The 2013 membership season opened on 1 October, and we’ve seen plenty of renewals as well as a number of new members over the first month! Your Friendly Neighborhood Blogger looked through the names and picked a few people to talk to about their membership and why they’re a part of STC. Below are a few questions with our final participant, Ann Blankinship. Ann first joined STC on 6 October … 1972! That means she just passed 40 years with the Society, so of course we had to talk to her! You can see the other five posts in this series at these links.
First of all, welcome back to STC! According to our database you first joined the Society on 6 October 1972, so we just passed the 40th anniversary of you joining! What has STC meant to you over the past 40 years?
STC has meant job referrals, professional development, and just plain fun! I joined in 1972 during my first technical editing job in Richland, Washington, after college. After that job ended the next year, the STC office and the Houston Chapter employment committee manager Fred Harbaugh helped me find a job in Houston.
Later, other Houston STC members referred or recommended me for every other job I had after that until I retired in 2008!
Through the years, I served as Houston Chapter president and later managed the Chapter Public Relations Competition and International Technical Publications Competition in the mid 1990s. I served on the STC international board as Assistant to the President for Competitions from 1998–2000.
I enjoyed serving STC and meeting many members who became friends, with whom I shared fun and laughter.
What value did the communities bring to you during your career?
Richland, Washington, did not have a chapter while I was there. I have only belonged to the Houston Chapter, which has been a source of job referrals and friends!
Chapter members encouraged me to run for president in 1994, which I would not have done on my own. The presidency helped me gain self-confidence professionally and opened the way for me to serve on the international level.
How did the Society change throughout your time as a member?
By the mid 1990s, the society and Houston Chapter had many more members than they do today. The publications were all on paper. There were no special interest groups. Now both the Society and the chapter operate with fewer members and resources, and the publications are all online.
Society members were debating the merits of certification when I joined 40 years ago. The debate continued off and on through the years, and now certification is finally in place.
I understand you’re retired now, but still continue renewing your membership. Why is that?
I firmly believe in the value of STC to technical communicators. I am loyal to the Houston Chapter and enjoy seeing old friends at meetings and networking lunches. I like to keep up with the trends and issues in technical communication even though I’m not working.
Anything else you’d like to add?
I advise members to remain members as the years pass and throughout the ups and downs of their careers. If you attend events in person, you make closer friends and network more effectively. Don’t just rely on electronic media to network with others. Take a leadership role in an STC chapter or other community. The experience you will gain can serve you the rest of your life.