A group of Professional Writing (PW) majors have come together to form a club, which will be designed to provide extracurricular experience related to the subject. The club will be open to anyone who wishes to join. Faculty advisor Dr. Jeffrey Bacha will be available to assist the students, but this will be a student-run club, driven by student interest.
PW is a concentration within the English department that is focused less on writing about literature and art and more on writing for the general business world. All industries need skilled writers to create internal documents as well as material to be released to the public. This is when professional writers are brought in.
The club’s first order of business will be to get official recognition from the university, joining the list of over 150 different student organizations with a wide range of focuses. Official status boosts an organization’s credibility, which is essential for booking guest speakers, hold functions using UAB facilities, and so on. Steps in this process include electing officers, forming committees, and drafting a constitution, just to name a few. The club will aim to serve its members in a number of important areas related to life after graduation. Students will learn about writing good résumés, which is an important skill for absolutely anyone. Students will also gain experience with industry standard software, such as Photoshop and InDesign. Being able to present documents attractively can be as important as writing the articles themselves.
Standing out from the crowd is important when trying to get a good job, and helping students stand out as much as possible will be one the club’s primary goals. Another way the club will benefit its members will be inviting guest speakers and industry experts to come and address the club. Learning from a current member of the professional workforce provides invaluable insight into the professional world after graduation. This is yet another way that the club will be of use to its members: providing experience that goes beyond what can be learned from classroom instruction alone.
The members of the PW Club hope the organization will not only help people enhance their résumés and improve their prospects, but that it will also provide them with a more precise understanding of what professional writing is. And, perhaps more importantly, students will see why effective communication can be such a valuable tool to any aspiring professional. So please, try to come and see what the club may have to offer you. No matter how qualified you are, it can only be to your benefit to increase your desirability as a potential employee by learning effective communication skills. To get involved, or find out more about the club, contact Dr. Bacha at jbacha@uab.edu
