Melissa Hudson, Communication Manager

As much as she hates to admit it,  Melissa Hudson really enjoyed her ENGL303 copyediting course with Susan Doyle.  "Not while I was in the throes of it, mind you," Hudson says, "but ENGL303 was the class that had the most influence on my writing capacity.”

Melissa Hudson, now a communication manager at Simon Fraser University, is a graduate of the UVic Professional Writing program. Her professional writing professors have had a lasting influence on her academic and professional careers, Hudson says, even several years after graduation.  She loved  the unique, open, freethinking atmosphere she found in UVic's professional writing program and says each of her professional writing courses added something important to her career resume.

Hudson says she constantly uses the skills she learned in the program but the three skills she uses every day are writing clearly, writing concisely, and copyediting. “Being able to organize my thoughts and clearly identify the intended audience and message are applicable to my current career, but I think they also helped me through the interview process.”

The Writing for Print Media class (ENGL418)  contributed to her “arsenal of skills” and gives her a unique advantage in the workplace. “It really encourages thoughtful page layout and design and writing for a very specific audience," she says. "This less formal writing style is what I use most in my workplace. It’s amazing to me how many people write in jargon with no thought about voice.”

 Her advice to professional writing students?  "Practice what you learn, volunteer your skills, build a professional portfolios, and try to find real clients for your projects."

 Sarah Prusnowski