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Using the Writing Center as a Study Space
Welcome to the WC Studio!
Hi all! We're back with another blog post, this time written by our own Writing Center director, Maria Guay. This week, we are highlighting the recent changes the WC has made to create our latest project: the WC Studio! This vision has been in the works for a few years. Let's hear what Maria has to say about the new reality.
If you’ve passed by the WC lately, you’ll notice it looks a bit different than it has in the past—new lights, more seating options, and even a coffee bar. You may even notice more students are using the space as a study spot. That’s because we are transforming our space into the WC Studio, a place for students to come not only to get writing help, but also to study!
The WC Studio vision started a few years ago when Dr. Price and our current faculty director Ms. Lingshan Song discussed opening the Writing Center to all students. Major steps were taken last year with our previous student director, Ethan Hulshizer. Ethan, Ms. Song, and the rest of the executive team envisioned the Writing Center Studio to be more than just "Grammarly IRL." The WC has been blessed with a great space in the library, and our faculty wanted to fully utilize that by opening our home to all students, by writing appointment or not. Last year, Ethan, Ms. Song, Merrin Meyer, and I worked closely to plan and implement these changes to the WC.
One of the immediate changes we made was adding a coffee bar to the WC. This was a highly requested feature among our tutors. Stocked with various coffee and tea options, our coffee bar allows students and faculty to enjoy a warm cup of caffeine while studying—perfect for those late night study sessions. Our coffee bar also includes several snack options, such as granola bars, chips, fruit snacks, and mints, that all visitors are welcome and encouraged to choose from. Another change we made was projecting instrumental music for background noise. The music provides writers and tutors with a calming atmosphere to conduct work in. The projections also make our WC a cozy space!
Over the summer, we made a big change: new and rearranged furniture! Most noticeably are the high-top tables along the window. These tables were the biggest step towards implementing the WC Studio vision. Previously, all of our furniture was conversation-based, allowing tutors and writers to collaborate together in a space suited for dialogue. However, as we move towards also offering a space for individual writers to work, having an area that enabled individual work was necessary. We haven’t gotten rid of the community oriented furniture. In fact, we’ve upgraded it! We rearranged our couches into an L-shape to promote conversation. We’ve also created a book reading nook with our tutor-approved spinny chairs. So make yourself a cup of coffee and pick a spot to work at that suits your needs.
While we’ve already made some big changes, expect to see more changes over the upcoming months. We’ll be displaying artwork on the walls and adding plants to the space. Our "Finders Keepers’ Library" will be revitalized as well, offering students a place to borrow and donate books. The resource center, which holds numerous style guides, writing resources, dictionaries, and WPE prep, will be updated with new materials for students to use.
All old and upcoming changes to our physical space were made in an effort to increase accessibility. In the past, the WC has been a place where students go solely for tutoring. This led to a feeling of distance between students and the WC and ultimately a lack of full utilization of our resources. In order to increase accessibility, we implemented these physical changes in addition to upgrading our outreach materials. The WC isn’t just a space to have your paper edited for grammar mistakes; it’s a place to develop your writing and thinking skills, cultivate ideas, build your confidence in writing, and to be welcomed by a group of student tutors just like you who are ready to serve you!
Thank you so much, Maria! These new changes have already provided a relaxing space for all students to come and workshop their pieces with easy access to our tutors.
We hope to see all of you enjoying these updates soon!
See you later,
Mary and Emma
The Writing Center is located on the first floor of the Leland Speed Library across from the Gore Art Gallery.
Schedule your appointment here!
Come and see us during our hours of operation:
Monday-Thursday: 9am - 8pm
Friday: 9am - 3pm