Bridging the Gap Between Academic and Workplace Writing As effective communication skills become increasingly important in professional environments, the Writing Intensive Program encourages undergraduate students to consider the value of writing beyond coursework. In fall 2016, the Writing Intensive Program launched a Public Writing Initiative to bring professionals into writing-intensive classes. Since then, UGA alumni, university administrators, members of the Athens-area community, and nationally-acclaimed writers and researchers have visited WIP courses to discuss writing in a professional capacity, as well as the importance and development of communication skills throughout their careers. This initiative seeks to foster an awareness of writing as a skill that has real-world applicability and a practice that students will continue to engage in long after graduation. In the Media In January 2017, an article about the PWI appeared in Columns, UGA’s online news source. In May 2018, the PWI was featured in a post on the Franklin Chronicles, the online news platform for UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Archived Speaker Line-ups PWI Spring 2023 PWI Fall 2022 PWI Spring 2022 PWI 2020–2021 PWI Fall 2019 PWI 2018–2019 PWI 2017–2018 PWI 2016–2017 Speakers and Courses 2024—2025 Participating Classes WMST 4010W Introduction to Feminist Theories GEOL3020/GEOL3020L Surficial & Near Surficial Processes CHEM 3550W Sci Oral and Written Communication THEA 4000 Dramatic Writing I HIST 3323 History of Women in Early Modern Europe HIST 3242 Disasters in the Caribbean and Latin America PHIL/ARTI/PSYC 3550 Introduction to Cognitive Science PHIL 4700 Philosophy and Race Speakers Avery White, Senior Producer at Louisiana Public Broadcasting John Washington, Research Chemist at USEPA, UGA alum Allison Bechtel, Anesthesiologist and APSF Podcast Director Lauren Gunderson, playright, screenwriter, author Nneka Ewulonu, civil rights lawyer by trade Ben Gillespie, oral historian at the Archives of American Art Alexander Stephens, Ph.D. candidate in History at the University of Michigan David Metcalfe, Social Media Coordinator, Office of Marketing and Communications, Terry College of Business Caitlin May, voting rights staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, UGA alum 2023—2024 Participating Classes BIOL Introductory Labs and Research Courses HIST/LACS3210 HIST/LACS 3210 Race and Slavery in the Americas ARTI/PSYC/PHIL 3550 Introduction to Cognitive Science GENE 4230 Evo Bio Lab SPAN 4082W Latin American Film LING 3150W Generative Syntax Speakers Kat Gilmore, Grant Writer and Sr. Science Writer, Infectious Diseases Laboratory|Emerging Diseases Research Group|New Materials Institute, University of Georgia Christy Crisp, Marilyn Memory McMullan Vice President of Programs at the Georgia Historical Society (GHS) David Metcalfe, Social Media Coordinator, Office of Marketing and Communications, Terry College of Business Alan Flurry, Director of Communications, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, UGA Amparo Aguilar, film producer Ryan Windhearn, UGA PhD in Linguistics, language construction consultant for Marvel's Captain Marvel 2022–2023 Participating Classes STAT 5010W Statistics Capstone HIST 3220 History of Mexico LING 3150W Generative Syntax WMST 4010W Introduction to Feminist Theories SOCI 1101H Honors Introduction to Sociology THEA 4000 Dramatic Writing I ARTI/PSYC/PHIL 3550 Introduction to Cognitive Science HIST 4402 World War II in History and Memory PORT 3030 Introduction to Language, Literature, and Culture of the Portuguese-Speaking World GEOL 4020 Internal Processes Speakers Josh Starmer, Founder and CEP at StatQuest (YouTube channel). Lead AI educator at Lightning AI Libba Beaucham, Director of the Cottrell Digital Studio. Program supervisor of Gainesville Reads. Northeast Georgia History Center. Jackson Crawford, Norse language and myth expert and YouTuber, UGA alum Caitlyn Richtman, grant writer at the Horticultural Society of New York, UGA alum Alec Watts, Science and Tech Policy Fellow, Assembly Judiciary Committee, UGA alum Lauren Gunderson, playright, screenwriter, author David Metcalfe, Social Media Coordinator, Office of Marketing and Communications, Terry College of Business Stan Deaton, Senior and Distinguished Historian, Georgia Historical Society Laura Romero Moreno, Global