PWP Student Testimonials

Many final projects begun in PWP classes have actually been implemented. A sampling of recent projects:

Community garden in the Berwyn District Community Association (Spring 2008)
391 Proposal on winning final approval of same sex marriage in D.C. used by student as part of an awareness campaign leading up to rally on 12/14/09. The D.C. Council passed gay marriage on Dec. 15th. (Fall 2009)
College Park campus farmer’s market (Spring 2010)
Expanding University of Maryland's Alternative Breaks program (Spring 2010)
New campus chapter of Amnesty International (Fall 2010)
Safety video for Shuttle UM (to be implemented Spring 2011)

A Sampling of Student Comments

Fall 2010

Thank you for a life-changing experience in education through the Professional Writing Program at UMD. Honestly, the effects of this program have changed my future for the better. The Professional Writing Program at the University of Maryland lives up to its name. Whatever a student's major, the Professional Writing Program provides a course that caters to the major's individual needs and leads to employment and other opportunities.

From the first assignment, I realized that professional writing classes are relevant in every sense of the word. I learned how to write memos and reports and improved my research papers. I improved the format of my citations, eliminated unnecessary language from my documents, and developed a bit of a style while maintaining brevity and precision in my work.
Most notably, my teacher helped me to find my first research job. When I turned in my cover letter addressed to the USDA-Beltsville Agricultural Research Center's College Student Summer Intern Program, the instructor took me aside and informed me that she knew scientists currently working there, and that she could provide their contact information if I would like to apply to them personally. I said, "Yes, of course!" and that day has changed my life completely.

After I was interviewed and given the job, I spent the past four months completing soils research [project] with a University of Maryland graduate student at USDA-BARC. After a summer of challenging experiences that earned me six credits of internship in my major, my mentor offered me a continued job there and funding for graduate classes next fall at UMD.

For my experience, I thank the writing program and hope that it will continue to foster great experiences for present and future students at the University of Maryland.

I want to thank you for helping me improve my writing skills this semester. Your feedback on each assignment was exceptionally helpful. Your course taught me the proper way to write a personal statement. The difference between the grades I earned on the first personal statement and the rewrite illustrated the quality of your teaching. The Dean of Academic Affairs has mentioned my personal statement on numerous occasions. Moreover, the committee board that selected me as the commencement speaker informed me that my personal statement was well written. These comments are a credit to the improvements that you helped me make during this semester.
I had a wonderful time in my Business Writing class this past semester with you as my teacher... Although it was not easy to complete the assignments, you were always there to help me. Thank you for all the effort you put in into making me better and improving my professional writing skills.
…Thanks to this class and your guidance, I have been offered an internship with Morgan Stanley. One of the skills that I put down on my resume was my professional writing skills, and I truly believe that was a huge plus for me.

Spring 2010

Writing for the Arts was challenging in a way I am not normally challenged by English classes… The definition paper in particular made me really think about how to write for different audiences. It made me think and really challenged me. The other papers were great because I feel far more prepared for writing I might actually do in real life, if I ever enter real life.

Parent’s testimonial:

[My son] showed me his GRE results last night –he scored in the 98% rate for his writing! It was the highest score on the GRE for him… You know he has always scored the lowest in the writing area – a real push to make average. I credit it to his writing class experience with [his PWP class]… For him to have anything above his Math scores is amazing, to say the least, and both his writing and verbal scores were higher.

I really did learn a lot in your class. I also wanted to let you know that I got a job working in Development with a nonprofit called Earth Day Network in Washington DC. Everything we did in class is really coming to life for me. As a matter of fact, I am typing this as I take a break from working on a new proposal the nonprofit is putting together. They were impressed by the writing samples I provided during the interview, which happen to be the assignments from class, and as a result I am assisting their grant writer with projects. So while some of the students never wanted to write a grant ever again, I have found myself working on one not even a month out of college… Your class really has given me the confidence I needed to get my career started.

