UWP Student Forum

A blog run by and for the students of the University Writing Program at UC Davis. Social Media interns in 2013: Leanne Watkins is working towards a BA in English at UC Davis, with minors in Spanish and professional writing. She aspires to become a published author of fiction, as well as to open her own coffee shop someday. She is interested in international travel and food, country music, and antiques.Currently, Leanne enjoys working at Peet's Coffee and Tea in North Davis. She loves to sing and try new things; she collects postcards from around the world and looks forward to learning how to sail someday. Shereen Ziauddin is a senior at UC Davis majoring in political science and minoring in professional writing. She has always experienced a passion for writing, as it allows her to go beyond her limits and expand on her creativity. Her experience with the University Writing Program thus far has been intriguing and continues to drive her passion for the art of writing. After graduating, she hopes to attend law school, although at the moment she admits that seems like a daunting task. Regardless, she definitely wants writing to be a major factor in her future career and hopes to inspire other potential writers to pursue their writing goals.

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Aggie Voice Internship! Winter 2015!

Aggie Voices is looking towards building a strong group of undergraduate writers next quarter! Apply now if you're interested! This is a great opportunity to get your voice here and improve your writing skills!

See attached flier for more details!

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UWP Department Minor Survey - End of Fall Qtr 2014

Please give feedback on your overall experience with the University Writing Program by taking this survey. This will allow for us to make changes and better your experience with the department according to your feedback!

Thank you!

How would you rate your overall experience with the University Writing Program Department? (Inclusive of courses taken, teachers, staff, availability of help, etc.)

1 = very challenging, 2 = hard, 3 = decline to answer/neutral, 4 = good, 5 = exceptional

Focusing on the ease of access and availability of help, how easy was it to get help in the UWP department in a timely manner?

1 = very hard, 2 = hard, 3 = decline to answer/neutral, 4 = easy, 5 = very easy

How would you rate UWP Professors? How informed were they in their teachings?

1 = not informed at all, 2 = somewhat informed, 3 = decline to answer/neutral, 4 = informed, 5 = very informed

How helpful have courses taken thus far in improving your writing skills?

1 = not helpful, 2 = somewhat helpful, 3 = decline to answer/neutral, 4 = helpful, 5 = very helpful 

With the various amount of writing style courses offered, how helpful are these different types of writing courses?

1 = very challenging, 2 = hard, 3 = decline to answer/neutral, 4 = good, 5 = exceptional

How helpful and engaging are assignments, essays, projects, tests, etc. give in these courses?

1 = not helpful, 2 = somewhat helpful, 3 = decline to answer/neutral, 4 = helpful, 5 = very helpful 

How helpful has your experience and time spent with the Internship course been?

1 = not helpful, 2 = somewhat helpful, 3 = decline to answer/neutral, 4 = helpful, 5 = very helpful 

How often do you see yourself applying writing skills that were learned in the program?

1 = never, 2 = rarely, 3 = decline to answer/neutral, 4 = occasionally, 5 = daily 

How helpful will writing and learned skills be in your future endeavors?

1 = not helpful, 2 = somewhat helpful, 3 = decline to answer/neutral, 4 = helpful, 5 = very helpful 

Do you have any suggestions as to how the UWP Department can improve its services provided to students?

Thank you once again!

-SZ

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Student Intern Success

If you would like to read more articles written by Daniel Stachelin, here is a link to this work directly from his internship at Cafe Babel:

http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/babelians/5286/daniel-stachelin.html?originals&translations

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Death With Dignity: A Popular Topic In The Current Media

I recently had to write a paper in one of my Political Science courses about a political issue relevant in today’s media that brings about controversial opinions. I had chosen to write about the Death With Dignity Act because it has been such a controversial topic in the media. Brittany Maynard, a strong advocate of the policy fought for her right to end her life the way she chose when she found out that she was diagnosed with a terminally ill cancer. There are some inalienable rights to privacy that each individual has and these rights should be honored by the government. For the most part, we can see today that there is definitely a great distinction between the private sector and public sector of society. However, as of late, this has been a topic prevalent within the media about whether or not the government should be allowed to interfere in one’s personal life decision. The controversial act of Death By Dignity which has been covered by almost every news outlet in the nation has drawn great attention to this exact debate between the government’s role in an individual’s private and public life. This goes to show that even though there has been great amounts of legislation passed to ensure our privacy rights that are included in the United States Constitution, the national and state governments still have a great impact in our private lives. 

