Interested in joining a community of people like-minded tech comm students or networking with professionals in the tech comm field? You can do both through the The Eagle Technical Communicators Organization (ETC). ETC faculty sponsor Dr. Chris Lam provided more information about the formation and goals of the ETC.

Purpose and Goals

The ETC (originally the Technical Communication Student Organization or TCSO) was formed by a group of graduate students in 2013 to provide networking opportunities and bring students closer together.

From the ETC's mission statement: ETC's purpose is to provide networking and support for the members of the organization and to promote interest in the Professional and Technical Communication program at UNT. The organization also strives to represent student needs and wants in regard to courses offered and similar decisions that affect students who are studying technical communication.

Our goal is to provide a forum for fellowship among students and the presentation of innovative ideas that benefit the Professional and Technical Communication program at UNT.

Dr. Lam also mentioned that "the organization's main goal is to create a group of future professionals and build a community of people who sincerely want to be there". He hopes to see the group grow over time and gain more student interest to reach this goal.

ETC Meetings and Networking with the Pros

Meetings focus on a wide range of tech comm-related issues from workshops to focusing important tech comm topics or providing students with support.

The ETC also sponsors guest speakers from the tech comm industry to come speak and network with students through an ongoing series titled Networking with the Pros. This week, members enjoyed a talk by Chris Tull, a technical communicator at Electronic Transaction Consultants in Plano.

Joining the ETC and Getting Involved

To join the ETC, anyone can become a member by signing in at any of the organization's meetings. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month in AudB 103.

Members can get more involved by running for officer positions. These positions include: President, Vice President, Secretary, Web-Content Specialist, and Student Ambassador. Officers take ownership of the day-to-day operation of the group and gain important resume-worthy experience for their future careers. The Web-Content Specialist position is currently available to interested members.

Without a doubt, the ETC is a great place for new students and budding professionals to learn about the profession of technical communication and how a degree in professional and technical communication from UNT can prepare anyone for the growing job market.

If you have further questions, please contact ETC President Joseph Shortino or message the ETC Slack.