This class was one of the best classes that I have taken during my time at UMD. Not only did this class help me decide on the path that I want to take in life, but it also served as a place of inspiration. Though I struggled through a couple of the assignments, I really enjoyed the assignments and the opportunity to be around other artists. I know my writing is not where it needs to be but this class gave me the inspiration to nurture and perfect my writing.
[Re: ENGL 393 class this past Spring semester]: I'm sending this message to let you know that I am actually really appreciating what you taught us throughout the semester, especially when it comes to remembering our audience. I have been working with the IRS this summer and my manager has had me writing multiple e-mails that have been sent out to directors of other branches and writing up some reports and she has said on numerous occasions that she loves my communication skills because I am able to keep the messages short, simple, and to the point. She is impressed that I am able to realize that these people are directors/executives and they do not need anything more than what they want to know. I am 100% sure that your class helped me with that by pounding into my head "Remember your audience." I knew the lessons from class would come in handy some day, I just did not anticipate it coming so quickly.

I accepted a job offer from Booz Allen Hamilton back in May and I have been working here since June 1st. For the first two months, I was on an internal project… Since mid-August, I have been on client-site at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as a Capital Planning & Investment Control (CPIC) Analyst for the Office of the Chief Information Officer. The experience that I gained from your technical writing class, particularly on the final group project, was extremely helpful. My interviewers were impressed as I detailed my experience working in teams to complete a complicated assignment with classmates from diverse backgrounds.

Fall 2009

…the reason why I decided to take business writing was because last year I lost the chance of being hired as an intern because of my writing skills. A few days ago I got in contact with the same person and he was very impressed with my revised resume and the improvement in my writing through email. I had an interview with him on the phone the other day and I was asked to come back for another interview next week so I wanted to thank you for the help.

I really liked the structure of your class, how we would learn something, implement it, and then get feedback. You really helped me understand the concept of business writing and how it is different from the academic writing I had done up until then. By far, out of all my classes last semester, the big projects and realistic writing assignments from your class are going to go the furthest in preparing me for the business world, and help me in my classes between now and graduation.
I took Engl394 with you last semester. I did my proposal on the University of Maryland's Alternative Breaks program. I just wanted to tell you that part of my proposal from last semester was actually accepted into the program. I suggested that the program use a web site called Break Away to help expand its trip destinations. I found out a couple weeks ago at an alternative breaks reunion, that they have actually used this web site to plan more trips during the summer months.

Prior to Fall 2009

I don't know whether all other Business English courses are taught the way you taught at the University. But, I never expected to benefit as much as I had from a school English course as I have from yours, to be honest. For my personal experience, I do not know any other class that was more practical and meaningful than the one I took with you. As a business person, your class was absolutely invaluable to me on so many levels!

***

To be perfectly honest, when I originally signed up for technical writing I imagined it to be a walk in the park. Most writing courses focus entirely too much on the structure of an essay or research methods. At this point in my college career, I had heard enough lectures on ‘what exactly a thesis statement is’ and ‘this is the proper way to internally cite a source.’ However, I was pleasantly surprised when I first reviewed the syllabus to see nothing as expected. I spent this semester working to improve my ability to recognize flaws in my own rhetoric and to get a head start on my upcoming thesis.

***

The first few weeks turned out to be a harsh wake up call that my writing had a long way to go. With each revision and editing session, I was able to recognize a new tendency in my writing to focus on correcting. As my grammar and sentence structure improved, I became more aware of the structural inherency that made my writing less effective.

***

So in the end, I concluded the semester with 15 weeks’ worth of research, 5 papers that provide a working structure for my thesis, and a new sense for my ability as a writer. A former teacher once told me, “There is no such thing as good writing, only good re-writing,” and I finally understand what he meant. Great rhetoric is the process of applying new perspectives and knowledge to writing; and I believe that I finally have the abilities to do just that.

***

I have been thinking a lot about our class information. Lo and behold it turns out that not only are the topics we covered relevant to most classes (well, that's a no-brainer) but now I am actually in a position to draw up lesson plans for teaching high school students persuasive writing.

***

To be honest, at the beginning of the summer I had the very wrong attitude of thinking, "I'm an English Major, what do I need to take this class for with all of these non-English (and therefore lesser) individuals." You have not only convinced me that I needed that class, but have also surprised me with how much I enjoyed my time there. I can't recommend the class experience enough to anyone I run into. In essence, you have become a symbolic pillar of my education.