Education Advisor III, UGA Faculty-led Advisor, Office of Global Engagement Leigh Beeson, Senior Science/Research Writer, Integrated Media Communications, UGA Marketing and Communications 2021–2022 Participating Classes PHYS 4670L Advanced Lab ARHI 4210 Italian High Renaissance Art LING 3150 Generative Syntax GEOL 4020 Internal Processes SPAN 4082 Spanish American Film Speakers Mario Barbatti, expert on the development and application of mixed quantum-classical dynamics to study molecular excited states Lizzy Dastin, Founder of Art and Seeking, art history instructor at Santa Monica College and UCLAx Ryan Windhearn, UGA PhD in Linguistics, language construction consultant for Marvel's Captain Marvel Graduate Student Panel: Emma Catherine Perry, Matt Kliewer, Simone Zorina Lim-Hing, Max Barnhart Wendy Muñiz and Guillermo Zouain, film producers 2020—2021 Participating Classes ARTI/PSYC/PHIL 3550 Introduction to Cognitive Science ANTH 2120H Introduction to Anthropology Honors LING 3150 Generative Syntax STAT 5010 Capstone I WMST 4010 Feminist Theory ARHI 4440 American Modernism 1900-1946 GEOL 4020 Internal Earth Processes Speakers Amanda Bright, Academic Professional in Journalism at the Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication Ryan Windhearn, UGA Linguistics alum, current Ph.D. Candidate at Cornell University, and co-creator of the Torfan language for Captain Marvel Lauren Blais, Web Team Lead for the Office of Marketing and Communications in the Terry College of Business Jennifer Hickey, Postdoctoral Fellow for the Vulnerability and the Human Condition Initiative at Emory University Brendan Sudol, Software Engineer at Palantir Jeffrey Richmond-Moll, American Art Curator at GMOA Kylie Williams, communications specialist and geoscientist Fall 2019 Participating Classes LING 3150 Generative Syntax STAT 5010 Capstone SOCI 3810W Criminology ARTI/PHIL/PSYC 3550 Intro to Cognitive Science MATH 3200 Higher Mathematics WMST 4010 Feminist Theory ARHI 4440 American Modernism 1900-1946 GENE 4230 Evolutionary Biology Lab Speakers Sofia Alexandrovna Ivanova, Linguistics alumna and Russian Flagship Program Coordinator Lauren Blais, Web Developer Specialist for Franklin College OIT Caroline Young, Lecturer in the Department of English Site Director for Common Good Atlanta George Khalil, Mathematical statistician, UGA College of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Samantha Wrisley, PhD Student in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality at Emory University Jeffrey Richmond-Moll, American Art Curator at Georgia Museum of Art Jennifer Peebles, Newsroom data specialist at the Atlanta Journal Constitution Anna Lau, Lead Medical Communications Science Specialist at Genomic Health 2018—2019 Participating Classes S0CI 3810W Criminology WMST 4010 Feminist Theory ARHI 4290 Ren & Baroque Sculpture LING 3150 Generative Syntax ARTI/PHIL/PSYC 3550 Intro to Cognitive Science ANTH 4265 Bioarchaeology SPAN 4082 Spanish American Film STAT 5020 Capstone Speakers T.A.Powell, Investigative Forensics Author &CEO and founder, Brownstone Literary Works. LLC. Publishing Alex Laughlin, Lead producer for The Argument, a weekly podcast for the New York Times Opinion section Michael Kemling, Lecturer at the University of North Georgia & Owner and Chief Strategist at 34 and S Mariah Parker, Local hip hop artist. Lingua Franca: District 2 Commissioner: UGA Linguistics alumna Connie Haynes, Executive Director. Georgia FIRST Robotics James Hataway, Media Relations Manager for UGA Andrew Shearer, Multimedia Producer and Film Writer at Athens Banner-Herald and Online Athens Regina Nuzzo, Galluadet Professor of Mathematics 2017—2018 Participating Classes STAT 5010 Capstone Course LING 3150 Generative Syntax WMST 4010 Feminist Theory ARHI 4120 Gothic Art and Architecture ANTH 42651 Bioarchaeology GENE 4230L Evolutionary Bio Lab LING 3150 Generative Syntax PHIL(ARTI/PSYC/EPSY) 3550 Intro to Cognitive Science SOCI 3810 Criminology Speakers Dr. Jonathan Murrow, UGA Medical Partnership Campus Associate Dean of Research Ann Gibbons, Contributing correspondent for Science Connie Hayes, Executive Director of GeorgiaFirst Robotics Sage Kincaid, Assistant Curator of Education GMOA Kelly Dugan, Writing Coach and Graduate Student UGA Honors Program and Classics Department Alex Laughlin, Social media editor The Washington Post Jo Craven