STC Chicago Awards Two $250 Scholarships

The Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce that STC Chicago has awarded a $250 scholarship to both:

• Jamil Wilkins, a graduate student at New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Tracy Castro, a student enrolled at the College of Lake County in Illinois

Jamil Wilkins is pursuing a Master of Science in Professional and Technical Communication from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He received his undergraduate degree also from NJIT and is currently employed as an e-learning support specialist at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ while completing his coursework. He has upcoming plans to publish his first science fiction novel, the first draft of which is expected later this year.
What attracted the judges to Jamil’s application was his attractive and robust virtual portfolio showcasing his competencies. The writing was clear and concise, and the content was well-adapted to his audience. Jamil is a natural at both technical communication and marketing himself. He is planning a trip to Chicago in March that coincides with the upcoming STC Chicago Awards banquet where he’ll be recognized.

Tracy Castro is pursuing a Professional Technical Communications Certificate from the College of Lake County. In addition to her coursework, she provides document layout and graphic design freelance services. She is also a certified MS Office instructor. Tracy has been interested and/or involved in communication for much of her adult life. After completing the program, she plans on a new career as a full-time instructional designer. Tracy is looking forward to meeting and networking with other technical communicators at the upcoming awards banquet. We certainly look forward to meeting her.

Tracy’s application grabbed the judges’ attention with her various writing samples. In particular, Tracy’s chicken pox brochure did a wonderful job of communicating the pertinent medical information to both younger and more mature audiences.

Congratulations to Jamil and Tracy. Winners will be honored at the upcoming awards banquet on March 21st.