Graduate Portfolio

In July 2024, I graduated with a master's degree in Technical and Professional Writing from Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri after five years of school in MSU's accelerated master's program. In 2023, I received a Bachelor of Arts in Technical and Professional Writing, a minor in Communication Studies, and two certificates in workplace and advocacy writing.

Research

Research I have conducted and papers I have written during my undergraduate and graduate time in the Missouri State University Technical and Professional Writing Program.

Editing for Equity

In Spring 2024, I took ENG 777: Professional Editing course with Dr. Rhonda Stanton, I wrote an extensive research paper on editing documents for accessibility. In this paper, I cover principles of editing using cognitive design and universal design practices and I advocate for breaking down common accessibility barriers urge technical communicators to make accessibility their most important goal in creating technical documentation and content.

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Cultural Competence in Technical Communication

During the Fall 2023 semester, I completed Dr. Leslie Seawright's ENG 771: Professional Writing course. In this paper, I highlight theories for understanding cultural differences, writing for intercultural audiences, navigating cultural barriers in the workplace, and ways technical communicators can change the narrative of intercultural technical communication.

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Good Soup: The Sustainer of Mankind

During the Fall 2022 semester, I took ENG 684: Food Writing with Professor Tracy Dalton. One of the projects we completed in the course was a research paper and presentation. The topic I chose to research was soup. I focused on the history of soup as a cuisine, and the many different types of soup and the ingredients to make it. At the end of the paper are also several recipes that can be made using the research within the paper.

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Fight for Sight Grant-in-Aid for MSU's Vision Screening Program

During the Fall 2022 semester, I took the course ENG 672: Grant Writing with Dr. Leslie Seawright. During this course, we learned how to find grants and write grant proposals for nonprofits. I worked with a group of three other students, and we created a grant proposal for Missouri State University's Vision Screening Program through the Citizen and Service-Learning Office. For this grant proposal we demonstrated need and eligibility for MSU's Vision Screening Program to apply for the 2023 Grant-in-Aid Fight for Sight award.

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Master's Degree Paper

Editing for Equity: How Technical Communicators Can Contribute to the Professional Workplace Success of Marginalized Workers by Improving Onboarding Documents

During my time in ENG 777: Professional Editing, I began to explore how utilizing accessible practices in document design can benefit disabled audiences. For my degree paper, I dove deeper into the ways in which technical communicators could improve onboarding documents for marginalized workers, specifically individuals with autism and dyslexia.

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Client Projects

Throughout my time at Missouri State University, I completed several client projects for Missouri State University and community organizations.

Ozarks Food Harvest Staff Handbook

During the Spring 2024 semester, I took the course ENG 777: Professional Editing with Dr. Rhonda Stanton. In this course we completed an editing project where we were given a project from a client to edit and redesign. My client was Terry Keller, Ozark Food Harvest's Human Resources manager. Ozark Food Harvest is Springfield, Missouri's local Feeding America food bank. I copyedited and redesigned the Ozarks Food Harvest Staff Manual.

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SOAR Training Manual

In the Fall 2023 semester, I took ENG 775: Designing Technical Documents with Dr. Judy Tarbox. During this course we completed an editing project where we were given a document to edit and redesign by a client. My client was Priscilla Childress, Director of Student Orientation and Family Programs at Missouri State University. Priscilla gave me the 2024 Student Orientation, Advisement, and Registration (SOAR) Training Manual.

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Admissions Staff Manual

During the Spring 2023 semester, I took the course ENG 694: Professional Writing Internship where I interned in the Missouri State University Office of Admissions. During my internship, I was in-charge of updating and recreating all Admissions manuals including hiring and staff manuals.

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Admissions GA Manual

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