Featured TWC Student: Ai-Quynh Bui
Ai-Quynh is one of our terrific students in the Technical Writing and Communication (TWC) major. She is an honors student and declared the TWC major in Spring 2023. Ai-Quynh is focusing on the information technology and design sub-plan, and is also minoring in user experience (UX). Get to know more about Ai-Quynh and the TWC program below!
Why did you decide to major/minor in TWC?
I decided to major in TWC because I feel that it's an overlooked field. Technical communication, whether it be a user manual for a coffee machine or documentation for a project plan, is necessary in every field, and sometimes we don't realize how important it is until we have inadequate technical communication that doesn't fully serve our needs. Communication is the cornerstone of anything and everything we do, and the TWC program offers a disciplined approach into how we can better leverage and strategize our communication skills.
What is your favorite part of the TWC program?
I enjoy the variety of sub-plans TWC offers! Every field will have its own subfields, and I appreciate that the program recognizes the diversity of the TWC field because technical communication is necessary everywhere for everything. I like that I'm not just learning about technical communication, I'm learning about its specific applications.
What has been your favorite class so far and why?
So far, I enjoyed Visual Rhetoric and Design (WRIT 3671) with John Logie the most. I enjoy visual art, so getting to tap into rhetoric from a visual perspective was exciting for me to explore. Up until that class, my work in rhetoric was language-based and often through the lens of classical Western rhetoric. WRIT 3671 was a refreshing departure from that perspective, and well proved how much document design and visuals matter when creating any deliverable.
What is one project that you've particularly enjoyed and has supported your professional development?
I've particularly enjoyed writing my two major essays for Writing on Issues of Science and Technology (WRIT 3152W) with Capper Nichols, which is a class that focuses on the narrative essay style rather than the academic/research essay style. While narrative essays aren't directly related to the objective, black-and-white style of technical and professional communication, my essay projects offered me an outlet to practice a different writing genre that I still found enjoyable and useful. This diversification nuanced my understanding of and approaches to research, curating and explaining ideas, and editing and style.
What do you enjoy most about the technical writing and communication fields?
I appreciate TWC's structured creativity and particular emphasis on editing and style. I enjoy being able to make my own decisions within a set framework, and I greatly value consistency in style and editing (something I feel is sometimes overlooked compared to writing content). In most of my previous coursework, there was a lot of focus on research and synthesis. Research and synthesis are important, but I felt like style then took a backseat role; I wasn't always getting feedback that my writing and editing styles were effective or appropriate for my ideas or the genre, so I'm glad that style gets notable priority in TWC.
How do you hope to use your TWC degree in the future?
After I graduate in Spring 2026, I'd love to pursue my master's degree in TWC or a related discipline (lately, I've been eyeing this one program in information design and strategy). Professionally, I like the idea of being a technical writer proper, but I'm also open to experiences in UX, whether it be as a UX writer, researcher, or designer. But maybe someday much later, I'll have my own satire column at The New Yorker—Anthony Borowitz is bound to retire at some point, right?
What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue an undergraduate degree in technical writing and communication?
Don't be afraid to ask questions! Because TWC is a lesser known/understood field, it can be more complex or less intuitive sometimes, but don't let that deter you from pursuing it! Accept not knowing things as doorways to fulfilling your curiosity, and learning even more.
And more generally, I recommend reading outside of classwork, whether it be journalism, novels, or even screenplays. Reading can make you a better writer and communicator :)
What is one fun fact about you?
I love live music! Raves, punk shows, Spring Jam, or your friend's cousin's girlfriend's classmate's basement, I'm there!