BY STUDENTS AT THE HACC YORK CAMPUS

This collection grew out of our encounter with Studs Terkel’s Working, stories that remind us that every job, whether quiet or flashy, beloved or endured, holds a story. Inspired by his approach, students in ENGL 101 on the York campus spent part of the Fall 2025 term interviewing people about their work and shaping those conversations into crafted narratives. Our writing lessons focused on concision and precision, on listening for and conveying voice, and on distilling primary sources down to their truest essence. We aimed not simply to record what people do but rather to uncover what their work means to them: the pride, the pressure, the humor, the humanity. What follows is the result of that effort. We hope you enjoy the reading “Working: Stories from Our Class.”

Christine M. Nowik, Ph.D.

Professor of English at HACC 

Assistant Manager by Ryan Bischof

Warehouse Supervisor by Madison Evers

Deckhand by Miranda Germac

Service Industry Worker by Tessa Henise

Floor Installation Worker by Ariana Hoff

Senior Project Manager by Maddie Marks

Bookkeeper by Brangely Pena

Tanning Salon Worker by Ava Seifert

Security Guard by Sejal Shah

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Package Handler by Heidi Waterstradt

Restaurant Employee by Georgianna Welty

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