Mississippi College Writing Center Reopens for Summer Help Sessions

Lingshan Song, assistant director of the MC Writing Center

The Mississippi Writing Center reopens June 1 with tutors providing online assistance to students for two summer months.

Writing Center assistant director Lingshan Song announced the new hours – Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The final day of the center’s summer program will be July 30.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Writing Center tutors switched to provide online academic help sessions the final two months of the Spring semester.

MC senior Casey Kellogg says tutors and students they assisted learned valuable lessons during the online format.

“You realize that whether you are separated by five inches or 100 on a computer screen, you’re both dealing with many of the same things,” says Kellogg, the lead tutor. Learning to adapt was part of the playbook.

A Nesbit, Mississippi resident and English Writing major, Kellogg will again play a major role during the program’s summer operations.

Casey will help with promotional videos, social media and other tasks to get the word out. The MC Writing Center is based at the Leland Speed Library.

Song noted that online instruction changes the dynamics as tutors assist students with Mississippi College writing assignments. Sometimes, there are short delays in the audio. It’s harder to read body language as well during tutoring sessions.

“Tutors are good at troubleshooting technical issues and are flexible with options for students,” Song said.

There are online chat sessions and other ways with new technology to facilitate instruction.

Writing Center director Steve Price says the program is fortunate to utilize top-notch tutors working well with their classmates. “The tutors are positive and supportive.”

Experienced tutors like Sophie Abuzeid of San Antonio, Texas will be part of the team assisting with social media and promotional videos.

As many as ten student tutors are expected to pitch in at the university’s Writing Center.

For additional details, contact Lingshan Song at Song00@mc.edu  or Steve Price at sprice@mc.edu