Commencement – The G Word

Alumni Profile: Tia Gracey

October 3, 2024October 3, 2024Alumni Profile, Commencement, Ethics in Publishing Conference, Journal of Ethics in Publishing, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Tia Gracey is Associate Editor for Political Science Today at the American Political Science Association (APSA). An outstanding graduate of GW’s Master of Professional Studies in Publishing program (December 2023), she served valiantly as Managing Editor of our GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing, shepherding the second and third issue of the journal to publication. We are blessed with an abundance of talented students in the Graduate Program in Publishing at George Washington University, and we are especially pleased to share the insights of one of our stellar graduates in this alumni profile.

What was the most challenging aspect of the MPS in Publishing program? What was the most rewarding?

This might seem contradictory, but I think the most challenging aspect of the program was the most rewarding to me. There is so much to be involved with in the Publishing program, and it is something I definitely tried to take advantage of, so trying to find a balance between doing all that I could in the program—classes, the book club, the journal—and my own capabilities was challenging.

During your time in the program, you have been instrumental in advancing the GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing, first as the E-Publishing Committee lead, and then as the journal’s Managing Editor. What led you to become involved in the journal, and especially, what led you to pursue the opportunity as Managing Editor? How has this experience had an impact on you?

I was first able to get involved with the journal simply by paying attention to the emails that [Program Director] John Warren sends out. Though they may be lengthy sometimes, there is so much information hidden within them that is vital for students. John had sent one out at the beginning of the Fall 2023 semester, and after being two semesters deep in the program, I felt that I finally had my feet under me. It was a new opportunity for me that would also help me gain the practical experience that I was missing. People who know me know that I put my all into everything once I set my mind on something, so I went into being the E-Publishing Committee Lead with a lot of ambition. I was constantly reaching out to Lois Jones, the Editor-in-Chief for the journal, about what more I could do or if there was anything else I could help with. This ambition was what helped me become a candidate for Managing Editor. I knew that quite a few of the leads were leaving the journal because their time in the program was up, and I had fully expected to just continue as E-Publishing Committee Lead. Imagine my surprise when Lois had reached out asking if I wanted to be Managing Editor. It didn’t take me much deliberation to decide that it was an opportunity I would be ecstatic to take. I’m still so honored to this day that Lois thought of me, because I was finally able to discover the path I wish to take in my publishing career.

Your dedication to the GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing has been inspiring. You led or helped lead efforts to publish two issues within a year, a much faster pace of what we had accomplished previously. I loved how you even thought to create charms for GWJEP for graduation! What advice do you have for new students who might consider getting involved in the journal?

For any new students that are considering joining a GWJEP committee, I would simply say do it if you can. The journal runs on the students’ ambitions and efforts. Without it, no issues would ever be published. If you wish to learn practical publishing skills and can manage your time well enough to gift some to the journal, then I would say put your best foot forward and go for it!

I would also say to keep an open mind. Many students go into the journal wishing to be on the Editorial Committee, and I can completely understand why they do. The Editorial Committee, however, is not the only committee that makes the journal run. If you have your heart set on one committee, though, make sure to let the Editor-in-Chief and the Managing Editor know so they can do their best to fit you in there.

In your second year of the program, you were hired at the American Political Science Association (APSA) as Associate Editor. What are some of the skills and experience you learned in the MPS in Publishing program that you have been able to apply to your job at APSA

Quite a lot of my skills I’ve learned from the classes in the program, particularly E-Publishing Tools, which taught me Adobe InDesign, and Book Design, which taught me about printing needs and requirements. My past jobs have helped me learn website management, and the rest of my job is very administrative. Another big reason that I was able to get hired was because of my role as E-Publishing Committee Lead for the GW journal. If I not been committee lead or included that role in my resume, I’m not sure that I would have gotten as far as I have. I owe my current role to both the program and the journal.

“For any new students that are considering joining a GWJEP committee, I would simply say do it if you can. The journal runs on the students’ ambitions and efforts.”

What advice would you give to new or prospective students to the MPS in Publishing program?

I would recommend that students pay attention to the opportunities they are given. Sometimes they might be hard to see, but pay attention to the emails and your classes. Attend the Publishing CareerBuilders, go to information sessions, meet as many people as you can. You have the opportunity to submit the papers from your capstone to the journal, which would get you published. You can be a part of the journal, a part of the book club and make quite a lot of connections there, you can also find some opportunities from the Society of Scholarly Publishing. Once you start looking for these kinds of opportunities, so many will start popping up around you. Just make sure you have the bandwidth to be able to handle them.

Prior to your Publishing degree, you completed a Master in Liberal Arts at McDaniel College. What are some of the reasons you decided to pursue the MPS in Publishing degree? Why did you choose GW’s program specifically?