Death by Dignity is an act passed by Oregon State Legislation and brought into play in November of 1997. It allows for an individual to voluntarily end their own life with the assistance of a medical supervisor, such as a doctor, using lethal doses of federally regulated drugs. This law was brought into action for individuals who are facing life threatening diseases, such as interminable cancer, whose have a reasonable medical argument such as their lives ending within a few months time. It allows the individual to go peacefully and choose when they have battled enough of their disease and cannot tolerate the pain of it anymore. Only a few states have ratified it, such as Oregon, where Brittany Maynard, the young advocate for this act, who herself ended her life on November 1st, 2014, due to a terminable cancer diagnosis in the brain, chose to spend the last few days of her life with her close family and friends. 

This topic is of great interest to me because earlier this year, I myself, was diagnosed with advanced stage cancer. I’m not comfortable revealing all the details of the diagnosis as of yet and although, I am thankful my illness wasn’t as severe as Brittany’s, I still this topic to be something that I truly think is worth fighting for. Cancer is not something I would wish upon even the worst of my enemies. No matter how early or advanced your diagnosis is, cancer sucks. Having gone through multiple chemotherapy treatments earlier on this year and numerous CT scans and doctor visits every few days, I can definitely feel Brittany’s pain when she talks about how the desire to live a normal life is so strong yet so hard when diagnosed with a life threatening disease such as this one. There hasn’t been one day since I was diagnosed back in January that I have felt “normal.” Sure, a few hours spent at school and with friends and family here and there can definitely distract you but after those hours pass, you’re right back to the harsh reality of dealing with countless, undesirable side effects of the constant drugs that are being drawn into your system. The desire to live one day without the constant worry of whether the treatment will truly be effective in your favor or whether your day are limited is something indescribable. It truly takes courage and the strength to fight back and take control of the cancer instead of having it the other way around. How I got that courage this past year to go through everything, only God knows, but I truly couldn’t have done it without the amazing support and love I received from my family and friends. 

Brittany’s decision to end her life at a stage that she was still able to be happy with surrounded by her closest family members and friends is one I strongly support. Her decision has received great criticism and backlash however, unless you’re truly in that situation, I don’t think one can ever really understand what Brittany went through and how her final days were spent. A cancer like Brittany’s, interminable brain cancer, really takes a toll on a person’s mental and physical state. It literally takes you from being an active person to one that is bed-ridden with horrendous side effects that one can never imagine of. Choosing to end her life the way she did is a remarkable decision, in my opinion. No one ever really wants to stop living their life and end it early, especially at such a young age of 29 years old, however when faced with a life threatening disease such as cancer, that will inadvertently take away your life regardless, it truly takes guts to take control of it and live your life, or in this case, end your life the way you seem fit. 

I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this topic. Do you think what Brittany did was understandable or would you have chosen differently in case, God forbid, you found yourself in a situation like this? I have linked an article below which further details Brittany’s case and the Death With Dignity Act. 

source: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/07/opinion/maynard-assisted-suicide-cancer-dignity/

-SZ

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Experiences of Being a Writing Intern

I have been working with the University Writing Program Department at Davis for a little over 2 years now in order to get a certified minor with with the department. I know there are many people either working on getting their minor degree or thinking about minoring in this field of study. I want to provide some helpful tips for you all to keep in mind when working towards your minor degree.

Writing is not as easy as it seems but it is definitely fulfilling. It allows to open up and unleash yourself in ways that simply talking to people does not. It allows you to get creative and work your creativity into each word you plant on the page. The art of writing does not come easily to everyone however, everyone can definitely form an art for writing in their personal way. There is no right or wrong when it comes to writing, which is possibly one of my favorite aspects of this field. This form of communication is something that you create all on your own, based on your personal preferences and experiences. Once your pen touches down on that piece of paper ready to burst, or in today’s age, once your fingers get ready to strike each key on the keyboard, you are welcomed with an overwhelming feeling of just wanting to let all your thoughts and idea flow from your mind onto the paper. 