McGinty, Wall Street Journal Mariah Parker (Lingua Franca), Local Hip-Hop artist John Donnelly, Circuit Public Defender Western Judicial Circuit Office 2016—2017 Participating Classes WMST 4010 Feminist Theories Math 5200 Foundations of Geometry I ARHI 4540 Art Between the Wars SOCI 3820 Communities and Crime German/Linguistics 3280 Contrastive Grammar: German-English Anthropology 4265 Bioarchaeology Statistics 5020 Capstone Course Speakers Alex Laughlin, Washington Post Social Media Editor, alexlaughs.com Paul Klute, Director of the Office of Institutional Research (OIR), University of Georgia Hillary Brown, Director of Communications, Georgia Museum of Art Chief Deputy Weems, Oconee County (GA) Sheriff's Office Kelly Dugan, Honors Program/Classics, Graduate Assistant, Language & Literacy Education, PhD Student James Hataway, University of Georgia Marketing and Communications Ann Gibbons, Contributing Correspondent, Science www.anngibbons.com Robert M. Fezekas, CFA, Vickery Financial Services A Positive Reception From Participating Faculty According to participating faculty, students gained a new perspective on professional writing and the writing process from the guest speakers. “It was inspiring to our students. She was able to effectively convey the importance of writing as a practice. She offered many examples from her work at The Washington Post, illustrating the ways in which her writing-intensive Women’s Studies classes helped her to become a stronger writer. She shared strategies for writing, addressed writing anxiety, and explained the art of meeting deadlines.” —Cecilia Herles, Assistant Director of the Institute for Women’s StudiesSpeaker: Alex Laughlin, a UGA Women’s Studies alumna | supervising producer @defectormedia | Normal Gossip co-creator/producer “[Our speaker], Libba talked about what she does at the NeGA History Center, which included, among other responsibilities, writing the scripts for the live historical reenactments performed at the center as well as educative videos the center distributes to schools. She showed the class two examples of those videos, which served to showcase the activities of the center, but, more importantly, to give Libba an opportunity to talk about her writing process. ” —Oscar Chamosa, Associate Professor of HistorySpeaker: Libba Beaucham, Assistant Director & Director of the Cottrell Digital Studio The presentation was quite relevant: it was more or less about the ways educational institutions track data and the way that data is communicated effectively to different audiences and can sometimes be misused if communicated poorly. Since most of my students are headed pretty quickly into high school teaching jobs where they’ll be ruthlessly quantified by layers and layers of administrators, I think it was a useful eye-opener for them. — Dr. David Gay, Professor of Mathematics It is great for student to hear from someone who is actually in the business of communicating the subject matter to a broader audience. Students need to meet folks who are implementing WIP principles in real life! —Lynne Seymour, Associate Professor of Statistics Speaker: Josh Starmer, Founder and CEO at StatQuest The session was perfectly aligned with my instructional goals, and [the speaker] was amazing! She interacted with me ahead of time via zoom and email, to align her materials to ongoing conversations in the class, and broached a difficult topic skillfully and with lightness and humor. So wonderful! —Anonymous WIP Faculty Member From Guest Speakers Guest speakers offered additional feedback on their experiences bringing professional perspectives into the classrooms. Working with UGA’s Writing Intensive Program has been an extraordinary experience. It’s hard to overstate the importance of good writing, and I’m honored to be a part of an initiative that helps students realize their full potential. — James Hataway, UGA Senior Director for Integrated Media Communications The program is geared toward strengthening students’ writing skills in ways that are pragmatic and creative. During our visit, it was clear that students had honed these skills as made apparent by their thorough questions and engaging dialogue. — Wendy Muñiz and Guillermo Zouain, film producers I was asked to talk about my own experiences as a writer, and that was what I did. —Jackson W. Crawford, Norse language and myth expert and YouTuber
