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 these students to get a preview of what they’ll discuss in their presentations.
Nan Denette and Andrea Hamler: Climate Change Denial and the Religious Right
Working together on their independent study throughout Spring Quarter 24, Nan and Andrea focused their work on climate change denial of the religious right beginning with prominent evangelical/fundamentalist Christian leaders Jerry Falwell and James Dobson around 2006. Andrea shared that their professor Dr. Jason Schneider was particularly helpful in teaching them how to use critical discourse analysis to explore this important topic for the both of them. Nan agreed, sharing she was glad to learn this methodology as she anticipates using it in the future as a PhD student.
Andrea shared that through the independent study she and Nan identified current U.S. representatives using the same anti-environmentalist and climate change denial discourse that Falwell and Dobson used in the mid-2000s. Nan added, “our goal is to shed light on the significant influence that these viewpoints on climate change have on the US government’s environmental policy, and the dangerous impact this influence continues to have.”
Discussing their opportunity to do an independent study with another student, both Nan and Andrea agreed that it was a positive experience to be able to utilize each others’ strengths to improve their writing and research. They also concur that an independent study is a great way to dig a little deeper into a subject you’re passionate about. They recommend reaching out to talk to professors about possible topics for an independent study even if your idea isn’t fully formed yet.
Nan Denette’s Exit Presentation
Nan is excited to talk about how the work she did in the MAWRD program prepared her for the PhD program in Rhetoric at the University of Wisconsin, Madison she begins this fall. Having concentrated in Teaching Writing and gained experience in the TAP program, Nan credits her support from WRD professors and courses as indispensable for her enrollment at UW-Madison. Nan shared that working on the exit presentation helped her to see how her experiences in the program fit together. She advises other students embarking on their exit presentation to start by reading their Proseminar goals statement and projects from early in the program, and then tracing the evolution of their interests as they completed the program.
Lara Diaz’s Exit Presentation
Lara shared that the process of putting together her final presentation began with reflecting back on completed course work over the past several quarters as well as her initial professional goals statement from the MAWRD Proseminar course in Fall 2021. Lara found that her coursework reflects a larger shift in her professional goals, as she moved away from academic goals toward pursuing a career in nonprofit writing and development. Her presentation will reflect that shift and the work she has begun and hopes to continue as a professional writer in the nonprofit sector.
Regarding the presentation event itself, Lara notes, “I am most excited to share my experiences with pursuing professional development opportunities beyond DePaul. Over the past year, I have been involved with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN), which provide interactive learning workshops, networking events, and more. Skills learned from my MAWRD courses have contributed greatly to my success in these professional development opportunities, and I was excited to emphasize how essential the MAWRD program has been for my professional career!”
Bee Browning’s Professional Portfolio
While professional portfolios will not be specifically highlighted during the event, we found it worthwhile to include Bee’s perspective as part of the last cohort completing this exit requirement.
Bee shares that in creating their portfolio, they drew on their best work from their time in MAWRD, and were able to pull from teaching portfolios they actually began in some of their courses. Bee notes, “It’s been neat to reflect on how my portfolio and professional identity developed between the mid-session portfolio and the final professional portfolio. Looking back on the texts and theory that have stuck with me for a long time and the texts that I’ve found resonant more recently was a helpful exercise.” Offering advice to other MAWRD students in articulating their professional identities through portfolios and other means, Bee encourages – “Don’t be afraid of revision!” Part of the exit requirement process is articulating personal change and the way it revises professional goals.
Learn more about these students’ academic and professional work by joining the final open WRD Department event of the year, taking place Thursday, June 6 @ 2:00–4:00pm (Central) in SAC 301 and on Zoom!