Journalists, students and faculty rubbed shoulders last night at the Hume Writing Center (HWC) in a joint celebration of recent changes to the Center and the fifth anniversary of the “How I Write” conversation series.

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Hilton Obenzinger takes part in a “How I Write” conversation last night in the Hume Writing Center, which was renamed over the summer to honor donors. #gallery http://daily.stanford.edu/image/full/8058
Gus Jewell

Hilton Obenzinger takes part in a “How I Write” conversation last night in the Hume Writing Center, which was renamed over the summer to honor donors.

Formerly known as the Stanford Writing Center, the HWC changed its name over the summer in honor of donors George and Leslie Hume. Seven years ago, the couple donated $2 million for the renovation of an old science laboratory into what is now the HWC’s main location. The Center also received computers, printers and other electronic equipment as a result of the donation.

Beyond the renaming, the HWC now has Web-based appointment software for hassle-free scheduling. The Center has also expanded its drop-in schedule, with tutoring locations across campus and extended support to undergraduates in Writing in the Major courses and graduate students writing Master’s theses and Ph.D. dissertations.

Hilton Obenzinger, associate director for honors writing, was the speaker at last night’s event. Among the guests in attendance were Associate Vice Provost and Director of Undergraduate Advising and Research Susie Brubaker-Cole, Associate Provost and Dean of Continuing Studies Charles Junkerman and HWC Director Clyde Moneyhun.

“How I Write” conversations interview faculty members, graduate students, journalists and visiting writers on their personal writing processes. There are two or three such events each quarter.

“We want to discover the wildly idiosyncratic way of people’s writing,” Obenzinger said of the series.

At last night’s event, he discussed the plans and future projects for the “How I Write” conversations, mentioning collaborations with public theater and the Humanities Department. Obenzinger also discussed his plan to publish a book within the next two years entitled “How We Write: Varieties of Writing Experiences at Stanford.”

When asked about his vision of the HWC, Moneyhun said he hopes “to create a culture of writing in the Stanford campus.”