As I finish my junior year at WSU, I can’t believe that I only have one semester left before I graduate with a degree in writing. I have big dreams for the future, but today I’m going to spend some time sharing several opportunities to write at WSU.

Why Should I Write?

But first, why write? Whether you are an English major, a journalism major, or a computer science major, you need strong writing skills. Nearly every job description will ask for applicants with strong writing and communication skills. By pursuing these many writing opportunities at WSU, you will strengthen your writing skills and be a better job applicant! Beyond that, it’s so rewarding to see your writing be published and read throughout the WSU community.

The Winonan

The first publication I wrote for was the Winonan, the weekly campus newspaper. One day I was working at a campus club fair and decided to go over and check out the Winonan’s booth. The wonderful editor at the booth explained how the Winonan worked.

You get paid $10-20 for every article you write, you write on a weekly basis, and you work with your editor to stay on track. There are three sections to write for: news, features, and sports. I never saw myself as a sports person, but I suddenly found myself covering WSU sports. It turns out that sports writing, similar to other sections, focuses on human interest. As a lover of humans, it ended up being right up my alley.

After a year of writing, I ended up being promoted to sports editor. Honestly, it’s one of the best experiences I have had at WSU. The other editors became my family, and I learned more about organizational skills, software use and writing stylistically.

Contact the Winonan to learn how to get involved.

 

WSU Blogger

At the beginning of this year, I accepted a position as the editor of the Wellzine. However, after less than a month of working there, the Wellzine ended up merging with the Marketing and Web Communications Department to collaborate on the Wellness blog. My new position was to edit and manage the Wellness blog, while also writing for other blogs such as the Improving Our World, Admissions and Campus Life blogs.

I found blogging to be an extremely rewarding experience. Bloggers write on a volunteer basis, and the topic opportunities are endless! It is an opportunity to write about your passions and have them shared across multiple WSU platforms.

If you’re at all interested in being a WSU volunteer blogger, contact WSU Blog Manager at hseipel16@winona.edu.

 

Satori

Every year, the English department publishes a creative writing and art magazine called Satori. This year the theme was The Unknown. I had the opportunity to have my poem published in it and then was able to read it publically at the annual release party.

All students who have taken the Introduction to Creative Writing course at WSU are eligible to submit their work. Again, it’s a great opportunity to have your work published. You can even officially call yourself a published author!

Watch for this writing opportunity during early spring semester of every school year.

 

Opportunities For All to Grow 

College has provided me with many opportunities to hone my skills, build my network, and get my name in print. I would encourage all WSU students to take advantage of this chance to grow personally and professionally in their writing and communication skills.