I’ve taken quite a few classes over the course of my UWP minor study. I’ve enjoyed each and everyone one of those classes because I feel like I really benefitted from them. One of my favorites was UWP 104D - Writing in Elementary and Secondary Education. My future aspirations are leaning towards getting a job in education and becoming a professor one day. This class really helped me get a true visual of what a job in that field would be like. I got to research different topics in education and write about my passions; such as helping children that are not able to easily access education like the rest of us or those with disabilities who have a steeper learning curve due to their impairments. We even got to plan out a “course outline” that we would pursue if we were actually teachers. This class really reinforced my desire to go into teaching because it not only gave me a real perspective of what a career in education would entail but also gave me a stronger motivation to help strengthen the foundation of education for it is the first thing children are exposed to and literally shapes their entire future. 

-SZ

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Student Intern Success

Hello everyone! My name is Shereen Ziauddin and I am currently an intern at the UWP Department at UC Davis. I was giving the task of highlighting the work of some of our current students and interns. So throughout the quarter, I will be posting some insight on the work our students and interns have done under this headline (Student Intern Success)! Feel free to peruse through the articles posted! I'm hoping this will give you all some motivation to embark of your own pieces of work and post them here to share with us all! 

I recently had the privilege of meeting up with Daneil Stachelin. A UWP intern at Davis who has the amazing opportunity to write for an international online magazine called, CafeBabel. Daniel is currently a German major who works as a Peer Advisor in the German Department to help other students who may be interested in the major. 

Daniel has written a great variety of articles for the magazine and has been generous enough to share a few of his favorites with me. I have chosen to highlight a few and share them below. Please enjoy! 

Daniel’s strongest piece of advice to all current and potential writers out there is to unleash yourselves. “You have to find your voice and to find that, you need courage. Once you have found it, it’s very liberating. It liberates you and allows you to just jump into whatever piece you are writing.” So, just take a step and write! 

Aimlessness In A Globalized World

This is was Daniel’s official article ever written and the first piece to his entry into CafeBabel. This piece defines the sense of ‘aimlessness’ in a certain situation and how an individual feels lonely and given that defined time, space and location, it can be a very grueling task, as Daniel puts it. In this situation, a person looks for stimulation of some sort, some form of solace and gratification that actually means something. A person looks for a sort of defined feeling that allows them to take direction and pursue a purposeful change in their life. Living in the modern day, most of our lives revolve within the virtual realms of the Internet. The Internet, even though put down by some as a useless waste of time, is a wonderful creation, in my opinion, that allows for us to connect with an individual, thousands of miles away, within seconds. As Daniel states, “we get glimpses into the lives of others, lives that we may never encounter.” Daniel calls these individuals global citizens. The fact that you are able to connect virtually with anyone in the world, a stranger on a whole other continent, is mind boggling. It allows an individual to get a glimpse of someone else’s life and maybe search for a different idea of living their live to the fullest and learning from the experiences that this global citizen shares with them. This concept is very relevant in our society as well. With social media platforms such a Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, etc. the possibilities for communication are endless. I, myself, have meet many people from all over the world and exchanged ideas and information with them on many important global issues via Twitter. It allows to form a different kind of friendship, a virtual one, that has many benefits of its own. It allows you to take a step away from the daily stresses of your physical life and turn your attention towards a virtual one that you decide to create. To read the entire article and form your own opinion on it, I have attached the link below. 

http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/lifestyle/article/aimlessness-in-a-globalised-world.html

Bull Fight! Madrid vs. Catalonia

In this article, Daniel takes a political turn and talks about some important issues that are affecting the people in Catalonia who have been constantly fighting for independence from Spain and its governmental institution with some major obstacles by the government in Madrid. In 2010, the Spanish Constitutional Court deemed numerous articles in the newly drafted Constitution of Catalonia to be unconstitutional and this was the foundation for the great uproar of tension and unease that followed throughout the Catalonian region. The Catalan people have taken great strides to reclaim their independence from the Spanish government however the institution of Madrid won’t allow for such a secession to take place. So what follows? Major unrest. Read the article attached below to get more information on this political unrest. Daniel dives into a great amount of detail of the specific problems the people of Catalonia are currently facing in trying to reclaim their own independent institution. 

