On the Ground: Professional Writing Lounge is a Multifunctional Meeting Place

At first glance, York College of Pennsylvania may look like a typical campus in a typical college town—but look a little closer, and you’ll discover a community full of hidden (and not-so-hidden) gems. In our On the Ground series, we explore some of YCP’s most meaningful places and spaces, both on campus and in nearby York, with help from our own Spartan students.

For York College student Lee Krauss, the Professional Writing Lounge serves many purposes.

Lee, a junior and dual Professional Writing and Literary and Textual studies major, spends much of their time in the Humanities Center. “All of my classes pretty much have been in the Humanities building just because of my major,” they say, “and even electives that I've taken—most have been in that building. I also work in the Writing Center, so I'm in the building a lot.”

Lee, a Carroll County, MD native, found out about the Professional Writing Lounge during their first year at the College. 

“So, my first year I was still just a Literary and Textual Studies major,” they say. “It was before COVID and I had made friends with a lot of seniors, so I would just go in there and hang out with them. It kind of became this place where a bunch of students with the same majors could hang out. It's a really nice place to get away." 

The Professional Writing Lounge is located on the bottom floor of Humanities in HUM 8, making it an easy choice for where Lee spends their time. Since Lee is a writing tutor, they love the convenience of the Lounge’s location.

“It's right next to the Writing Center,” they say. “So, if I don't want to be in there before work, I can hang out in the Writing Lounge and it's a bit quieter.”

Lee says the room is essentially whatever a student needs it to be, from a study space to a fun area where they and their friends can spend time together.

“I can meet up with another student for a project—I've done that before,” they say. “I know for my Doc Design class, I spent a lot of time in there, using the computers and doing homework for that class because I needed to do Photoshop and all of that. Or just sit there in between classes to either do homework or just sit and relax and talk to other people.”

Dr. Dominic DelliCarpini, Naylor Endowed Professor of Writing Studies and Dean of the Center for Community Engagement, who was involved with the Lounge’s creation, explained that the Lounge was created to help give Professional Writing majors a space to express shared values. “We wanted our majors to have a sense of identity…a sense of shared mission,” he says.

Dr. DelliCarpini also stresses how the room is a “collaborative” space.

“Writing is a conversation, and so having a space where writers gather to talk presents that idea…that writing is a shared endeavor,” he explains.

All in all, Lee has enjoyed their experience at the Professional Writing Lounge.

“It's just a place that's away from the business of the rest of the Humanities building, but I can also talk to people if there are other people in there.”