Come see why Spectrum is regarded as the best regional TechComm conference! Great speakers, great networking, great learning. Your registration includes a pre-conference webinar, keynote and reception, and a full day of presentations, progressions, and workshops.

We’ve also added a Leadership Institute on Tuesday, April 24, designed to share leadership best practices with current and future leaders of local communities/chapters of STC and similar organizations.

For more information, visit our Spectrum Conference website at http://spectrum.stc-rochester.org

Related articles

• Spectrum 2012 Opportunities for Support (stc-rochester.org)

Feeling the February chill? We have a reprieve! Come hang out with some warm-hearted people, enjoy some hearty  food, and get some mental and emotional fuel to combat the winter blahs. We will also be “sharing the love” by giving you the opportunity to win some great items such as a free program registration for this year, in addition to some sweet prizes! Any paid registrant is eligible (members and non-members)! Only those present can win! You can bring your Valentine, too. After all, we want you to be happy, even if our event comes after Valentine’s Day!

Our speaker will rekindle your interest in learning!

Education in the Age of Technology

Technology has had a significant impact on many aspects of our personal and professional lives, and not surprisingly, on our views about how we educate people. How can we as professionals address technology “distractions” like social media and mobile devices, how do we find opportunities for “student” engagement in the midst of those distractions, and how do we find the resources required to educate instructors? Will instructional paradigms need to change? How do we address information immediacy needs and wants? Answers to these questions are currently being sought at many higher education institutions. During this presentation we will discuss options for new education paradigms, review technology-use case scenarios, and examine associated challenges and strategies as they relate to integrating new forms of instructional delivery (both technical and non-technical) into the learner’s classroom. Whether you are a technology enthusiast, a skeptic, or an observer who is unsure what to think, you will have an opportunity to engage in the conversation and explore the issues.

Agenda:
5:30 Networking
6:00 – 7:00 Dinner
7:00 - 8:00 Jessica Hooper Presents

Menu Choices:

• Grilled Chicken topped with Spinach, Artichokes, and Feta Cheese with a side of Saffron Risotto and Vegetable of the Day
• Stuffed Pork Loin with Apple Walnut Dressing, and and a Apple Riesling Reduction with a side of Mashed Potatoes and Vegetable of the Day
• NY Strip Steak seasoned with Sweet Smokehouse Rub served with a side of Mashed Potatoes or Saffron Risotto and Vegetable of the Day
• Artichokes, Roasted Red Peppers, Black Olives, and Button Mushrooms in a Lemon, Garlic Butter Sauce over a bed of Linguine

Meal includes Coffee or Hot Tea, and Chocolate Cake

Cash Bar available

When:
Wednesday February 15, 2012
5:30 – 8:00 pm

Where:
Towpath Cafe in Fairport, NY
http://towpathcafe.com/

RSVP: Reservations are appreciated by noon February13th (Monday). Register on Eventbrite. After that, please contact marilyn.woelk@gmail.com  or programs@stc-rochester.org.

To renew your membership or to join Rochester STC, go to http://www.stc.org/membership/join-or-renew-now.

Meet our Speaker:

STC Rochester is proud to partner with Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) this year to bring you Spectrum 2012.

Spectrum 2012, STC Rochester’s 53rd annual conference, is scheduled to kick-off on Sunday, April 22, 2012 with keynote speaker Pam Sherman and a cocktail reception open to all conference attendees. Monday, April 23 begins a day of unique presentations, demonstrations of exciting new technologies and services in the Tech Comm industry, progression sessions, and lightning talks.

This year’s theme is Knowledge, Expertise, Leadership: Influence Change in Your Organization. Our diverse format will provide state-of-the-art information, technology, and inspiration to empower technical communication professionals to be able to build a business case for new ideas and technology, share their knowledge, and lead change in their organization. Attendees will leave Spectrum 2012 with the technical and soft skills their employers need for success and immediately add value to their roles as technical communicators.

Presenters from across the country and Canada will be in Rochester, NY to discuss communication models, innovative tools and technologies, business challenges, content reuse, translation, and other topics dedicated to helping technical communicators grow. The topics and exhibitors will provide an exciting range of forward-thinking ideas with an emphasis on influencing one’s company and learning to speak the language of company decision makers.

Spectrum is a regional conference that attracts attendees from New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, California, and Canada. It is the only educational conference for the technical communications industry in the area. Over the past few years the Rochester chapter has become geographically diverse as we welcome members from other areas of New York and as far away as California. Our annual Technical Publications competition also attracts entrants from many areas in the Northeast. Last year we were recognized by the Society as a Community of Excellence and received a Pacesetter Award.

Becoming a supporter of Spectrum 2012 as a sponsor, exhibitor, or advertiser offers you a chance to showcase your products and services to a wide variety of technical communicators and managers from companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Bausch + Lomb, Xerox, and many other top, multi-national organizations.

For more information on becoming a sponsor,  download the Opportunities for Support brochure or contact adv@stc-rochester.org.