http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/politics/article/bull-fight-madrid-vs-catalonia.html

Crafting A Revolution: The Rise of Craft Brewing in Europe

In this article, Daniel had the opportunity to interview some really cool up-and-coming breweries in Europe. The article also wound up being the #1 trending article of the magazine. Beer has been around for over 6,000 years however, overtime brewing practices have radically changed and Daniel takes an adventure to Europe to explore these changes and how it has affected the taste and purity of this global thirst quencher. Brewing beer is an art; a form of art that takes years and years to perfect. The entirety of Europe has a great amount of breweries that specialize in homemade brews and IPA’s. This art form continues to flourish and expand in Europe. To read more about the rise of craft brewing in Europe, read the article attached below. Maybe you’ll find yourself a new hobby to embark on; the art of craft brewing!

http://www.cafebabel.co.uk/lifestyle/article/crafting-a-revolution-the-rise-of-craft-brewing-in-europe.html

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CALLING ALL UWP MINORS! You'll definitely want to pay attention to this!

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Shut Up and Write Event is tomorrow!!

The University Writing Program is holding a Write-In event for Professional Writing minors the second week of February. It will be a short but focused time devoted to writing. The goal is to get some writing done that is not for a class assignment – the type of writing you would not normally take time out of your school day to accomplish – but rather begin writing the first chapter of your future novel, edit or re-write a short story you’ve already written, write a new poem or even polish your resume or cover letter.

Ideally, this event will help you prepare for your future career and allow you more practice in the writing field. And we get to do it all together, so we can share ideas or help one another revise if necessary. Can’t wait to write with you all!

What: Shut Up and Write: A Professional Writer’s Write-in

When: Thursday, February 13th, 2014

Time: 2:00-4:00pm

Where: 126 Voorhies

 If you have questions or suggestions for future Writing Minor events, or would like to help plan or set up events, please contact Leanne Watkins by email at [email protected] or call/text her at 925-518-3688. UWP loves to hear your feedback and ideas for what you want to see in events!

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Shut Up and Write Event this Thursday!

The University Writing Program is holding a Write-In event for Professional Writing minors the second week of February. It will be a short but focused time devoted to writing. The goal is to get some writing done that is not for a class assignment – the type of writing you would not normally take time out of your school day to accomplish – but rather begin writing the first chapter of your future novel, edit or re-write a short story you’ve already written, write a new poem or even polish your resume or cover letter.

Ideally, this event will help you prepare for your future career and allow you more practice in the writing field. And we get to do it all together, so we can share ideas or help one another revise if necessary. Can’t wait to write with you all!

What: Shut Up and Write: A Professional Writer’s Write-in

When: Thursday, February 13th, 2014

Time: 2:00-4:00pm

Where: 126 Voorhies

 If you have questions or suggestions for future Writing Minor events, or would like to help plan or set up events, please contact Leanne Watkins by email at [email protected] or call/text her at 925-518-3688. UWP loves to hear your feedback and ideas for what you want to see in events!

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Tour Guides Needed to Show New Faculty Members the Campus

The UWP is searching for a new faculty member who will come to UC Davis, meet with the UWP faculty, give a talk, and tour the campus. The University Writing Program is looking for some Professional Writing Minors who might be willing to be tour guides, so that the new faculty will not only get to meet the existing faculty and see the campus, but interact with the students as well. New Faculty Members are coming to UC Davis on Wednesday, February 5; Friday, February 7; Monday, February 10; Tuesday, February 25; and Thursday, February 27. The first campus tour on February 5th is from 4-5pm, but there are many more opportunities left! Tours will take approximately 45 minutes to an hour. If you are willing to guide one or more tours, please contact Helen Sutton by email at [email protected] or in her office M-F 12-4pm in 105 Voorhies.

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Opportunity to Get Published by The Artifice Magazine

The Artifice is an online magazine that covers a wide spectrum of art forms. We do not run The Artifice, you do. The Artifice is collaboratively built and maintained by your fellow writers. It is structured to let you focus on the quality of the content while it deals with the exposure of it to an audience of millions.