***

I was at work at the hospital and a doctor that I work with had offered to write a recommendation letter for me. I had given him my whole packet, you know the personal statement, resume, etc... And he was very impressed with the way that I handed it to him in the first place, with everything together and a cover letter on top, and after going through it he also said that of all the students he'd worked with, my statement was one of the few he considered to be well written such that he actually learned something about me as a person. He seemed to be very impressed, and all of this just reminded me of you and how your class actually helped me in putting all of those materials together! . . . I am very happy that I came away with pieces that I could, and did, actually use in real life.

***

You made an effort to understand me in a way that other professors did not. You recognized and genuinely appreciated the things I did well, and you provided targeted criticism of the things I did not do well. When I asked you for help, you happily took the time to meet with me after class.

I know that I can be a less-than-ideal student; at times I am hopelessly disorganized and easily distracted. But your class was nothing short of inspiring to me, and I thrived under your instruction…. It was exciting and flattering to have an instructor who expected as much out of me as you did. You challenged me, and I knew that if I worked hard in your class, my writing abilities would surely improve.

***

Thank you so much for this semester. I really enjoyed your class and have already used what you have taught us to help my dad write an executive summary for a business plan he is proposing. I found it incredible how quickly I needed to use the skills I learned in your class.

***

I also want to thank you for all your insight pertaining my thesis. I must say that when I found out I had to take Professional Writing, I was very worried; it had been so long since I had written a collegiate-focused paper. You have, however, made my experience in this class interesting, engaging, and quite educational.

***

I took your Professional Writing course in fall 2006. You had said that the skills we learn in this course would be used over and over again. I have seen exactly that. Since the summer, I have interned for Worldwatch Institute, a DC-based research NGO. I have been fortunate to publish a couple short articles. In one of the earlier meetings with my supervisor, he seemed almost apologetic about the rigorous editing process. He was surprised and thoroughly impressed that your course had ingrained "writing is editing" into my brain. For all that (as well as introducing me to Zinsser), I sincerely thank you.

***

This class is entertaining and life changing. Whether I am composing an email, structuring a proposal or creating a handbook, 3 things stick: audience, context and PURPOSE!!!

I write concisely without confusing people with WORDS. More words are confusing, not better!....

I don't know what life would be like without taking these classes. Information should make sense, it should be organized and it shouldn't give you a headache! That's what it's about--simplicity. I recommend PWP classes whole heartedly. The knowledge I gained from my professional writing classes gave me direction at work, school and even in my quest to plan my wedding!

***

I want to thank you for your praise and most importantly all your help throughout the project. You were especially helpful in providing the general outlines and deadlines for the final paper. Throughout the semester you were very clear on what you expected from us, and I believe that has much to do with our success in the class and on the final.

***

Thank you so much for helping us learn/discover so much more about professional writing, and especially ethics. I have honestly learned so much from your class. My boss has been praising my efficiency in communicating with our clients at work.

I really, really appreciate the effort you put into making sure we learn the material, through effective applications.

***

I am so happy I was able to take your class in my final semester on campus. The fine arts is where I'd like to take my editing career in the long run…. With the experience of writing long reviews, grant proposals, and press releases, I can't WAIT to get my resume out into that artsy-fartsy world I love so much!... I truly feel as if the skills I've learned from you will help me….

***

I just wanted to thank you for a great year. I feel as though my writing has thoroughly improved since September, and I have only you to thank for this.

***

I wanted to thank you for everything this semester. You were very understanding of some of the personal problems I was having this fall and it meant a lot to me to know that one of my professors was being supportive.

On a less personal note, I wanted to let you know that I thoroughly enjoyed this course because I felt it is the most practical classes I have taken in college…. this English class made me feel like I was actually learning something I will need to apply latter in life.

***

I am currently at the University of Iowa College of Law on a merit scholarship thanks partly to your letter of recommendation.

I am sure you get a lot of this, but legal writing in law school is manageable solely because of your class. Students that have not been exposed to legal writing seem like fish out of water. I recently submitted the final draft of a memo worth 50% of my grade and feel confident about it.

