James Madison University’s Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication (WRTC) major has provided me with a variety of valuable skills and experiences from publication management, to communication skills, to interview and consulting strategies. The three experiences in particular that have greatly enhanced my value to the workforce are my internship, Writing Consultation, and Writing for Business and Industry.

My internship was with the James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ). While at JMURJ, I worked to manage manuscripts as they went through the publication process. My jobs included screening, editing, fact-checking, designing, emailing reviewers and authors, and writing budget requests. Through this internship, I developed skills such as email communication, document design, fact checking, quality review, teamwork, and more in order to manage our publication. This also taught me great time and task management skills, as most of the work I did occurred outside of our scheduled meetings.

Through the Writing Consultation course, I obtained the skills necessary to successfully collaborate with clients to enhance their final product. This includes consulting through the entire writing process, from brainstorming to editing. In consultation with a client, I am able to guide them in determining the genre, audience and purpose of their piece. This aides in effectively communicating with their target audience and staying within the conventions of their intended publication. When editing, I am able to effectively communicate with the author, asking questions regarding key information, clarity, and other concerns. This gives the author agency over their writing and gives me greater insight as to how I can assist them. Additionally, I am able to tailor my consulting strategies to best fit my client’s unique needs.

My work in the Writing for Business and Industry class was valuable to me as a student and future content editor in that I was able to gain real world experience. Due to being able to work in the office for the week, I was able to get an idea as to how an editing and design team will operate when I dive into the professional world. Additionally, I gained sixteen fliers and three documents to add to my portfolio alongside the publication itself.

Overall, the WRTC major holds great value in its ability to prepare students for the business world through the wide variety of skills it teaches and the opportunities it presents. WRTC has endowed in me an appreciation for teamwork and collaboration, giving me several experiences that involved learning to work with clients, editors, designers, and publishers. It has taught me the value of time and task management both inside and outside of scheduled meetings. It has also taught me how to navigate several design platforms from InDesign to Canva. As a result of my experiences, I can be flexible and attentive to each client or businesses’ specific needs.