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Kris Cambra, Director of Biomedical Communications at Brown University, used her master's degree in professional writing to help her advance in higher education.
After ten years of working in publishing, Kris Cambra ’11 began working in higher education. She wanted to climb the professional ladder in higher education, so she decided to make the move towards earning her master’s degree in professional writing.
“I knew that I wanted to spend my career in higher education, so I decided a master’s degree would be worthwhile long term,” Cambra said. Now, the alumna works as Director of Biomedical Communications at Brown University, where she oversees print and web communications for the biology programs and the medical school. She is also the editor of the university’s magazine, Brown Medicine.
Cambra gained crucial writing skills
UMass Dartmouth’s Master in Professional Writing Program (MPW) gave Cambra the versatile skills she needed to work in almost any sector of higher education.
While looking to broaden her skillset, Cambra came to the MPW wanting to fill in the gaps of her writing expertise. She graduated from the program with a greater understanding and appreciation of the ethics of public relations and of science communications.
“The best part of the MPW program was that the courses matched the different types of writing that I do in my job,” said Cambra. “The methods that I learned in science communication are applied daily in my work—on the grandest scale in the way that I approach the mission of our magazine down to the granular level.”
Theory and practice helped prepare alumna for professional career
Looking back on her graduate studies, Cambra valued the way the MPW integrated both theory and practice into her studies. Because of this integration, she was prepared to utilize the skills she learned in all of her professional positions.
“You have your courses in rhetoric and stylistics, but you also have hands-on experiences like the internships,” said Cambra. “You want to know the history and the ‘why’ of what we do, but you also want the opportunity to practice the skills that will serve you in your career.”