Gabby Brown, an App State senior from Raleigh, is majoring in English–professional writing with minors in Spanish and communication. After graduating from App State, she plans to pursue her Master of Science in technical communication at North Carolina State University. Photo by Ellen Gwin Burnette
BOONE, N.C. — Gabby Brown loves the challenge of transforming complex subjects into simple language — so that anyone can understand them.
As an English–professional writing major at Appalachian State University, Brown specializes in written materials that include technical manuals, corporate communications, website content and grant proposals.
“Technical writing is like working out a puzzle,” said the senior from Raleigh. “I consider the human aspect — all of the populations that might use the information — and try to communicate complicated topics in a way that is accessible and usable to everyone.”
Brown said she has explored different writing disciplines and styles with her minors in Spanish and communication. “I enjoy learning new languages and different ways to convey information,” she shared.
The late Dr. Rosemary Horowitz, a former English professor and director of App State’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies, was a “big influence” on her writing interests, Brown said.
“In Dr. Horowitz’s technical writing courses, I first encountered writing manuals and performing usability testing — in which an end user follows the written instructions step by step to see if it works. I developed a love for this type of writing.”
Dr. Sarah-Beth Hopton, associate professor and internship director in the Department of English, also influenced and mentored Brown. “She is so knowledgeable and supportive, and she helped me with my professional portfolio,” Brown said.
Hopton is overseeing Brown’s departmental honors thesis: a study with Watauga County’s Hunger and Health Coalition, evaluating the accessibility and usability of the organization’s mobile platform among its clients and donors.
“Gabby’s work demonstrates her skillfulness conducting both primary and secondary research — and her findings will undoubtedly help the organization better serve their clients and meet their fundraising and recruitment goals,” Hopton said.
Making her mark outside the classroom
Thanks to several scholarships, Brown said she has been able to fund her education — with more freedom to pursue opportunities outside the classroom. As an incoming first-year student, she received the Academic Excellence Scholarship. During her junior and senior years, she was awarded the Jeni Gray Memorial Endowed Scholarship and the Kate Peterson Scholarship.
Brown provides writing instruction and feedback to students through her job at the university’s Writing Center. “I’ve learned a lot about evaluating the work of others and communicating in a way that is helpful to others,” she said.
Brown is also editor-in-chief of The Peel Literature and Arts Review, a student-run literary and creative expression magazine at App State. Through this role, she has gained practical experience editing the work of other writers, marketing the publication and managing the overall workflow.
“Gabby is an unusually talented student writer,” Hopton said. “She is quick to lead groups and to lend a hand to other students who have less experience with certain writing projects.”
Brown shares her enthusiasm for App State as a CAS Corps member — a student ambassador for the College of Arts and Sciences. She represents the college at events for prospective and current students, parents, alumni and donors.
Her involvement in Campus Ministries has provided Brown with a strong community at App State, she said. “The group has been super supportive and instrumental to my personal growth and development,” she shared.
Brown has completed two internships while at App State. Her first was in spring 2021 with Dr. Cece Conway, a folklore professor in the Department of English. Brown wrote grant proposals for Conway’s film preservation project and for a concert series for folk artists.
In summer 2021, Brown interned as a technical writer with LeNgineer, a research and development company in Titusville, Florida. There, she penned grant proposals and pitches for new technology products.
Her internships whetted her appetite for more education in technical writing, Brown said. After graduating from App State this spring, she plans to pursue a Master of Science in technical communication at North Carolina State University.
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About the Department of English
The Department of English at Appalachian State University is committed to outstanding work in the classroom, the support and mentorship of students, and a dynamic engagement with culture, history, language, theory and literature. The department offers master’s degrees in English and rhetoric and composition, as well as undergraduate degrees in literary studies, film studies, creative writing, professional writing and English education. Learn more at https://english.appstate.edu.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Appalachian State University is home to 17 academic departments, two centers and one residential college. These units span the humanities and the social, mathematical and natural sciences. CAS aims to develop a distinctive identity built upon our university's strengths, traditions and locations. The college’s values lie not only in service to the university and local community, but through inspiring, training, educating and sustaining the development of its students as global citizens. More than 6,800 student majors are enrolled in the college. As the college is also largely responsible for implementing App State’s general education curriculum, it is heavily involved in the education of all students at the university, including those pursuing majors in other colleges. Learn more at https://cas.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.
