Department of English

“One of the factors that drew me to the MTPC program at Auburn was the opportunities that a degree in technical and professional communication afforded me. Be it editing, document design, or technical writing, the field is constantly growing and changing. The theoretical and practical foundation provided by the MTPC faculty at Auburn will prepare me for a future in the workforce.”

Omar received his B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Communications Studies from Florida State University in 2005. As a member of LIT, he served as undergraduate advisor to the English Department faculty. After graduating, Omar continued at Florida State University serving as Assistant Learning Specialist for the Athletic Department’s tutoring center where he worked to develop study plans and materials for student-athletes. In 2006, he enrolled at Auburn in the Masters of English program, but after a semester of coursework in literature he transferred into the MTPC program.

"The field of technical communication is rapidly growing, and the MTPC program here at Auburn University provided me a great opportunity to learn the skills necessary to be successful in the ever-changing world of technology. The knowledge gained in the program will serve me well in my future professional life, as I begin to apply the theoretical approaches of technical communication into the real-world workforce."

Lee received his B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Christian studies from Union University in 2006. In college, Lee served as copy editor and a frequent editorialist for the university newspaper Cardinal & Cream and worked in various leadership positions on campus. He also interned with the State of Tennessee, working in public relations and professional communication for the Tennessee Economic Council on Women.

“I have always enjoyed proofreading my friends’ papers for mechanical and grammatical errors.  In fact, it was my fondness of all things grammatical that inspired me to become an English major, and led to an interest in editing.  I chose the MTPC program because I am learning useful skills for my future career, be it in editing, publishing, magazines, or the like.”

Angel graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in May 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in psychology.  After a brief stint as a summer intern at Flower Magazine in Birmingham, Angel moved to Auburn in August 2007 to pursue her master’s degree.  Jumping right back into school hasn’t left much time for practical experience, but she is looking forward to learning more about her chosen field. 

Cristine received a Bachelor of Arts in English at The University of Georgia in 2006. After graduation, Cristine moved on to Auburn to pursue a Masters degree in English. After a semester of work in literature, Cristine decided to move into the MTPC program. She was attracted to the practical and hands-on elements of the TPC program, and hoped that the real-world experience she would gain from the coursework and projects would prepare her for a career in editing or academic publishing.

"I decided on a degree in Technical and Professional Communications because I am excited by how our vocation can help businesses, authors, and individuals to communicate effectively, and thus improve their own work. I never realized how important communication skills are in the working world, but now I look forward to helping people to achieve their professional goals by improving the way they communicate with clients and readers."

“One of the most daunting challenges those of us in the technical writing and editing profession face is that of taking the most complex subject matter and transforming it into good, comprehensible writing. My goal, through completing the Master of Professional and Technical Communication Program, is to continue to find new and creative ways of accomplishing this, and to share this knowledge with students and other communicators.�

Paul received his BA degree from Auburn University where he majored in Journalism/English. He worked in the daily newspaper business for several years before returning to Auburn to serve as publications and news editor for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. During his time with the Extension System, he also returned to school, obtaining a master’s degree in education. Paul currently is an editor with Penton Media, the largest independent business-to-business media company in the United States. He also is an adjunct instructor of English at Southern Union State Community College.

"I entered the MTPC program because I found I was not of the mindset for hard research and the further schooling for a PhD in zoology, and I wanted to be more than a zookeeper. I recalled how my advisor suggested I was better suited to be a 'mouthpiece' for conservation, and I finally recognized that my better strength was in my ability to write and to interpret information."

Michelle attended Auburn University for her first degree, a BS in zoology, with concentration on conservation and biodiversity, and a minor in English,  which she received in 2004. She later attended Auburn University at Montgomery for a BA in English, which she received in 2005. Her interests are science, specifically biology and ecology, reading, creative writing, comics, animation of various styles, art, and martial arts. After she completes the MTPC program, she intends to work for science groups, with a goal to work for animal and ecosystem conservation groups or researchers.

"I enjoy the MTPC program because it teaches me all kinds of hands-on skills such as editing, designing, and writing. In the globalized society, how to provide information more effectively becomes a valuable advantage in every field. The MTPC program not only introduces how important the audience and purpose are in various documents, but it also integrates such theories into real-world applications."

