Professional and Technical Writing Concentration

Racquel Braxton, 2021

Racquel Braxton

Describe your dissertation, thesis, or capstone (if you completed one):

I did a study and info-graphic on the rhetoric used in the Opioid Crisis versus the War On Drugs.

How did you choose your specific area of study?

I choose it because I have prison reform research that I had been wanting to do personally so I had researched books on the topic and wanted to do my final project on it.

How did your academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences impact you?

I am very happy with the people I have meet in the last two years and they have been very helpful and encouraging.

Of which accomplishment(s) during your time at Mason are you most proud?

I am proud of my internship which lead to a part-time writing job which I am no longer in, but both gave me great writing experience.

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your Mason career?

My advisor Heidi Lawrence has been amazing my whole master's career and I am forever grateful for her letting me do the internship with her and her encouraging me to work with an organization on campus.

What advice would you give to an incoming cohort of graduate students?

I would say to come in with a solid plan and be sure to follow through with it until the end.

What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals?

My current career plan is to find an entry-level writing and/or editing job and for the long term goals it would be to build and grow either in the company I start with or move onto a place I can grow further.