JESSICA MEDITZ
Staff Writer
As college students, our futures and careers are often on our minds.
Writers @ Work is a Fredonia series that works to help students pursue careers that involve writing.
Each year, they invite alumni, who now have careers in writing, back to their alma mater.
In addition, they present various events such as discussions, panels, writing workshops, student luncheons and class visits.
Last week, Fredonia alumnae Emily Barber and Lauren Orlowski returned to meet and interact with students.
Emily Barber graduated from Fredonia in 2016 with a major in communication studies and a minor in leadership studies.
She now works as a talent management specialist at Performance Management Partners, Inc. in Buffalo.
A significant portion of her position includes submitting proposals, reviewing and editing resumes and communicating frequently via email.
“I utilize written communication every single day,” she said. “I’m looking forward to sharing personal stories paired with interesting statistics that will surely resonate with audience members.”
Lauren Orlowski is part of the Fredonia class of 2015. She graduated with a major in public relations and a minor in leadership studies.
Orlowski is now a development manager for the Western New York Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Their first event was an interactive discussion that focused primarily on career tips and community engagement.
They shared the stage and covered an array of topics related to writing on a professional level.
A highlight of their talk was when they discussed how your writing alone can give potential employers and clients a glance at your personality and reputation.
“You want your writing to make you seem credible,” said Orlowski. “Clear writing and a good understanding of writing is rare nowadays, so it sets you above the rest. Think about your writing as being a part of your personal brand.”
They also emphasized the importance of networking and doing things outside your comfort zone, such as utilizing connections you may already have or taking classes you usually would not take.
The following day, two more events took place in the Williams Center: “Careers and Career Planning for Students in the Humanities” and a writing workshop titled “Beyond the Résumé — The Subtle Art of Promoting Your Unique Skill Sets.”
These events set out to help students improve their writing and provide them with insights on how to prepare for their professional lives.
Writers @ Work aims to plan more events for students throughout the academic year.
Since they are partners with several of Fredonia’s degree programs such as the English, Communication, Biology, Business Administration, History and Theatre and Dance departments, there’s much to look forward to in the near future.