News

Writing Center offers services in new location

Glass door with the words "writing center C-203" on it. The room is in the back ground of the photo.
A writing fellow works in new Writing Center room.

The Writing Center now has its own room in the C Building thanks to the newest renovations. Located on the second floor in Room C-203, students can find help with all kinds of writing and communications assignments.

The Writing Center offers services for free. Students can receive help with an in-person appointment, walk-in, or an appointment over Zoom.

If a student is interested in making an appointment, they should visit the MCCC website and click on “Services and Support” where they can make an appointment on their own or call (734) 384-4167 for help with scheduling.

Lori Jo Couch, Associate professor of English, has been the director of the Writing Center since 2017. Couch said she is happy that the Writing Center finally has its own space thanks to the recent renovations. 

“We had been sharing space with other groups up to this point, so this will be the first time that we have a designated space just for us,” Couch said. “I’m very excited about that.”

Couch hopes that with the new room and most classes being in-person again, students will use the center more.

Couch said she is hoping the walk-in services will  start to pick up again.

Nick Parran is in his first year at MCCC. He explained how the new location of the center caught his attention.

“If I’m being honest, I had never heard of the Writing Center before this year,” Parran said.

He said that most of his classes are in the C Building, so he passes by the center every day.

“It looks like a cool space,” he said. “Maybe I’ll check it out when I get my first paper.”

Couch also said that the Writing Center can help with more than just English papers.

“We are available to help with all kinds of communications projects,” Couch said, “any kind of writing, like research you have been assigned in another class.”

The writing fellows can help with speeches and even lab reports. The center can also help students with overall organization of their papers as well.

The hours that the center is open varies throughout the weeks. Anyone can walk into the center when there are writing fellows present. 

“It depends on when the students are available,” Couch said, “It varies every semester because it varies when other students are scheduled in classes.”

The writing fellows are nominated by faculty. Couch evaluates a list of nominees and factors in GPA and the number of credit hours taken. Students interested must take advanced English Comp before becoming a writing fellow. An interview with the Writing Center director is a part of the process.

Averie Beaudry is a senior writing fellow. She said being a part of the center is something she likes to do.

“I became a writing fellow because writing is something that I enjoy doing,” Beaudry said.

She said one of her favorite parts of the job is helping other students and she says it is a learning experience for her too. 

I also love getting to see what my fellow students are writing about, because I may end up learning something new.”

Small, private room inside of the center. Small round table with two chairs.
The Writing Center features three private tutor rooms.

She is also happy that the center has its own room now, and that there are individual rooms for tutoring sessions.

The writing fellow program is a scholarship position. The required advanced English Comp class is paid for, and they also get scholarship money for the bookstore. Once a student is a writing fellow, they get three credit hours per semester paid for. 

Writing fellows tutor three hours a week when they are available. 

If a student is interested in becoming a writing fellow, they should contact professor Lori Jo Couch.