Even during the MLA program at McDaniel, I knew that I wanted to get another degree, I just wasn’t sure in what. I have always loved books and writing, all the way back to elementary school. Originally, I thought that I wanted to be an author because I loved writing and the art that I was able to create. I quickly figured out this wasn’t the case while I was writing my thesis for the completion of my degree. While I love writing, and I think I always will, I discovered that I would rather help other people create beautiful works of art rather than forcing myself to do it. It was exhausting. I would rather enjoy writing when I want to instead of forcing myself to do it as a career.

“I would recommend that students pay attention to the opportunities they are given… Attend the Publishing CareerBuilders, go to information sessions, meet as many people as you can. You have the opportunity to submit the papers from your capstone to the journal, which would get you published. You can be a part of the journal, a part of the book club and make quite a lot of connections there, you can also find some opportunities from the Society of Scholarly Publishing.”

What course or what professor made the biggest impact on you during your time at GW?

Tony Julien is to whom I accredit quite a lot of my successes. Through his classes, E-Publishing Tools and E-Publishing Technologies, I have not only learned how to use 2 different Adobe Programs, but I also have more confidence in exploring Adobe programs in general. He influenced me to apply to be a part of the E-Publishing committee, even though I didn’t have any background or knowledge. His willingness to help students learn put me at ease and helped tremendously when I was doubting myself during his classes. My journey through the journal and into the publishing field was directly impacted by his teachings and the energy he puts into teaching. Though difficult, his classes were worth it, and I learned invaluable skills from him during my time in the program.

What have you found to be the value of the MPS in Publishing degree, and how are you using what you learned, as a rising publishing professional?

I remember towards the beginning of my time in the program, I had attended a few Publishing CareerBuilders and one thing that I constantly heard from publishing professionals was that “It wasn’t what you did, it was who you know.” At that time, I didn’t fully understand. Did that mean that my accomplishments and efforts didn’t mean as much? Would I only be able to break through by getting my name out there? How do I get my name out there if I can’t break through? Since getting my foot through the publishing industry door, I can honestly say that one of the biggest pieces of value of the MPS program is who you know. The publishing industry is a lot smaller than you think it is. By taking advantage of the opportunities that the program offers, I was able to start making more connections one by one, and not just connections with my fellow students. All the professors are publishing professionals, the publishing book club members are not just limited to GW students, and authors outside of GW submit to the journal as well. There are plenty of opportunities that GW provides to meet and learn from people outside of GW that, once I started taking advantage of these opportunities, I was finally able to make some headway in forging my path through the publishing industry.

“Although it may be tiring at times, and life can get in the way, try and be as active in the community as you can. It will help so much in the long-run and can even be helpful in the short-run.”

For your Ethics in Publishing Capstone project, you researched ethical issues surrounding Chat GPT and publishing, and you presented your research at the 13^th GW Ethics in Publishing Conference. What was it like to present at this conference, and do you plan to continue your research in this area, perhaps as a journal article?

This was my first time ever presenting at a conference. I won’t lie, I was nervous, and it was a little nerve-wracking. Publishing professionals from all over the world were going to attend this conference. What right did I have to present my purely theoretical capstone in front of 500+ people when I hadn’t even broken into the publishing world yet? [Ethics in Publishing professor] Randy Townsend always encourages his students to submit to the journal and to present at the Ethics in Publishing Conference, and since I had chosen to do a presentation and not a paper, it would have made sense for me to present at the conference, but I was doubtful of myself and my own capstone. It wasn’t until Randy had reached out to me to invite me to present with the other students that I realized, if Randy, who is a publishing professional and educator in the ethics of publishing, enjoyed my presentation and wanted me to present my theories, then why should I continue to doubt myself?

When it came time to present my capstone, I was still nervous, but less so with my new-found confidence. For the people who know me, it is obvious that I can talk for hours about something I am passionate about, and that transfers well even over a screen. I just had to remind myself that once I got into my presentation, I would be fine. I simply needed to make it past my introduction, and then I could get into the meat of it. Funnily enough, my family and friends who watched me told me that I forgot to introduce myself. I guess I was just too excited and nervous to wait.

I’m not sure if I want to turn my presentation into a paper, since most of it was theory. It’s also due to the subject, as the ethics of AI and ChatGPT are constantly evolving day to day. I have discussed with Lois Jones, the Editor-in-Chief of the GW journal, the possibility of writing an article on the ethics of mental health illnesses, specifically ones that include vivid hallucinations, and their representation in video game publishing. Now that I am finished with the journal, I might have time to do this!

Can you share some of the articles or publications that you have written or published?

The two issues published by the GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing are ones I am particularly proud of, as I was able to prove to myself that I can lead a team composed of different committees and that striving to be a Managing Editor is the right direction for me. Those two issues can be found here:

GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing, Volume 2 – Issue 1

GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing, Volume 3 – Issue 1

I would also like to include the magazines that I’ve been able to successfully publish at my job as Associate Editor of APSA, where I have successfully printed and electronically published 3 issues of the quarterly membership magazine:

Political Science Today, Volume 3 – Issue 4

Political Science Today, Volume 4 – Issue 1

Political Science Today, Volume 4 – Issue 2

Finally, I would like to include the video and slides for my capstone.

