April At-a-Glance Banner
In This Issue

 

Thursdays @ STC Chicago

April Meetup: From Tech Comm to Content Strategy

April: Career Workshop with Jack Molisani

STC Chicago Chapter Election

STC Chicago Annual Awards Dinner Recap

2013 Summit News

STC Webinars

Alliance Meetings

At-a-Glance Contest

Social Networks


ThursdaysThursdays @ STC Chicago

Join fellow technical communicators for lunch at the following locations on Thursday, April 4:
 
City Location
Caffe Baci at 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
2 N LaSalle St building (entrance on Madison)
Chicago, IL 60602
  
Northern Location
Go Roma at 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
900 Milwaukee Ave.
Lincolnshire, IL 60069

Southwestern Location 
DuPage Inn at 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
2410 Ogden Ave.
Downers Grove, IL 60515

Northwestern Location 
Panera Bread 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
622 E. Golf Road (between Meacham and Roselle)
Schaumburg, IL 60173

To help us try to ensure seating for everyone, please email the site contact (listed above for each location) and let him or her know you're coming. Drop-ins are always welcome, but reservations are recommended. Questions? See Thursdays @ STC Chicago.  

Want to start a group of your own? Contact [email protected] to learn how.

MeetupApril Meetup: From Tech Comm to Content Strategy
 
Join us on Thursday, April 18 at 6pm in downtown Chicago for our FREE joint event with the Chicago Content Strategists. This is a casual meeting where you can network and learn about technical communication and content strategy. The event's topic is From Tech Comm to Content Strategy
 
Alan J. Porter
It seems that a lot of people from all aspects of the communications business are calling themselves "Content Strategists" these days. But what exactly do we mean by "Content Strategy"? What skills do you need to develop to be a successful Content Strategist, and how do you map a path to achieve that?

Alan J. Porter will present a discussion based on his own experience of starting out as a technical writer, to currently leading the Global Content Strategy for one of the world's top 100 brands. 
 
For more information, including parking and transportation details, visit our website. And even though this event is free, please register so we have your name to provide to building security for when you check in. 

WorkshopApril: Career Workshop with Jack Molisani
 
Jack Molisani
Join STC Chicago and STC Wisconsin for a joint workshop on Saturday, April 20, 2013 to jump-start your career with guest speaker Jack Molisani! This event contains two parts: 
 
Part I: Career Advancement Through Personal Branding
"I recently went to a conference where attendees' name tags included the phrase, 'Ask me about... [then the answer attendees provided when registering].' While the intent was to give attendees a way to break the ice when networking, I realized the whole concept of personal branding could be summarized by that simple statement, 'Ask me about...'
 
Part II: Honing Your Workplace Negotiation Skills
We're all negotiating for what we want, whether deciding which movie to see with a friend, managing the scope of a project, or asking for a raise. In Part II of our career workshop, Jack will facilitate a hands-on negotiation workshop.
 
This workshop also contains two panel discussions: 
  • What do Technical Publication managers look for in a candidate?
  • Working with a recruiter
For more information and to register, visit STC Wisconsin's website

Election2013 STC Chicago Chapter Election
 
It's time to vote! 

The 2013 STC Chicago Election is now open through April 22. If you're an STC Chicago member, you received an email this morning with a link to your ballot. If you're a member and you didn't receive an email, please contact [email protected]

Regardless of your membership status, feel free to read a short bio of the candidates

AwardsSTC Chicago Annual Awards Dinner Recap
 
On March 21, over 30 technical communicators gathered in Elk Grove Village, IL to honor this year's Technical Communication Competition winners. We had amazing participation in this year's competition, and we were proud to award good work. Congratulations to this year's competition winners

We also took a moment to recognize this year's technical communication scholarship winners. Congratulations to Jamil Wilkins of the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Tracy Castro of the College of Lake County. Best of luck to both students on their future endeavors! 

Finally, we honored our chapter members who have dedicated their time and efforts to the society this year. Our chapter award winners included:
  • Presidents Award: Cynthia Laughlin
  • Volunteer of the Year Award: Apryl Cox-Jackson
  • Chapter Star Award: Jos�e Martens
  • Robert G. Frank Award: Francis Bao
  • Distinguished Chapter Service Award: Elizabeth Burke and Adam Evans
Thank you to all who contributed to the success of this year's banquet. Without our volunteers, we could not be a successful chapter. 

SummitRegistrationSummit 2013 Update

Technical Communication Summit Logo

This year, the Summit program, sessions, and details are available on Lanyrd. Lanyrd is an open, social conference directory that lets you see who is speaking at and attending the Summit, build your schedule, and connect with others. If you're not attending the Summit, you can "track" the event to stay updated on news and activities.

 

Follow @STC_Summit on Twitter for news about the Summit, including the upcoming first-time attendees webinar and other activities.


WebinarsSTC Webinars

Tuesday, April 2 | 9:00-10:00 am CDT
Presented by Sharon Burton

Thursday, April 4 | 12:00 am-1:00 pm CDT
Presented by Rhyne Armstrong

Thursday, April 4 | 3:00-4:00 pm CDT
Presented by Nathaniel Lim and Rhyne Armstrong
FREE for Summit Attendees

Tuesday, April 9 | 9:00-10:00 am CDT
Presented by Lynn Nickels

Wednesday, April 10 | 1:00-2:00 pm CDT
Presented by David Dick

Thursday, April 11 | 9:00-10:00 am CDT
Presented by Bindu Nayar and Bhavana Mohanraj

allianceAlliance Meetings

ODN Chicago
Thursday, April 11
5:30-8:30 pm

Chicago SHRM
Tuesday, April 16
8:00-9:15 am

ASTD
Saturday, April 20
9:00 am-4:30 pm

CISPI
Wednesday, April 24
12:00-1:00 pm

CODIC
Saturday, April 27
9:00 am


ContestAt-a-Glance Photo Contest

Despite how it may feel, it's officially Spring in Chicago, which means that soon our parks will be filled with tourists and residents alike. Cloud Gate, or as its more commonly known, the Bean, is a Chicago icon in the heart of Millennium Park (see the email header image). 

Interestingly enough, the Bean is cleaned several times a day to maintain its original shine. How many times a day do you think it's wiped down? 

a) 2 times
b) 3 times
c) 4 times
d) 5 times

Send your answer to [email protected]. The first person to respond with the correct answer wins a $20 giftcard to Amazon.com. Check our blog for news of a winner.

Contestants are eligible to win only one prize within any 12-month period. We notify the winner via email. 

SocialNetworksSTC Chicago Social Networks

 

 

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2013 STC Community of Excellence
 
2012 STC Community of Distinction

2011 STC Community of the Year