The Artifice does not work the same as other publishing platforms. At The Artifice, you are asked you ‘what are you an expert on?’ and ‘what are you passionate about?’ rather than ‘what are you looking for?’ You can write about a whole host of things for pleasure, passion and/or to boost your CV with vital experience in this ever-competitive media environment.

If you want to write about Movies, TV, Arts, Anime, Comics, Literature or other art forms, writing for The Artifice might be for you. If you want to get your foot in the door and enter the world of the online media and have your work read and shared by millions of readers, we invite you to The Artifice! If you want to grab the opportunity to join our team of writers, click here to join now!

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Internship Opportunity: UC Davis Superfund Research Program

The Superfund Research Program is looking for a writing minor to assist in their efforts to communicate science and research related to the UC Davis Superfund program to the general community.

The UC Davis Superfund Research Program is a multi-million dollar center grant that is funded to determine the fate and transport of hazardous materials in ground water, surface water, and air as they move from toxic waste sites into the environment. The program consists of seven integrated research projects (four biomedical and three non-biomedical), two research support cores, a training core, a research translation core, and an administrative core to address these problems. You can find out more information about the Superfund Research Program here.

This is a 1 or 2 unit internship (30 or 60 hours respectively). Hours are flexible, but a one-quarter commitment is required with possible renewal for Fall 2014. The position qualifies for the Writing Minor Writing Internship. You can find more information about the University Writing Program or the Minor here. Responsibilities: 1) Enroll in UWP 192: Internship in Writing for either 1 or 2 units. 2) Meet with site supervisor weekly to discuss progress and receive feedback. 3) Description of projects:

 Summaries for each Superfund Research project, including research highlights and past accomplishments for website

   Weekly Press Release or Facebook post that summarizes news relevant to Superfund.

  1/quarter – summary of a specific chemical the UC Davis Superfund program is researching and why this research is needed

  1/quarter – Highlight a Superfund Trainee: interview, summarize their research and write a short informational piece about them.

Other student initiated project(s) can replace a project listed above with approval from the site supervisor.

It is also highly encouraged to attend professional development seminar(s) identified by the intern or site supervisor and in agreement with site supervisor. Qualifications: 1) Upper division standing 2) Science major not required, but must have general knowledge of science (Bio 100 and Chem 2 series or equivalent), and preferred completion of UWP102B, 102C, or 111C) 3) Would prefer someone considering a career in journalism or science writing. 4) Self-motivated with great time management skills To Apply: Applicants must submit:

1) resume including related writing courses taken

2) a brief statement describing your interests in science communication including past experiences as well as how this internship will further your career goals (no more than 300 words)

3) a brief (1-2 paragraphs) summary of a science news story they were exposed to over the last few months (does not have to be relevant to UC Davis, please reference source of information and limit personal opinions).

Submit application materials by email to [email protected]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a target start date of March 21, 2014.

Internship Coordinator                   Faculty Sponsor Cindy McReynolds                         Gary Sue Goodman Program Manager                          Writing Minor Faculty Advisor Superfund Research Program       University Writing Program [email protected]          383 Voorhies [phone]                               [email protected] Site Supervisor Candace Spier, Ph.D. Post Doctoral Researcher Research Translation Coordinator Superfund Research Program [email protected]

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UC Quarter Abroad and Internship in Sydney, Australia

The Education Abroad Center has an awesome quarter abroad program in Sydney, Australia! The program is from September 25th to December 6th, just as long as Davis quarters. When you study abroad with this program you get 20 units for the quarter and are guaranteed an internship which can count for 3 out of the 5 requirements for the UWP minor. It's a triple-dipper so why not go?

Courses for the Fall Quarter program include:

UWP 104I – Writing in Internships (4)

UWP 110 – Specialized Genres in Professional Writing: Travel Writing (4) 

UWP 198 – Group Study: Australian Life and Culture (4 P/NP)

UWP 198 – Group Study: Learning Through Internships (2 P/NP) 

UWP 192 and/or EAP 192 – Internship (6, P/NP)

Enrollment ends April 4, 2014 and it is first come, first serve, so fill out the application today to secure a spot! Also if you need a scholarship help with the cost, don't forget to fill out a Study Abroad Financial Aid Application before the deadline on March 6, 2014.