Boyu received her BA in English and MA in Linguistics from Hebei University , P. R. China. While studying in China , she worked part-time as a translator, an interpreter and a college English teacher for three years. After teaching courses like "English Morphology", "Intercultural Communication" and so on, she decided it was important to come to an English-speaking country to know other cultures and better her language skills. With the rapid development of China , she believes hands-on skills plus good English will provide her with a promising future. After graduation, she plans to work in an international company as a technical writer or a professional interpreter.

"I have always wanted to pursue a career that allowed me to use my love of language in everyday practices. The MTPC program at Auburn was recommended by one of my professors, and I love it. The program is tailored to students that want to excel in the professional world, and I think it is good for students that want to see how their education is going to impact their future success."

Emily graduated from Auburn University in May 2004 with a bachelor's degree in English. After working in the Governor's Office and with an investment company in Atlanta, Georgia, she decided to come back to Auburn to pursue a master's degree in Technical and Professional Communication. The time off has given her perspective on what she wants to do in the future, and she will hopefully pursue a career in publishing upon the completion of her degree.

"Auburn 's MTPC program attracted me because it combines my love of words and communication with my love of logic and clarity. I'm gaining experience in a wide range of skills on the program and at the moment I am considering a career either as a technical writer or as a document designer."

A native of Ireland , Emma received her bachelor's degree in analytical chemistry and quality assurance from CIT, Cork in 1998. After working for several years in analytical laboratories she decided she wanted to change track. Emma began working in the book industry in 2002 and has gained experience in that industry in both Ireland and the United States.

Originally from New Jersey , Ashley started college at Villanova and moved to Alabama for to finish her bachelor's here at Auburn . She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in English and a minor in Psychology. For as long as she can remember, she says she's been haunted by misplaced apostrophes, poorly used semicolons, and other grammatical atrocities and was relieved to have found a place that embraced and encouraged that quality. She will graduate in August 2008.

"While working at Colonial Bank, I came to realize that I really enjoyed working on internal technical documents; however, I needed some further education in the field to become a more competent and effective communicator, but how to achieve this goal? The answer presented itself when I first attended an April in Auburn workshop where I gained a great deal of information on the program, meet some of the MTPC faculty and students, and listened to a number of presentations about various aspects of the field. During that workshop, I realized that this program, coupled with my undergraduate degree, would greatly assist me in achieving my goals. It has been one of my best decisions yet."

Joanna Phillips received her Bachelor of Science in Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) from Winthrop University in May 2001. After graduation, she moved from Charleston, South Carolina to Montgomery, Alabama where she worked as a marketing agent for Bell Microproducts. She was then hired by Colonial Bank where she worked as a documentation specialist for four years. Her responsibilities included assisting with revisions of bank policies and procedures, creating or revising internal and external forms, and maintaining intranet content for various departments. During that time, she also volunteered with a local animal shelter where she worked as a shelter volunteer, created a number of the shelter's internal documentation, assisted with various fundraising events, and served on the Board of Directors. Currently, Joanna is working as a graduate teaching assistant and a research assistant.

“I am in the MTPC program to pursue my love of organized and concise writing. I am thankful to have found a program that lets me utilize the technical skills acquired during my undergraduate study, and apply them to an exciting and useful medium. I plan to pursue work in the areas of corporate document and scientific manual writing.�

Kelly graduated in 2006 from Auburn University with a B.S. in Finance, Magna cum Laude. After graduation, she worked as a Trust Specialist for SunTrust Bank in the Private Wealth Management division. She currently serves as a part-time technical writer for iPOV; an E-learning services company in Auburn. After graduation from the MTPC program, she plans to pursue work in the scientific and corporate manual writing industry.

Brandon earned a BA in English at Auburn University in Spring of 2005. While enrolled in the MTPC program, Brandon also serves as a Blackboard Specialist at the Instructional Multimedia Group where he teaches seminars, assists faculty in the computer lab, and produces various instructional documentation. His hobbies include reading, writing, playing guitar, playing video games, and sleeping.

"During my four years at the U. S. Government Printing Office (GPO), I became interested in technical and business writing and document design. I decided to come back home to Auburn to pursue a Masters, and I found the MTPC program to be a perfect fit."

Jessica received her Bachelor's in English from Auburn in 2001. After she graduated, she worked as a freelance proofreader/editor for a while, but quickly accepted a job at the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) in Washington, DC. Jessica currently works for a local real estate developer where she gets to try her hand at applying many of the concepts she's learning in her MTPC classes.