Student Assistant in Translation/Interpretation WORK STUDY Opportunity

CALL FOR STUDENT ASSISTANT In Translation/Interpretation - Translator in Residence - Open to all current undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. 

The Chicana/o & Latina/o Studies program at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is looking for two motivated students to serve as student assistants in translation and interpretation, or Translators in Residence, directed by Dr. Juan García Oyervides. 

About this position

The SA in Translation/Interpretation, also known as Translator in Residence, is to assist in the development of an educational platform on translation and interpretation serving the local multicultural communities in northeastern Wisconsin. The main responsibilities of the Student Assistant/Translators are as follow:

1. To assist in the research and development of best practices for community translation and interpretation 
2. To support outreach initiatives with community partners
3. To assist in the development of an open access educational platform on translation and interpretation 
4. To develop and individual portfolio in translation and/or interpretation 
5. To assist in the delivery of trainings to educate the community on best practices for translation and interpretation 

The Translators in Residence project is a novel initiative resulting from the collaboration of the Chicana/o & Latina/o Studies program, the Hmong Studies program, and the Indigenous Studies program to increase professionalization opportunities for students and the community alike. As the first step for the development of this program, students will have the opportunity to contribute to a growing educational platform at UWO.

Work will begin immediately after hiring and will extend until the last week of classes for the semester (approximately 8 weeks). The position is paid at $15.00 per hour for 5 hours per week. Knowledge of Spanish, Hmong, or a second language spoken in the Northeastern region of Wisconsin other than English is necessary to be considered. Work-study eligible applicants will be strongly considered for this position. 

Translator in Residence / Student Assistant Profile

You should apply if you are:

1. Personally/professionally motivated to learn more about interpersonal and cultural communication issues arising within the context of interpretation and translation. It should be clear to you why these issues are important. We will work together on ways to communicate this importance to a wider audience.
2. Self-motivated and proficient in time management. Although there will be constant guidance throughout the process, Translators/SAs are expected to identify and express their own interests and keep track of their own contributions to the program.
3. Inquisitive & critical thinker. You should feel comfortable asking questions, even when those questions lead to difficult or unclear answers. 
4. Responsible for your work and with yourself. While some of the work we’ll be doing may require some intense periods of reading/thinking/discussion, Translators/SAs should be able to find a pace that works for them, their life situations and professional goals without sacrificing their own health. 

This project is funded by The Student Titan Employment Program at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. 

Why should I apply? 

You should apply if you are interested in:

1. Developing your professional skills in public speaking and interpersonal communication.
2. Establishing a professional record in program development.
3. Expanding your professional experience as an interpreter/translator.
4. Receiving dedicated mentorship on career advancement.

Additionally, this year’s Translators in Residence will have the opportunity to develop the following essential learning outcomes as part of their experience in the program:

1. Strengthen their intercultural knowledge and competence by identifying and developing opportunities to connect peoples with different backgrounds through active collaboration with community partners serving the diverse ethnic communities in the region.
2. Develop their teamwork, leadership, and problem solving skills as they participate actively with other members of their team to enact a collaborative action plan based on real problems facing a multilingual contemporary community
3. Enhance their Written & Oral Communication by engaging with professionals, community members, and organizations as co-organizers of a public-facing platform aimed at expanding and strengthening existing interpretation services in the region.

The big picture: 

According to the American Councils for International Education “one in three jobs are tied to international trade. Yet in a survey of American executives, 80 percent said they lost business because too few employees could work across cultures”, adding that “American businesses lose over $2 billion each year because of language or cultural misunderstandings.”

Start the application process by sending an email expressing interest to garciaoyervides@uwosh.edu