by Erika Frensley
Hello, and welcome to the new STC Houston program year! Over the summer, the Admin Council has planned and schemed to make STC Houston valuable to members and nonmembers in the technical communication community.
A few highlights of what’s in store:
- The STC Austin chapter has been merged with STC Houston. To support our members outside the Houston area (and inside the Houston area), we are planning more recorded program meetings, activities outside Houston and a more active online presence. Alan Porter has accepted a position as Director on the Admin Council and will concentrate on activities in the Austin area. We will start a Facebook group to go with our Facebook page that will allow you to ask questions, find answers, and pass along information to the STC Houston community. Look out for posts on the STC Houston Facebook page for information on joining the Facebook group.
- We are changing our meeting format. We will be meeting at Jake’s Sports Bar, with a later starting time (6pm), and include a new segment: TechComm Troubleshooting. If you have a problem or question, we’re here to help! TechComm Troubleshooting starts at 7:30 and ends when your questions have been answered. As a bonus, STC Houston members can attend meetings for free, and nonmembers can attend for $10.00.
- We are introducing the STC Houston Intern program. The program will focus on new writers and current students who are looking for ways to highlight their skills. STC Houston will mentor students and new professionals as they complete a role for the Chapter. The current roles include Newsletter Editor, Chapter Event Promoter, and Chapter Multimedia Recorder. Volunteers will be able to use the material they produce in their portfolio, and will be provided with professional references after they successfully complete their role. See the STC Houston website for details about this program.
We will be introducing more gatherings and activities for the STC and TechComm community. We hope to see you at a meeting, gathering, or activity, online or in person during this program year!
About Erika Frensley: Erika is the current president of the STC Houston chapter. She has served the community for many years, as newsletter editor, webmistress, competitions manager and judge, and as pretty much anything that needed to be done.
[Note: The Sponsored Membership program has been changed to the STC Houston Intern Program and edited accordingly.]
