"Working: Stories from Our Class"

BY STUDENTS ON THE LANCASTER 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 Lancaster 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.

English Faculty

Repairman by Austin Blantz

Nurse by Melanie Bell

Secretary by Antonella Contreras

Untitled by Jalynn Graybill

Hairstylist by Anna Gurova

U.S. Postal Worker by Sara Hernandez

Customer Service Specialist by Jaylah M. Iverson-Lewis

Judge by Jade Martin

Accountant & Human Resources Worker by Jameson Noll

Baker by Joelis Pagan Gracia

Waste Management Worker by Violet Smith

Customer Service Rep by JJ Weaver