The Writing Center—Not just for Writing

There, they’re, or their? Having trouble knowing which spelling is correct? Write it right – stop by the PVCC’s Writing Center to find out which spelling is correct. Someone will have an answer.

The Writing Center is cozy and quiet. There are five round tables with pencils in the center of each, just waiting to be used. The atmosphere is calm. Sunlight shines through the large windows. Room M617 is an optimal learning environment for those willing to take a chance.

PVCC’s Writing Center is a useful resource for students who wish to discuss ideas, strengthen their writing skills, and communicate their ideas clearly to others. The Writing Center is helpful for all stages of the writing process, from writing a first draft to proofreading to discussing an instructor’s comments.

The Writing Center has helped many students, such as  Mehri Kami and Abdolghafoor Ghoochaghi, a married couple from Iran. When they walked into the center, Therese La Fleur, a receptionist at the Writing Center at PVCC, greeted the students with a warm smile. “How can I help you?” she asked.

Kami and Ghoochaghi have been in the United States for approximately 18 months. The couple asks La Fleur if she can help them find tutors for their ESL12.01 class.

“Sure,” said La Fleur. She searched her list of tutors and said, “You’ll be working with Arty.”

La Fleur said the Writing Center is a great tool for ESL students. “Even for me, the English language is confusing. So if you’re learning it for the first time, having a tutor to walk you through it would be helpful.”

La Fleur said that the Writing Center is available to students for most all subjects. “We even get science students here to review lab reports,” she said.

There are a few exceptions. PVCC student Charles Yoder came by to get help. Yoder is in his third semester at Piedmont, planning to transfer to UVA to get a degree in Video Game Design. Yoder is taking Mahmood Moghinzadeh’s Macroeconomics class.

“I love [Moghinzadeh], he’s awesome,” said Yoder, “But sometimes I’m like, what are you talking about?”

La Fleur checked her tutoring list and then referred Yoder to The First Quadrant Math Center. The First Quadrant provides one-on-one assistance in business, math, sciences, and technology. La Fleur also said that there is a great online tutoring option called Smarthinking. Smarthinking is accessible through Blackboard and is available to students – virtually – at all hours.

The Writing Center is a valuable resource for students at PVCC. There is no cost, as the fee is covered in the students’ tuition. Cheerful, happy faces, like La Fleur, are there to help students find the help they need for success.

La Fleur said, “There are people who come in here frequently, but we’re always happy to see new faces.”