The latest issue of Temple Engineering, a biannual 12-page newsletter that Temple University’s College of Engineering distributes to its alumni, features the college’s increasing emphasis on innovative, hands-on teaching methods. The main story—about 2,200 words with several sidebars—highlighted a series of educational innovations ranging from a hands-on introductory course that now involves teams of freshmen building and racing remote-controlled hovercraft and portable circuit board “laboratories” that allow electrical and computer engineering students to conduct required lab experiments anywhere and anytime.
The story had a lot of complex parts. To report it, I interviewed a dozen administrators and professors. But I firmly believe in highlighting end-users as much as possible. It’s another example of show, don’t tell. That’s why I interviewed more than a dozen students to make the educational advances more concrete. It is one thing to read a professor’s thoughts on the benefits of the hovercraft competition, but quite another to read freshman Taylor Million’s reaction: “When I first learned we were going to build a hovercraft I thought it was insane because we’re freshmen and we didn’t really know anything. But the assignment really pulled together everything we worked on throughout the semester.”
Or consider Raven Hooper’s experience: “When we got to see our hovercraft actually move, I thought, ‘Oh my God, I built that!’”
This is the fifth issue of Temple Engineering that I have written since the spring of 2010. By relying on the services of a professional writer, what once had been a challenging ordeal for the college’s alumni office has now become a turnkey operation. After meeting with the college’s director and assistant director of development to create an editorial outline, I conduct all of the interviews—including, the dean, faculty, staff, students and alumni—and deliver highly readable, professional copy on or before the agreed-upon deadlines.
Click here to see a full PDF of the spring 2012 issue of Temple Engineering.