Howe Writing Center Alumni Spotlight: Nicole McDaniel ('15)
Interviewed by Emily Alexander ('28)
Nicole McDaniel ('15), a Creative Writing and English Literature alum and now a project manager in Miami’s University Communications and Marketing Department, speaks with current graduate student Emily Alexander ('28) about her time as a Howe Writing Center consultant, and the ways in which that experience has shaped her professional career.
When Nicole McDaniel looks back on her formative years at Miami University, one role stands out above all others: working as a consultant at the Howe Writing Center (HWC). “It’s still my favorite job I’ve had,” she shared. As she navigated her life after undergrad and ultimately found herself back at Miami as a marketing expert, she attributes much of the professional success she’s had with the skills she gained doing the challenging work of a writing consultant.
From Miami to Marketing
Nicole joined the HWC in her sophomore year, while double-majoring in Creative Writing and English Literature. She spent her junior and senior years consulting before graduating in 2015. Soon after, she accepted her first role as a technical editor for a clinical consulting company, tackling long hospital reports. Though the work was specialized and meticulous, Nicole credits the HWC with preparing her to analyze efficiently and edit for clarity: “I was able to take these reports that were hundreds of pages long and arrive at a place where I could understand the material and adapt to the editing conventions required.”
Her career since then has taken her through a variety of editorial, social media, and marketing roles, from sales for a small publishing house to marketing for a large church. While not every job has been a perfect fit, for her the best parts of each of them have been found in writing, communicating and being part of a team: “I love that the most, creating something with other people.”
Somewhat unexpectedly she finds herself back at Miami as a project manager in the marketing communications department. Thinking about where she is now she remarks: “This has been a fun plot twist! It wasn't anything I ever expected when I was earning my degree, but then again, universities need marketing roles too.”
Lessons from Consulting
Nicole credits the HWC with the realization that her favorite way of working with people is one-to-one, helping people by listening to them and offering advice or solutions. Thinking back, she says: “Working at the writing center really honed my ability to dig in and keep asking critical questions, and this has been relevant to so many of my roles. I had to learn to communicate with a wide range of people and meet them where they are.”
This paradigm of the writing consultant has followed her through her professional life, the ability to meet any challenge that is presented to her whether she is experienced in the genre or not. Discussing her current role as project manager she says: “Sometimes I am unsure about something in a project, and I draw on my time in the writing center to say, okay, let’s take a step back. Actually we need to address the big picture before we can understand what is needed for a lower-order concern. These things are often at tension with each other, and is something I often navigated with writers.”
Advice for Current Consultants
Nicole encourages current consultants to approach their future by thinking about what makes them happy. As part of her journey she needed to try several different roles to find out what would allow her to continue growing both creatively and professionally. Thinking back on her experience she says: “Don’t expect your first job to be your dream job. Look for opportunities where you can grow, use your skills, and find joy. And don’t be afraid to make a shift if something isn’t giving you life anymore.”
Interviewer Reflection
Interviewer Emily Alexander took inspiration from her conversation with Nicole: “It’s always great to get a reminder of how awesome the thing you are actively pursuing actually is! Nicole was so enthusiastic about her time in the HWC that I got really pumped to be returning to consulting this semester (after having only done grad hours the past two semesters). I also think Nicole’s message about adaptability will be a good thing to take with me on the job market in a few years. As a grad student, I definitely have one particular vision for what I want at the end of grad school, but going into the job search knowing what qualities I’m looking for in a place of employment or knowing what I value doing and letting that guide my search, rather than staying rigidly committed to this vision that I have, will be really important.”
