Matt Muroya, BS 2015
“The faculty in CLA is truly amazing! I feel like they have been more invested in me as an individual and are very in–tune with what the job market is like right now. They also do a really great job of finding a way to use this information and cater it to my interests. I feel a real sense of investment and pride in the writing studies department because everyone knows my name as the department is very focused on networking.”
Matt Muroya, a senior studying technical writing and communication, originally began his college career as a computer science major because he had a deep interest in technology. After spending around two years in that major, he decided he didn’t want to have a career that was only focused on one of his interests. While seeking to expand his degree, he discovered technical writing and communication. He soon realized how beneficial the program would be for him academically and felt that the degree directly correlated with what he wanted to pursue post-graduation—so he switched.
Matt is happy he has made the transition over to the Department of Writing Studies because it allowed him to become a more versatile applicant. “It was a good choice for me because it was a perfect blend of both the technology and communications sectors and, since I had always enjoyed speaking and writing in high school, I decided to go for it.”
Once Matt entered into a field that he was wholeheartedly passionate about, he was eager to find opportunities related to his future career. He learned about his current position as an online web editor and content creator at the CLA Office of Institutional Advancement through one of his professors. Not only was the job a great experience because he learned valuable skill sets, but he was able to apply the material he learned in class to his job.
“My favorite class that I’ve taken here at the U is the "Introduction to Technical Writing and Communication" course. I feel like students often find introductory courses boring and repetitive, but Lee-Ann Kastman Breuch did a great job making it interesting and the course was actually really cool and helpful! I learned a lot in this class about the industry and the field and how I can apply this information to a job outside of the classroom.”
Matt, even though he started out as a computer science major, now realizes the benefits and importance of a liberal arts education. “I know now there’s a current trend where everyone is focusing on the STEM majors, which is a great option for many people. However, I chose to be a part of the writing studies department because I wanted to not only focus on the hard technical skills that you learn in engineering courses, but also wanted to learn what would be considered to be softer skills like writing and analyzing information.”
Matt is thankful for the opportunities he has had as a technical writing and communication major and can’t wait to see where he’ll end up post-graduation. Although he is unsure of what he is going to be doing, he knows he will fully be prepared for any challenge because of the outstanding support and knowledge he has gained from his professors and coursework.