The STC Rochester Chapter invites you to join us at Barnes & Noble RIT at 6:00 pm Tuesday January 17th for light refreshments and networking. Afterwards, Tina Smagala will share some tips about:

STR8-TALK for Difficult Conversations
In any field, successful outcomes require successful relationships. And, successful relationships require successful conversations. We call these conversations, STR8-TALK Conversations, where the real issues are addressed in an environment of respectful candor. Whether it’s coaching direct reports or communicating with peers, the boss or even at home, STR8-TALK will help you lead difficult conversations with confidence, candor, and care while building the relationships necessary to achieve results. You’ll take-away practical tools and insights including a step-by-step process to guide your conversations from beginning to end. The STR8-TALK Toolkit will give you everything you need to transform potential confrontations into productive conversations at work and at home so you can worry less and accomplish more!  During this interactive presentation, you’ll experience live vignettes of STR8-TALK conversations that will entertain, educate, and engage you!

For those not attending in-person, log into Tina’s presentation at 7:00 pm.

Agenda:
6:00 – 7:00 Networking
7:00 – 8:00 Webinar

Snacks:
Coffee, tea, and light refreshments provided for in-person attendees

When:
Tuesday January 17, 2012
6:00 – 8:00 pm

Where:
Barnes & Noble RIT or Online

RSVP: Reservations are appreciated by noon January 16th (Monday). After that, please contact marilyn.woelk@gmail.com  or programs@stc-rochester.org. Order tickets via Eventbrite:
http://stcrochesterjanuaryprogram2012-efbevent.eventbrite.com

To renew your membership or to join Rochester STC, go to http://www.stc.org/membership/join-or-renew-now.

Meet the Presenter

Tina Smagala is Regional Director (Rochester) at RV Rhodes LLC.

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tina-smagala/17/3b1/a6b

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Contact Lori Meyer at membership@stc-rochester.org to get on the STC Rochester e-mail list. Members and non-members welcome!

Rochester STC December Meeting, Wednesday Dec. 7, 2011

Our speaker will be:

Hannah Morgan, Career strategist and founder of CareerSherpa.net

“Your Career: New Year, New Focus”

What will your New Year’s Resolution be this year? Is this the year you will focus on your satisfaction at work? One recent survey by Mercer found that almost 1/3 of employees are seriously considering leaving their current job and an additional 1/4 are not engaged in their work. Whether you are planning on staying in a job you love or leaving one you hate, make this the year you dedicate to your career. In this presentation, we will explore and discuss:

*       5 Easy ways to increase your personal online reputation *

*       How to build “it” before you need “it” *

*      The Best Career Insurance policy ever*

Hannah is an energetic, compassionate conveyer of no-nonsense career advice. Hannah shares information on the latest career management and job search trends and techniques on her blog, Career Sherpa, and is a featured blogger on other nationally-recognized sites. Her expertise and insight comes from 10+ years supporting and guiding dislocated workers from a broad range of industries and occupations. Hannah was a Career Consultant with Lee Hecht Harrison and Trainer/adviser in Workforce development.  Hannah was recognized by Monster.com as one of the top 11 job search bloggers to watch in 2011.

As a Career Consultant, Hannah draws upon her experience in Human Resources, Outplacement Services and Workforce Development to guide those new to job search through the process and towards their goals. Visit her site to learn more www.careersherpa.net.

Details

When:
Wednesday December 7, 2011
5:30-8:15 pm

Where:

Joey’s Pasta House
1789 Penfield Road,
Penfield, NY14526
(585) 586-2426
joeyspastahouse.com

Cost:
$20 members; $25 guests/non members.  Please register on EventBrite  http://stcrochester2011holidayprogram.eventbrite.com/   by 5:00, Monday, Dec. 6, 2011.

For questions, contact marilyn.woelk@gmail.com  or programs@stc-rochester.org

Agenda:

5:30 Networking
6:00 Dinner
7:00 Presentation

Menu:

Salad:                House Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, served with Bread & Butter
Hors d’oeuvres: Artichoke French
Pasta:                Angel Hair Pasta with choice of Alfredo Sauce or Vodka Sauce
Entree:              Chicken Marsala
Side Dish:         Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
Dessert:            Homemade Cannolis & Cream Puffs
Drinks:              Coffee, tea,

A Cash Bar will be available.

REGISTER NOW so you can come and watch the drawing for our Philips 19″ flat-screen LCD TV with Crystal clear technology, HD TV 720p, Incredible Surround/DolbyDigital Sound…with connection via HDMI x2 with Easy-link or TV PC-in. The estimated value of this prize is $230.00. In order to be eligible, please renew your membership or join as a member of Rochester STC by Dec. 6th. Only those renewing or joining are eligible to win! You must either be present at this meeting, pick up the prize, or pay shipping to your location if you are the winner.

To renew your membership or to join Rochester STC, go to
http://www.stc.org/membership/join-or-renew-now