Laura Vernon

Professional Writing (ENGL 306/608): These courses--one at the undergraduate level and one at the graduate level--focus on writing skills necessary for success in any organization or career. The skills you learn position you as a valuable employee who can write common workplace documents (e.g. reports, manuals, instructions, etc.) and collaborate on writing projects. As you practice real-world writing in my courses, you develop into the kind of professional that organizations want to hire and keep around.

Business Writing (ENGL 307/607): These courses--one at the undergraduate level and one at the graduate level--focus on writing effective business correspondence. Businesses thrive on being able to deliver positive, negative, informative and persuasive messages; therefore, they need good writers who can make it happen. You learn essential writing and rhetorical skills that keep your business in business and help you to stand out as a professional in your field.

Proposal Writing (ENGL 406/610): These courses--one at the undergraduate level and one at the graduate level--focus on writing a formal proposal using a step-by-step process. You learn persuasive writing strategies that get you the results you want--the green light to move forward with your idea and perhaps some money to go with it.

Professional Editing (ENGL 407): This course focuses on improving grammar and punctuation and on developing copyediting and comprehensive editing skills. You learn how to fix common writing mistakes, work well with writers and examine real-world writing situations. Editing is a great way to improve your writing, while also helping others to clearly write their ideas before the world sees it.

Professional Writing Graduate Certificate Program Coordinator: In addition to teaching in the Professional Writing program, I market and asses the program, recruit students and complete necessary paperwork.

Personnel Committee Chair: I organize meetings, coordinate course evaluations and ensure reappointment and tenure letters are submitted within the School of Writing, Language and Literature (SWLL).

Faculty Senate Member (At-Large): Representing the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences (CHBS), I review and vote on issues and policies affecting faculty at Radford University.

Realizing Inclusive Student Excellence (RISE) Faculty Fellow: I participate in a community of practice that elevates my teaching practice to improve learning and success for all my students.

Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning (CITL) Faculty Development Fellow: My project is to coordinate the AI Community of Practice and support faculty as they navigate the use of AI in their work.

Corridors: Blue Ridge Writing & Rhetoric Conference Committee Chair: With a team, I plan the one-day conference in Fall 2025, which includes developing a website, theme and call for proposals, program, registration and site coordination on the day of the conference.

• "Learning from Past Environmental Changemakers to Influence Change Today," Conference on Communication and Environment, International Environmental Communication Association, June 2025.
• "Beginning a Journey: A Literature Review of Labor-Based Contract Grading in the Technical Communication Classroom," The Grading Conference, Center for Grading Reform, June 2025.
• "Liberating Students to Pursue What Matters Most Through Book Groups," College English Association Conference, March 2025.
• "Starting a Community of Practice to Support Better Teaching," Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, Virginia Tech Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, February 2025.
• "A Framework for Becoming GenAI Literate," Global Society of Online Literacy Educators Conference, February 2025.
• "Nature: A Place Where Writing and Wellbeing Happen," Writing Innovation Symposium, January 2025.

• Ph.D. in Professional Communication, Utah State University
• Master of Professional Communication, Westminster College
• B.A. in Journalism, Brigham Young University

My favorites list: sunflowers, my cat Ellie, college football games, the outdoors, purple anything, a library or bookstore, road trips, music, Claude Monet paintings, pink toenails, waterfalls, strawberries, a smile.