***

I was a legal writing student of yours at the University of Maryland. I am in my third year of law school and think about our class often. You were the first teacher to push my writing, to be a true critic and to expect more from me than proper grammar and sentence structure. You gave me some of the harshest critiques I have received to date. And, I am grateful for that. You certainly gave me a glimpse of what law school would be like, but more than that, you taught me to challenge myself.

I still write and when I have one of those inspired moments, when my heart races as the words pour on to the screen in front of me, I think of your class.

***

Surpisingly, I have been writing a lot lately for work and I am constantly consulting notes from your class and trying to remember things we went over. I am writing performance reviews for 130 analysts that are being sent to their managing directors, so obviously these are serious communications. Since they are business people who think their time is precious, I keep repeating your mantra "say more with fewer words." …Just wanted to fill you on and let you know that your efforts were not in vain and I really took away a lot from your class.

***

I was in your ENGL395 class in Fall 2006 and you encouraged me to submit my review assignment article for publication. I just wanted to thank you for all your help and encouragement as the article was just recently published in the Journal of Young Investigators.

In the next few weeks I should be submitting a second paper for peer review.

I have also gotten a job as a freelance tech writer for a health industry contractor. All this because of you and your support.

***

I just wanted to take the time and say thank you for all of your help this semester. I have taken many classes since arriving at this university and I can say with confidence that none have helped me prepare for the real-world as much as this class has. Even as I am writing this email to you, I am making sure that I am doing everything in the proper format.

***

Thank you so much for recommending me for graduate school. I really appreciated the time you spent looking over my personal statement and resume. My experience in your class was far from what I expected (in a good way). Your vibrant personality and sincere admiration for your students helped me to build confidence not only as a writer, but as an academic as well.

***

Student's Comment:
As an engineering major I thought an English class had nothing to do with my major. Instead I ended up learning new challenges within my field and developing a writing sample for future employers. The writing I did in class always had a specific audience; not some general audience or a paper written to all mankind. :)! A week after I made my resume in class, for a specific audience, I used the resume and was hired for the position.

Student's Mother's Comment:
I have often commented to my son, one of your current students, that I have risen to the ranks of the Federal government's Senior Executive Service largely because of my communication skills. I want to commend you for teaching your students writing skills that are directly relevant to the workplace. As a case in point, last week I shared with him that one of my day's challenges was being handed a 15-page legal agreement and being asked to craft a brief summary to share with interested Congressional staff -- in 5 minutes. He laughed and shared that you had set up a similar hypothetical writing scenario for them in class that day. The ability to summarize information into concise "so what" messages for busy bosses is a critical professional skill, and I again commend you for your efforts!

***

I wanted to write this e-mail to thank you for the help that you gave me this semester. I felt as if I didn't have an opportunity the other day to let you know how much I appreciated all the help. I just found out that I received an "A" on a paper I had to write for another class and I really think that it was because of your class that I was able to accomplish this. My writing has improved tremendously and I have a lot more confidence behind it now. So, thank you for that.

***

I wanted to thank you for all your assistance last semester with helping prepare my dental school essay. Yesterday, I recieved excellent news that I was accepted into NYU dental school. I just wanted to share my good news with you and thank you again for your help in preparing me for the challenges that lie ahead. Hopefully you are having a good semester and have a class half as good as ours!

***

The first day of class spring 2006 you scared me away! Luckily I ended up "stuck" in your class for my last semester, because you ended up being the most helpful teacher I've had throughout college. Thanks!

***

I was a student of yours for ENGL395 this past semester. I'd like to share with you an experience that happened to me recently, one that involves something I learned from your class. Recently I decided to apply for a lab position at the Shady Grove Fertility Reproductive Science Center. In the past, I've applied to many lab jobs and have gotten rejected from them. Despite this fact, I decided to apply using the new CV and cover letter that we prepared for your class. I had three separate interviews for this job, and all of the interviewers complimented me on the appearance of my CV. I was hired by the Center today. I'd just like to thank you for helping me to get this job, as I am sure my CV and cover letter made a significant impression on my new employers.

