A Journey through the World of Professional Writing
Purpose
Welcome to the podcast for ENG 114: Professional Research and Reporting. A professional research and reporting class is meant to introduce students to the types of writing they may be expected to produce in the "real world." But, what does writing in the "real world" look like? The purpose of this podcast is to answer this question by introducing students to professionals for whom writing played a huge part in their careers. The learning isn't just about writing though, as guests also offer valuable advice on college, careers, and life!
Host, Dr. Grant Jolliff
Grant has taught English at Davidson-Davie Community College since 2015. His teaching assignments include ENG 114: Professional Research and Reporting, which he taught for the first-time in 2017. Grant is always looking for ways to add value to his student's experiences in class, and to motivate them to think about what writing looks like in the vast array of professions available to them.
Podcast Episodes
Episode 1: Career Development
Johnnie Mickel is the Interim Director, Career Development at Davidson-Davie Community College. Johnnie offers crucial information on how to use career services to make the most of your college experience and prepare yourself for a fulfilling career. Visit DDCC's Career Development Office to jumpstart your search for an internship, summer job, or career.
Episode 2: Network or Not Work
Emily Belwood is the Director of User Exeprience and Digital Marketing at American Woodmark. Emily's marketing experience also includes time with General Electric, University of Louisville Health, and Jefferson Community and Technical College. Emily talks about internships, crisis communication, and digital marketing.
Episode 3: The Man Behind the News
Dr. Keonte Coleman is an Assistant Professor of Broadcast and Digital Journalism at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communication. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Coleman worked as a television news producer for Hearst Television at WXII-TV in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and WAPT-TV in Jackson, Mississippi. Keonte talks about writing for the general public, how to gauge the success of a story, and the many opportunities available to those interested in writing and communication.
Episode 4: The West Wing
One of June Shih's first job out of college was helping then- First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton write a syndicated column and speeches. From this position, Shih advanced to Special Assistant to the President and Presidential Speechwriter, writing speeches for President Bill Clinton on a range of issues from civil rights and race relations to education and health care policy. Shih has since become a practicing attorney and also worked in the Obama Administration as a Senior Advisor in the U.S. State Department’s Office of Global Women’s Issues. June talks about the writing process in the White House, and delivers some expert advise on writing.
Address Commemorating 40th Anniversary of the Desegregation of Little Rock Central High School
Episode 5: Legal Eagle
John Allen is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Paralegal Technology at Davidson-Davie Community College and also a practicing attorney. Professor Allen has practiced law in Arkansas and North Carolina, and is also admitted to practice in front of the United States Supreme Court.
Episode 6: The Sharkologist
Michelle Jewell's day job is Chief Science Communicator in NC State's Department of Applied Ecology, where she teaches Applied Science Communication. Michelle is also a prolific writer, award-winning photographer, and on-screen expert host for Discovery Channel's Shark Week.
Episode 7: Ghosting
Brian Ellis got his start as a professional writer when he was "volun-told" to write the employee manual for the moving company for which he worked. Brian then started his own professional writing company doing ghost-writing gigs for professionals looking to boost their profiles.
Episode 8: Saving Lives
Dr. Liz Angeli holds a PhD in Rhetoric and Composition from Purdue University and a National Registry Emergency Medical Technician-Basic certification. Dr. Angeli is a current professor of English who specializes in technical and professional communications, and the rhetoric of health and medicine. Her book Rhetorical Work in Emergency Medical Services: Communicating in the Unpredictable Workplace discusses the findings of a 16 month study in which Dr. Angeli embedded as an EMT to study communication and decision making in unpredictable work environments. The Conference on College Composition and Communication awarded to Angeli's book "Best Book in Technical and Scientific Communication." Dr. Angeli also works as a spiritual director.
Episode 9: The Price Stamp of Approval
Dr. Vincent Price is a professional writing consultant at North Carolina Central University, and the owner of Price Stamp of Approval, a writing consultancy service. He holds a PhD in English from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. As a former high school English teacher, a former professor at The University of Central Arkansas, and an editor for the Genetics Society of America, Dr. Price offers writing advice across a wide spectrum of education and professions. Dr. Price encourages a growth mindset, where time management, self reflection, and openness to critique pays off with continuous improvement.
Episode 10: Copy That!
What's the difference between a career and UX writing and copywriting? About 100,000 dollars in yearly salary. Justin Palm honed his writing skills in the tech industry, including Meta. Join us for a conversation about careers in the writing field including copywriting, UX writing, content writing, and technical writing.
