Featured RSTC Students: Q&A with Emmanuella Afimaa, Jess Borsi, and Maddi Melchert
Students in our Rhetoric and Scientific & Technical Communication (RSTC) MA and PhD programs gain expertise in rhetoric, writing studies, and technical communication. RSTC prepares students to be researchers, teachers, and communicators who explore the relationship between language, technology, complex ideas, and meaning. Get to know three of our amazing RSTC students, Emmanuella Afimaa (she/her), Jess Borsi (she/her), and Maddi Melchert (they/them/theirs), as they share their experiences thus far in the Department of Writing Studies.
Why did you choose RSTC for your graduate studies?
Emmanuella: One thing that set this program apart for me was the opportunity for mentorship provided through the Technical Communication Advisory Board. At the time, I also appreciated the amazing technical communication courses that were being offered, and the inbuilt opportunity to take outside courses to widen one’s scope of knowledge.
Jess: I chose RSTC primarily because of the faculty and their research interests as well as their openness to what I want to study even though they, themselves, are not game scholars. RSTC also has a great reputation for how supportive the program is, and students tend to have really good opportunities both during the program and after getting their degrees.
Maddi: I chose RSTC for my graduate studies because of the program’s supportive culture and the way it understands community as an essential part of rigor. The first thing I heard from a then-grad student who emailed me about the program was that its people were “incredibly supportive” of each other’s professional and personal goals. After the first few meetings with my now advisor and mentor, it was clear that RSTC faculty and staff were ready to help me define my values and goals and wanted to support me in shaping a professional path that aligned with them. Now, in my second year here, I have only continued to experience RSTC as a special and uniquely community-forward graduate program.
What are your current research interests?
Emmanuella: Currently, I’m studying linguistic biases in emerging language technologies, specifically linguistic biases that hinge on race and geographic discrimination against Global South languages.
Jess: The rhetoric of cozy video games paired with affect and genre theory. I'm primarily interested in what affective role these games are serving because they recreate emotional labor in miniature, allowing people to "play" relationships and a harmonious, sustainable life that's not guaranteed or prioritized in a hyper-capitalist world. At the same time as they serve this purpose, cozy games are themselves commodifying affective warmth. It is a fascinating catch-22!
Maddi: My current research interests are critical writing pedagogy, democratic thought, and ecological reciprocity. Right now, I am exploring what the intersection of rhetorical ecologies and dialectic dialogue might look like in a college writing classroom. To investigate these questions, I enjoy traditional humanistic research methods like critical comparative textual analysis and classroom-based research, as well as computational research methods like structured topic modeling.
What is your favorite part of RSTC?
Emmanuella: The supportive leadership and faculty, as well as the amazing and really smart students who always encourage me to do better. Additionally, I’ve seen myself grow so much as an upcoming scholar in this program, and I appreciate that the environment here encourages growth.
Jess: How my classmates and professors support each other and are always willing to share time, research, and insights.
Maddi: My favorite part of RSTC is its administrative reliability. If I have a question, I know who to ask or where to look (if I’m still lost, I go to our Graduate Programs Coordinator); I get regular emails that keep me in the loop about certain things; I plan my weekly schedule in advance alongside department Google Calendar invites; and I feel safe around and supported by my mentors and supervisors. It might sound boring, but this professional stability is uncommon, I think, and it’s a major reason why I can be so creative and productive in my work.
What has been your favorite class that you've taken as a student so far and why?
Emmanuella: This is hard to choose because I’ve taken a lot of really amazing classes.
Jess: Dr. Pat Bruch’s seminar on Critical Literacy (WRIT 8560)! I was initially wary because of the seriousness of the topic, but the readings gave names to many of the sour notes I'd been experiencing in my everyday life as well as space for discussion about the implications of unbalanced systems and what we as academics and teachers can do to resist. The discussions were a highlight in my week, even if they were heavy.
Maddi: My favorite class so far has been Dr. Pat Bruch’s seminar, New Challenges for Critical Literacy (WRIT 8560). The reading list was packed with contemporary critical theory on neoliberal capitalism and the intersections of politics, economy, higher ed, and identity, and in our projects we were encouraged to build on the literature in whatever ways we found exciting. I really appreciated that during discussions and in our work, practical questions and philosophical problems were given equal weight and were always regarded as inextricably linked.
What class(es) do you enjoy teaching and why?
Jess: First-Year Writing (WRIT 1301) – I enjoy teaching one of the first small classes that students take as they enter the university. It gives me the opportunity to show them resources available to them (and that I definitely didn't take advantage of when I was an undergrad) while emphasizing how writing can help make their lives in college a bit easier. It's fun to give them written scenarios and watch them come up with solutions as groups.
Maddi: I have taught WRIT 1301 University Writing for three semesters now and it’s one of my favorite parts about being in the RSTC graduate program. Teaching WRIT 1301 has brought me back to basics about “what is writing?” and “what is the point of writing?” with more depth and nuance than I could have anticipated. I’ve grown significantly as an educator over the past year and a half, my curriculum has transformed, and I have a totally different quality of relationship with my students today than when I started teaching. Seeing these aspects of my scholarly practice change over time brings me joy. I’m excited to see what kinds of growth are prompted by teaching WRIT 3562W: Technical and Professional Writing, which I will be doing for the first time in the near future.
How do you hope to use your degree in the future?
Emmanuella: After this program, I hope to work as a User Experience researcher or a Technical Communication Professor who teaches courses on emerging technologies and user experience.
Jess: I hope to work as a lecturer or professor specializing in technical writing and the rhetoric of video games.
Maddi: After I earn my PhD (in RSTC, starting Fall 2025), I hope to enter a teaching and research position at a public university. I want to keep teaching writing and inquiry, and I want to keep studying the parts of life that I consider vital to human progress and a good life for all.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue a graduate degree in rhetoric, writing studies, and technical communication?
Emmanuella: One piece of advice I would give to an aspiring Rhetoric, Writing Studies and Technical Communication graduate student is one of the favorite pieces of advice I have received myself. You don’t have to have it all (e.g., research interests) figured out at the beginning or even before you begin your program. One of the purposes of a graduate degree is to expose you to different topics, perspectives, and insights, which can then help you figure out what you can or want to pursue further. Just be open to learning.
Jess: To research what you find fascinating and difficult. The strength of RSTC is its interdisciplinarity--the theories are applicable to almost anything, so picking foci off the beaten path is both fun and rewarding. Also, remember to pace yourself. There's a lot of reading.
Maddi: My advice for someone looking at a graduate degree in rhetoric, writing studies, and technical communication is to consider your interest in understanding how practice informs theory and theory informs practice. There are so many critical lenses you can apply to unmask how the world works, why, and how to change those inner workings with the written word. A writing-based degree program can help you identify through which lenses you want to examine governing social systems and in what ways you would like to try to engage with them.
What is one fun fact about you?
Emmanuella: I used to be a dancer when I was younger. Somehow, I seem to have lost that ability as I grew older!
Jess: I like to theme my nail polish to the mood for the week. Glitter is both an acceptable form of celebration and resistance!
Maddi: One of my favorite vacation memories is a morning run through Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, and along the Thames. It was a breathtaking way to see London (not just because of the mileage)!