Author: Grace Von Lehman

Event Preview: MAWRD 2024 Independent Studies, Portfolios, and Final Presentations

This Thursday, June 6 @ 2:00–4:00pm (Central) in SAC 301 and on Zoom, join the WRD department for presentations by MAWRD students Nan Denette, Andrea Hamler, Lara Diaz, and Christian Woodley. Nan, Andrea, and Christian will be presenting their research from their independent studies completed during Spring Quarter 2024. Nan and Lara will share their experiences in the MAWRD program in their final exit requirement presentation. Additionally, several students completed Professional Portfolios highlighting their work in MAWRD; here, Bee Browning shares their perspective on the portfolio process as well.  Get a Sneak Peek of the Presentations We checked in with

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Student Spotlight: Reina Ashley Nomura

Recently, MAWRD student Reina Ashley Nomura completed an Independent Study as part of their coursework in the Teaching Writing and Language Concentration. With knowledge gained in the study, Reina went on to present at DePaul’s 2024 Teaching and Learning Conference and is currently working on a research proposal they plan to submit to the university’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) soon. Reina’s work focuses on critical university studies, using rhetoric and writing pedagogy scholarship to understand the experiences of faculty and staff in higher education and how these impact teaching and learning.  We chatted with Reina about their experience and how

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Updated Course Spotlight: WRD 364 Chicago Women Rhetors

Chicago has a long history of women speaking and getting things done. Who are the women who have made their mark on our city? What did they say, how did they say it, and do people know about them?  WRD 364 Chicago Women Rhetors guides students to answer these questions and more, offering the opportunity to both study history and write it. Read on to learn more about this unique course, which will be taught in Autumn Quarter 2024 by Dr. Julie Bokser.  Course Overview Summarizing the course, Dr. Bokser shared, “It’s at the intersection of rhetoric – feminist rhetoric,

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Updated Course Spotlight – WRD 377 Writing and Social Engagement: Writing Across Americas

In the upcoming Autumn Quarter, Dr. Maria Prikhodko will be teaching WRD 377 Writing and Social Engagement. While WRD 377 focuses on various themes depending on when it is offered, the upcoming iteration of the course repeats the Spring Quarter 2022 theme, “Writing Across Americas,” and will include collaborative opportunities with a Chicago nonprofit and with students from Brazil’s Unichristus University. Read on to learn more about the course, which offers students a unique opportunity for international connection and global citizenship education. Overview Grounded in DePaul’s mission of preparing all students for global citizenship and success, this course introduces students

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Course Recap – WRD 531: Digital Storytelling 

This past Winter Quarter, Dr. Lisa Dush taught MAWRD’s sixth iteration of WRD 531: Digital Storytelling. This course gives students the opportunity to craft short digital personal experience narratives (DPENs) and to learn about how such narratives are circulated for organizational and community-building purposes. Exploring the processes, norms, and ethics of digital storytelling, this course enables students to  better conceptualize and execute digital storytelling projects in both personal and professional contexts. I had the opportunity to take WRD 531 this past quarter, and below I share some of the main class components and takeaways articulated by Dr. Dush, MAWRD student

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Updated Course Spotlight – WRD 264: Language, Self, & Society

As a social practice that we engage in each and every day, language holds a great deal of power in how we understand and move about our world. It constructs how we live, function, and relate to other people. In the upcoming Autumn Quarter, Dr. Jason Schnieder’s course, WRD 264: Language, Self, and Society, delves into this dynamic relationship. Read on to learn more and hear about WRD 264 from Dr. Schneider’s perspective.  The topics of your class–language, self, and society–can encompass many different relationships. Is there a primary one you are focusing on? Not a primary one, but the

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Course Spotlight – WRD 514: Sociolinguistics

Overview of WRD 514 In Autumn Quarter 2024, Dr. Jason Schneider will teach another section of WRD 514: Sociolinguistics. This introduction to the study of sociolinguistics explores language as a social phenomenon, with particular focus on the ways that language practices intersect with place, power, identity, gender, and race. Graduate students will have the opportunity to engage with theoretical readings and case studies that provide a range of perspectives in the field.  The course will be offered as five sessions in-person on campus (in odd-numbered weeks) and five sessions synchronous Zoom meetings (in even-numbered weeks). Students interested in teaching language

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Alumni Spotlight: Kristin Fleming

MAWRD alumna Kristin Fleming (’22) spent her time in WRD strengthening specific writing skills while enjoying a range of courses in rhetoric as well. Today, Kristin works as a Senior Medical Writer, where she is able to combine her interests for technical writing and science. Read on to learn more about Kristin’s time at DePaul, and how MAWRD prepared her for her current and future career moves. Why did you decide to pursue a degree in WRD? I wanted to pursue a degree in writing that strengthened my technical skills while also indulging in my love of theory. I had

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Event Recap: WRD Internship Information Session, Winter 2024

On February 14, the WRD Department’s Student Community Committee hosted an internship information session to help students navigate finding, funding, and making the most of internship experiences.  Current undergraduate student Miranda Kincer, MAWRD alumna Natalie Toth, and Professor Lisa Dush shared about their own experiences being, hiring, and advising interns (respectively).  Each offered advice for current WRD students looking to incorporate internship experience in their academic journeys.  The Panelists Miranda Kincer, BA ‘24, is a Research Assistant Intern at the Chicago History Museum, where she is working with a curatorial team to write, format, and present a special exhibit on

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