Episode 11: The Artful Advocate
Professionally, clearly, precisely, concisely, thoughtfully, and correctly, are Julie Schrager's favorite adverbs for what good writing should be. An attorney and in-house writing coach for international law firm faegerdrinker, Julie Schrager is renowned for her grasp of professional writing. Julie talks about 10 dollar vs. 10 cent words, legal writing, paragraphs and sentence structure, and emails. Julie also expertly explains how and when to use a hyphen, n dash, and m dash. This interview is of interest to anyone looking for solid advice on writing in any profession.
Episode 12: Unleashing Success, Southern-Style
Matt Tackett is the President of the Southern Economic Development, which is, according to its website, "the oldest and largest regional economic development association in North America." The SEDC connects Southern communities with national and global employers. Mr. Tackett discusses grants, marketing, White Papers, and how to stand out in a job market.
Episode 13: よろしくお願いします (Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu)
Keiko Nishimura, researcher, educator, translator, and consultant talks to us about Japanese language, culture, translation, localization, Pokémon, and intercultural communication.
Episode 14: Request for Proposal
Eileen Hammond is a proposal writer for technology integrator SAIC. Ms Hammond is also a former communication instructor at Davidson-Davie Community College. Learn about how interpersonal skills can help our professional writing, writing scoreable proposals, and how we are all symbol users.
Episode 15: Translating in the Tug of War
Dr. Elias-Bursac is a translator specializing in Southern Slavic languages. Dr. Elias Bursac taught Slavic languages at Harvard, worked as a literary translator for acclaimed Slavic writers, and spent 6 and a half years as a translator for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague. Dr Elias Bursac talks about the work of a literary translator, and also discusses the translation process for the Hague - both provide fascinating insight into the consequential work of professional translators.
Episode 16: How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Dr. Donna Spannaus-Martin talks to use about careers in the Medical Lab Sciences, and the types of writing expected in the field.
Episode 17: Behind the Badge
Sgt. Chris Azelton has been with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office for a little over two years. Before that he spent thirty years with the NC State Highway Patrol as a crash reconstructionist. Sgt. Azelton talks about the writing and reporting involved with being a law enforcement officer. His favorite writing as a law enforcement officer? The I Love Me Page. Listen to find out what that is!
Episode 18: Writing Wellness, Down Under
Michelle Guillemard, a world renowned expert in the field of health and medical writing from Australia, creates high quality evidence based and easy to understand health content. Michelle shares lesson learned from16 years in the field of medical writing for hospitals, governments, health professionals, pharmaceutical brands, and insurers.
What do health writers write about? My most memorable projects (Warning: Written content includes human sexuality and child death)
Episode 19: Master of the Manuscript
Christina Satkowski Brummitt parlayed her love for international affairs and passion for education into a writing career. Brummitt talks about writing white papers for different audiences, the challenges of writing in a government bureaucracy, and her favorite writing tools. Brummitt also shares invaluable information on the "architecture" of your writing.
Episode 20: Glocal
Lisa Thornton worked her way up from a small marketing firm to the Head of Marketing, North America, for Egger Group, an Austrian-based company with 21 production sites in Europe and North America. One of its sites is located in Lexington, N.C. Ms. Thronton talks writing for marketing and provides insight into international marketing.
Episode 21: Writing FIRE
Dahna Chandler talks about writing for FIRE - finance, investments, realestate. Though her writing subjects have varied throughout the years, Ms. Chandler focuses specifically on data-backed and well-researched writing for the finance industry. We discuss getting a freelance writing career off the ground, establishing a digital presence through blogs and portfolios, and White Papers. Having been a mother through undergraduate and graduate studies, Ms. Chandler also knows a thing or two about determination and tenacity.
Episode 22: Bizzy in the Triad
Lloyd Whittington is Editor In Chief of the Triad Business Journal, a newspaper reporting on the business happenings in the Triad region of North Carolina. Mr. Whittington talks about journalism, the Triad's economic outlook, and what it takes to land a job in the local market.
Episode 23: New Arrivals
Leilani Roughton is the Executive Director of New Arrivals Institute in Greensboro, N.C. New Arrivals Institute provides education and services to refugees coming to live in North Carolina. Ms. Roughton talks about writing grants and applying for state and federal contracts, processes integral to the functioning of the institute.
Episode 24: Observations and Findings: A Report by an Early Childhood Education Professional
April Edmond from Davidson-Davie Community College shares her knowledge about writing and reporting in the field of early childhood education.
Episode 25: Something Fishy
Mark Graban discusses continuous improvement, Ishikawa/fishbone diagram, and learning from mistakes.
Episode 26: Medicolegal Death Investigator
Ripley Amsel talks about medicolegal death investigation.
THE ENG 114 PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH AND REPORTING PODCAST