Linda L. Oestreich
2005 Candidate, STC 2nd Vice-President

My Thoughts about STC
Hi, I’m Linda Oestreich, one of your 2005 candidates for STC 2nd Vice-President. I have been an active, dedicated member of STC ever since I became a technical communicator in 1979. In fact, in 1996, I was honored by the Society with the title of Fellow. And, for the past three years, I have been Director-Sponsor of Region 5.

You will have my “official” write-up with your ballot materials and in Intercom. So, this article is my way of bringing to you some of my ideas about the Society and our profession that I hope will help you understand who I am.

You have three choices for this office this year. Each candidate brings with her a wealth of experience, wisdom, and dedication. Naturally, I hope you decide to vote for me, but no matter whom you choose, please do vote!

Relationships and Communities
Our profession and our Society are about relationships and communities. Merriam-Webster says relationship means [the state of] “having an aspect or quality (as resemblance) that connects two or more things or parts as being or belonging or working together or as being of the same kind.” Sounds like a bunch of STCers, doesn’t it?

Many of you have heard about the move to call all of our chapters and SIGs communities. Merriam-Webster gives its first definition of community as “a unified body of individuals.” Even better, a second definition is “a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society.” Change the word living to working, and we have a perfect fit!

Relationships naturally exist within communities. And communities exist to help their members, to provide support, and to offer growth. Communities also have relationships with other communities. STC is, has been, and I hope, will always be, about the relationships within, among, and between communities and the individuals within those communities. It is this aspect of the Society that has kept me excited about being a member and leader for more than 20 years. If you have ever heard me speak, you know that I love what I do, but even more so, I love helping others be better at doing what they do!

The STC Community
The Society for Technical Communication is a vehicle to help all of us be better at what we do. In these days of change, turnover, outsourcing, and offshoring, the global community absolutely needs what we do. Technical communication is necessary. As long as we have technology and change, we will have people who need good technical communicators who can provide bridges to understanding.

I believe in the STC community. I believe that the Society provides and will continue to provide a path for our success. Just as the work we do provides the words and tools that act as bridges to better understanding, I believe that STC provides a way for us to excel in that work. STC communities even help us better understand technical communicators in other fields, in other cities, and in other parts of the world.

A Two-Way Love Affair
Our world is about relationships. Sometimes we forget that relationships need two-way energy. They need feedback and they need care. If you are one of the STC members who wants more value for your membership, perhaps you need to give more than your membership fee to STC.

I have loved STC for more than 20 years, and I have worked hard to be part of its success. STC has loved me back with opportunities. It has shown me the way to new employment, to new heights of my profession, to higher salary levels, and to lifelong friendships that I treasure. For me, it has been you, the people of the Society who have made those benefits possible. I want to be 2nd Vice-President and ultimately President of this Society because I believe in you. You are the people of the Society. I believe you are its heart, and I believe that the changes the Society is experiencing are for ultimate good.

Our organization must be known and respected by industry, by academe, by government, and by everyday people. I want STC to be a recognized acronym—even with people who have never written a users guide, a journal article, a research grant, a help file, or a hardware manual. I want our spouses, our children, and our parents to understand the value we bring to the world. We, as members of the Society, can make that happen through better marketing, varied and accessible educational programs, enthusiastic grass root activities, and strong communities.

Relationships are Our Strength
Communities of practice; communities of interest; communities of geography, communities of communities! It doesn’t matter what we call ourselves when we form relationships, what matters is the relationship.

Our STC relationships provide ongoing mentoring and form a substructure of strength that we can depend on. As the Society moves forward with new programs and new technologies, we find areas of the Society that are in need of repair, recycling, and retirement. However, we also find areas that are strong, viable, and valuable. As we live our professional lives, we choose the parts of the Society that work best for us. Yet, no matter what programs or technologies we embrace, the relationships and the communities of STC are at the core.

I will do all I can to make my belief in this Society contagious. But, you are the key. As a member of the Society, you have a relationship with other members, and you have a relationship with your SIGs, your chapters, your competitions, and your conferences. You can make those relationships strong and reciprocal. As a Society leader, my job is to help ensure that the Society returns your efforts with value.

I am passionate about STC. I believe that passion will help me lead the Society with wisdom and integrity. I hope you believe so, too.