***

This summer I had the opportunity of interning at ExxonMobil in their Research and Engineering section. I had many responsibilities throughout the summer, which included an oral presentation, a poster session, and two technical reports. My supervisors told me at the end of the summer that they were impressed with my writing skills and even wanted to know where I had learned my technical writing skills! They said I presented a strong understanding of the technical information, and was able to present it in a clear and concise manner. While he was telling me this, all I could think was Thank goodness for your technical writing class!! They also said both my visual and oral presentations were professional and impressive.!!

Because they were so pleased with my work this summer, they nominated me for an ExxonMobil Technical Scholarship. I just found out this week that I was awarded that scholarship for this upcoming school year. I just wanted to let you know how appreciative I am of the instruction I received from you. I will hold on to the lessons you shared as I continue in my path to becoming a successful and professional engineer.

***

Thank you for an enlightening semester. Even though I found the course difficult, I think the skills I picked up will bring me far into the future. Learning how to be concise and direct in business is an essential tool few are good at. As you requested, I have included my semester works as attachments with this e-mail. Again thank you for your help and I will be sure to let you know if my client gets back to me.

***

I just wanted to thank you for all the guidance you've given me in terms of my writing. I learned a lot from this class, and I want to thank you for pushing me until I finally started writing at the level you wanted! I am very proud of my work, and I believe my clients are quite pleased with my analysis of and proposal for their firm. They sent me a quick e-mail stating that they had received the documents. They only had a chance to briefly eyeball my proposal, but each one said they were happy with what they had seen so far and were excited to sit down and read my ideas thoroughly.

***

I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the final project. I actually collected way too much information! I had to start deleting ideas from my outline because I think it would have cluttered the flow of the paper. I used some of the left over information in my presentation since I could not fit it all into the paper. Regardless, it was a real pleasure writing the paper.

***

I would like to personally thank you for all that you have taught me in ENGL394. You will be glad to know that I am applying everything you taught me at my current internship.

Today, while I am writing a proposal, I find myself asking questions like "Why is this important?" "How do I know? " "What does the reader already know?" I am reminded of all the questions you asked me during class. Looking back, it was a tough class and at times frustrating, but it paid off. I can undoubtedly say I've learned more from you than any of my other professors in the past 3 years. My boss is highly impressed with my writing skills, and I owe you the honor of making me an effective writer.

***

I was a student in your Legal Writing class last fall. I am now attending Vermont Law School, a small, private law school specializing in environmental law. I just wanted to thank you for using the Shapo book, "Writing and Analysis in the Law," which we are using for my first year of legal writing here. While some of my classmates are struggling with the memo assignment this week, I breezed through it because of my prior experiences in your class! Thanks!

***

I thought you might like to know that I just received word that my grant for Hospice of the Chesapeake is to be fully funded! Thanks for all your help. I enjoyed this class very much and encourage everyone I know to take it. I was not pleased to know that I needed another English writing class after returning to school, but now I can really see the benefit of requiring this type of business writing class. Having worked in positions with several new college graduates who had never written business letters and lacked basic writing skills, I think Maryland is on the right course making this a requirement to graduate.

***

It turns out that ENGL393 is a worthwhile class for future engineers to be taking. I now work at GSFC in Greenbelt, and the fact that I had taken a [PWP] class actually helped me get the job. Go figure! I honestly thought that class was just a formality for my degree; I never imagined employers were specifically looking for students who taken [such] classes.

***

Of the classes I am taking this semester, technical writing is the only one that I really feel pushed me in any creative way. In addition to learning the nuts and bolts of effective written communication, there was a real sense that [the instructor was] pushing us to think creatively and critically.

***

Although almost four years have passed since I took [my PWP] class, its effects have definitely been worthwhile in my career and the development of my character.

***

[My PWP class] contributed greatly to my writing ability. Through the process of identifying a problem and its potential solutions, I learned highly valuable skills that are directly applicable to performing research.... By working in groups, I learned many valuable lessons about teamwork. I constantly work with others on team projects and I credit my Technical Writing course for refining my abilities as a team player.

***