ABSTRACT
A few days ago I received an email from a former graduate teaching assistant (GTA) in our MA-in-English program, now a doctoral student in women’s studies at another university. She told me two things: that she won a university-wide teaching award and that she is now preparing masters and doctoral students to teach. She thanked me for all the energy and expertise I had invested in her education at UNC-Charlotte. In a very busy week for me, that note made, not only my day, but also my semester. I did not delete it; instead, I keep it on hand so when I do seem overwhelmed by the often unending and unjoyful tasks of a writing program administrator (WPA), I can remember what joy it is to work with graduate students—-to see them become professionals, to care about what they do, and even to love it. And, in many cases, to become good at it.
