2016 2016: Master in Professional Writing alumna earns full-time position at major corporation

Before graduating from UMass Dartmouth in 2014 with a Bachelor’s in English: Writing, Rhetoric and Communications, Kathleen Landers knew what she wanted to do — pursue a career in writing. But she also knew she wanted to advance and improve her writing style before she went into the workforce.

To do this, Landers enrolled in the Master in Professional Writing (MPW) program. “I was unsure what genre of writing I wanted to pursue, so I decided to explore a few options during my master’s studies,” she said. “I thought this was the best option to broaden my skillset.”

The MPW program develops versatile writing skills

According to Landers, the MPW program had the coursework she needed to succeed in professional writing. She took a variety of classes that helped hone her skills and develop critical writing skills. “I took classes in science writing, copywriting, web authoring, document design and social media,” she said. “It was the framework I received from my core classes that proved style, tone and language can be adapted to any genre in any field.”

Much of the work Landers did during her graduate studies was based on subjects that interested her. “There is a sense of freedom within structure that I appreciated,” she said. “This allowed me to discover what I was good at and what I wanted to pursue.”

Internship leads to full-time employment

In between her first and second year, Landers started an internship at Nye Lubricants, a global grease manufacturer located in Fairhaven, MA. “While I was an intern at Nye, I was able to bring what I was learning in the classroom into the workplace,” Landers said. “They offered me a full-time position a few months before I graduated.”

Now, Landers is the Communications Coordinator for Nye Lubricants, and works with chemists, engineers, and business professionals to create content. “I don’t formulate the grease, or test the grease, or sell the grease,” she said. “I market the grease.”

There is a sense of freedom that allowed me to discover what I was good at and what I wanted to pursue.