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Printer-Friendly ModeAnnual writers’ conference shows student projects, involvement
April 12, 2010 —
When it comes to making a difference, the pen indeed seems to be mightier than the sword.
That was apparent Friday, when the Association of Professional and Technical Writers hosted its annual miniconference.
The conference in Curtiss Hall featured presentations from students and faculty about various projects they were involved with during the year.
One of the presenters, Jodi Radloff, a senior double majoring in professional and technical writing and sociology, covered her experiences with writing a grant proposal in her Writing in Community Organizations class.
In her presentation, Radloff discussed how she used the proposal she wrote in the class to apply for funding for a service project she was developing in her Environmental Sociology course.
With the help of Brian Thomas, assistant professor of sociology, she submitted the proposal to the Michigan Campus Compact and succeeded in getting the grant.
The money was then used to provide a series of nine weekly workshops for underprivileged children in Saginaw’s Houghton-Jones Neighborhood Center.
“The project was an amazing opportunity that allowed me to not only gain proposal writing skills, but also allowed me to follow through and see the results of what we as technical writers can do to work within and help better our communities,” Radloff said.
The conference, she added, was a great way to “celebrate the new Rhetoric and Professional Writing Department.”
The Rhetoric and Professional Writing Department’s formation was announced last month English classes toward its degree now carry the “RPW” designation.
In addition to updates on happenings within SVSU, other presenters discussed internships available to RPW majors.
Radloff, who serves as secretary for the association, said the conference’s presenters really demonstrated the “rich and complex issues that really show the breadth and depth that our major has to offer.”