Of all the varied types of writing assignments my career has taken me on, I do have a definite favorite. It's the feature profile, hands down. The thing that makes this marvelous gem of journalism amazing is that you can use it for so many different purposes: to introduce a new program, support a fundraising effort, or highlight the quality of someone's professional services. All this through the authentic power of a story about real people. In my mind, that's winning.
This year I had the privilege of interviewing some amazing people at Arizona State University (my alma mater). I was hired by ASU Online to create some content about the inspiring professors who teach ASU's broad offering of online degree programs. I was asked to write profiles that highlighted the fact that the educators teaching online are every bit as interesting as those teaching in the classrooms on campus.
I had such a great time with this project. Every phone interview with each professor left me energized and inspired. It was an honor to ask them about their teaching philosophies, why they are so passionate about their field, and what kind of experience they bring to their courses. Listening to these awesome people gave me a glimpse into what it must be like to sit in their class and learn from them...and from there my job was easy.
I wrote five profiles for ASU Online, featuring professors teaching everything from theater to medicine. You can read several of them here, here, here and here.
My thanks to ASU for giving me the chance to speak with these inspiring people. I believe that it's people who make the world go 'round. I do my best to look for the best in everyone, and when it's my job to write about it and share it with others...I'm a happy girl.
I wish you all a very happy holiday season!