I studied abroad last summer in Scotland and it was amazing! I encourage everyone to consider studying abroad at least once. You'll never forget the experience!

The next information session is Wednesday March 5, 2014 from 12-1pm in the UC Davis Study Abroad Center, 207 Third Street, Suite 120. Check out the facebook invite here.

You can find more information about this program or search for others on the UC Davis Study Abroad website

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IMPORTANT: Writing Minor Event TODAY! Come hang out!!!

Hey Professional Writing Minors! Do you know any people who are doing the writing minor? I don’t personally know many other professional writers, but I’d like to get to know you. I’m hosting an afternoon event specifically for Professional Writing Minors to come, eat food, and get to know each other a little more. All writing minors are welcome, and FREE FOOD is provided. I hope to see you all there!

What: First Professional Writing Minors Hangout of 2014

When: TODAY: Monday, January 27th, 2014

Time: 4:30-6:30pm (*Note: Voorhies officially closes and locks the doors at 5pm daily, so make sure to get there before 5. I can let you in after 5pm, but I can’t leave the door open.)

Where: 396 Voorhies

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Internship and Career Fair

There will be Liberal Arts and Business Related Companies at the Engineering Internship and Career Fair next week!

What: Internship and Career Fair

When: Wednesday, January 16th

Time: 10:00am - 2:00pm

Where: UC Davis Campus, inside ARC Pavilion ALL MAJORS are welcome! Listed here are some of the Companies that will be at the Fair:

Liberal Arts

Etherios

Industry: Engineering, Computer Hardware, Computer Software

Major Recruiting: All majors

Leprino Foods Company

Industry: Food-Other Major Recruiting:  All Majors

Motive Power

Industry: Financial Services Major Recruiting: All Majors

Paramount Citrus

Industry: Agriculture Majors Recruiting: All Majors

Pepsi Americas Beverages, a Division of PepsiCo

Industry: Consumer Products Majors Recruiting: All Majors

Rezolve Group, Inc.

Industry: Private Employer Majors Recruiting: All Majors

Siemens Industry Inc.

Industry: Automotive/Transportation Majors Recruiting:  All Majors

Square, Inc.

Industry: Engineering Majors Recruiting: All Majors

The Jackson Laboratory

Industry:  Biotech/Pharmaceuticals Majors Recruiting: All Majors

UC Davis Cal Aggie Alumni Association (CAAA)

Industry: Non-Profit and Social Services Majors Recruiting: All Majors

UC Davis Education Abroad Center

Industry: Education Majors Recruiting: All Majors

Ultimo Software Solutions, Inc.

Industry: Computer Software Majors Recruiting: All Majors

To learn more about the event, go here. Or contact:

Lisa M. Sanders Villalba, M.S. Liberal Arts and Business Coordinator Internship Programs Abroad Coordinator UC Davis Internship and Career Center 209 South Hall [email protected] [phone] icc.ucdavis.edu

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Capital Fellows Information Session

The Capital Fellows Program offers unique opportunities to participate in policymaking and development. You could work 10-11 months as a full-time, PAID staff member in the California State Assembly, California State Senate, California Executive Branch, or the California Judiciary system. Fellows participate in policymaking, program development and implementation and gain first-hand experience in the governance and leadership of the most diverse, complex state in the nation: California!

If you want to learn more about how to apply and become a part of the Capital Fellows Program as a paid staff member, come to the meeting this coming Monday!

What: Capital Fellows Info Session When: Monday, January 13, 2014 Time: 3:30 pm Where: UC Davis Campus, Garrison Room in the MU

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Paid Fellowship opportunities

If you are a graduating senior or recent alum, you might be interested in finding a paid fellowship. Opportunities exist on the Internship and Career Center's website, here. Fellowships are temporary positions - often up to a year - with prestigious organizations. They are great opportunities for gap years or to get a jumpstart on your career right after graduation. Click here for a list of paid fellowships. Many applications open in January and close by mid-March, so make sure to apply soon!