (WEC) for three years. Her work there was heavily focused on helping non-traditional students apply to and adjust to being students, something she was all too familiar with.
“So many students struggle with feeling isolated and overwhelmed. I loved my work at the WEC because, just like my work in the Writing Center, it was about helping students believe in themselves,” she said.
However, things changed when her automotive engineer husband had a job offer in Japan in 2008. They planned to move there, so Vicky quit her position at UM-Flint, but the global economy had other plans.
Stop worrying about what everyone else thinks! It’s the biggest roadblock.
Vicky’s Insights
And don’t try to do everything yourself — gather your support team because it’s easier to go on this journey with others than to do it alone.
Find your people!
Vicky Loves
- Nature. “I love hiking, camping, and kayaking. I’m lucky to live in an area with so many landscapes to explore!”
- Crafting. “I make crystal trees, mostly as gifts. My husband bought one in Las Vegas, and I loved it, but it took me a couple of years to figure out how to make them. Now I have a forest of crystal trees in my home!”
- Travel. “I love being out in the wilderness, and two of my favorite places to travel are the U.P. and Sedona, Arizona. Yes, vastly different natural environments! I’m a water baby, so I love being around the water in the U.P., but I love the peace and serenity of those red rocks in Arizona; it is amazing!”
Flint Faves
“This is my favorite place in Flint! Ken Van Wagoner has been the owner since I started as an undergrad at UM-Flint. He’s a community pillar and heavily supports the creative arts. Plus, I’ve never had better coffee anywhere! I’ve attended open mics, study groups, writer’s groups, and workshops at Good Beans. It’s an integral part of my experience at UM-Flint.”
Flint in Three Words
Warm
Inviting
Community
“Like any family, it’s got its challenges, but at the heart, everyone is trying to do their best with what they’ve got.”
“Once the economy tanked, that job disappeared, and so we didn’t end up moving. I decided to return to school and get my master’s in English from UM-Flint,” she explained. “I worked in the writing center again, and after I earned my master’s, I worked for the School of Education and Human Services as a writing instructor and coordinator for the writing program. While I loved being an instructor, my heart was always with the Writing Center. As an instructor, students often tried to pressure me to just tell them what I wanted to hear rather than exploring their potential as writers. As a long-time tutor trained to focus on what the students are thinking and what they want to learn, I had a hard time with that. I wish more students could enjoy the learning process for the sake of learning. I think all faculty members wish that. But, when Scott Russell retired as the coordinator of the Writing Center, I applied for the position and was lucky enough to get it. I could go back and help students learn to ‘play’ with writing again, without the burden of grades getting in the way. I’ve been the coordinator now for 8 years.”
Vicky’s favorite part of her job is working with the student tutors. “Being in the writing center is empowering for both our tutors and the students we work with. From my perspective, I came from a rural area without many resources, so I initially felt alone when I came to UM-Flint. However, the writing center became my family — and that’s the environment we still foster here, a safe space, a way in for students, a place where they can build confidence and flourish,” she noted.
“Something I wish more students would do is apply for scholarships. I learned everything I know about scholarship essays from Bob Barnett,” she shared. “I fell in love with that genre of writing because it’s a window into who you’ve been, who you are now, and who you’re becoming. It helps writers see their own academic and personal journey. It requires deep, reflective work that helps students better prepare for the tough questions when they look for jobs. To me, the self-exploration in that essay is even more valuable than the money from the scholarship. Anytime I tutor a student in a personal statement, it’s like going on a hero’s journey with them. I get to see the pain, the struggles, the achievements, the growth, and the spark of awareness that they are becoming who they hoped to be.”