Thank you, Tia!

Isabella Greene, Publishing—Graduate Distinguished Scholar Award

December 15, 2023December 15, 2023Awards, Commencement, Ethics in Publishing Conference, KudosLeave a Comment

Isabella Greene was the recipient of the 2023 College of Professional Studies Graduate Distinguished Scholar Award at the 2023 CPS Commencement Ceremony. The College of Professional Studies Graduate Distinguished Scholar Award recognizes the graduate student who best demonstrates the college’s core competencies of strategic thinking, communication, collaboration, leadership, and ethics.

Director John W. Warren introduces Isabella Greene as the CPS Graduate Distinguished Scholar Award at the 2023 CPS Commencement Ceremony.

All who are familiar with GW’s graduate program in publishing knows that we are blessed with a plethora of outstandingly talented students. We think that the talent can’t possibly get better, and it goes up a notch. Isabella’s talents and practice in strategic thinking, effective communication, collaboration, leadership, and commitment to ethics exemplify the CPS Core Competencies.

Isabella is one of the most impressive students I’ve had the honor to work with in the eleven years that I have been associated with the program at GW.

She graduates with a GPA of 4.0, in the top 1 percent of her cohort. She worked full-time throughout most of the program as Project Manager for Pubvendo, a digital marketing firm for publishers and authors. Her contributions and projects have been consistently thoughtful, comprehensive, and strategic, while generously supportive of the learning and growth of her peers.

For her Ethics in Publishing capstone, Bella developed a project that combined both applied ethics and research, to improve accessibility and employment in the publishing industry. She conducted extensive interviews about disabilities, including hidden or “invisible” disabilities, developed a survey and a website to support her project, and conducted a case-study within a team of copy editors.

She then developed that project into her own company, AbiliTEAM Consulting LLC., to help employers support employees with disabilities and accommodation needs, including invisible or hidden conditions.

Isabella Greene receives the CPS Graduate Distinguished Scholar Award at the 2023 CPS Commencement Ceremony.

In October, she presented her project and survey at our 12th GW Ethics in Publishing Conference; the only current student to present at our hybrid conference, which was streamed to 400 attendees.

She subsequently entered GW’s prestigious New Venture Competition and reached the semifinal round; as the only CPS student and the only solo entrepreneur in her Business Goods & Services track.

I am honored to have worked with her over these two years. Bella is an accomplished student leader; ambitious and driven, while equally caring, empathetic, supportive and helpful to her peers.

Comments from GW Graduate Program in Publishing professors:

Randy Townsend: I enthusiastically support Isabella Greene’s nomination for this year’s Distinguished Scholar Award. In the Ethics in Publishing course, our discussions on invisible and chronic illnesses inspired Isabella to explore this topic for her capstone project. Isabella’s experience with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome made her project personal. Throughout the 2022 summer session, she mapped out a blueprint for AbiliTEAM Consulting LLC, a company she launched just a few short months after the conclusion of the class. Officially licensed as an LLC in Massachusetts, AbiliTEAM Consulting LLC now supports organizations in their pursuit to become more inclusive and accessible.

Puja Telikicherla: Isabella’s drive, focus, and dedication to positive change make her an outstanding recipient for the Graduate Distinguished Scholar Award. She represents the core values of this merit through her consistent pursuit of education in service to the greater good, her skillful problem-solving, her sincere empathy towards others, and her willingness to create innovative methods within the structure of an established industry. She embodies leadership and teaches by example and her passion for continuous improvement can transform the publishing landscape. I also had the good fortune to see Isabella’s name on our list of submissions for the 2022 Ethics in Publishing conference, held both online and in-person last October. (I am a co-organizer of the conference with John W. Warren and am responsible for evaluating submissions and scheduling presentations). Isabella’s submission, Publishing Accessibility Support Systems, centered on her work as the founder of AbiliTEAM Consulting, an accessibility consulting firm in the service of supporting workers with invisible and chronic illness. It is worth mentioning that the Ethics in Publishing conference occurred just at the conclusion of my Fall 2022 course that Isabella was enrolled in, giving her double duties at a particularly busy time of year. Not only does Isabella have extraordinary energy and motivation, but her time management skills demonstrate just how disciplined she is with her many pursuits and projects, both within the CPS and beyond, and how willing she is to help no matter how menial the task.

Please join me in congratulating Isabella Greene, our 2023 CPS Graduate Distinguished Scholar.

Dean Smith Faculty Excellence Award, CPS

December 15, 2023December 15, 2023Awards, Commencement, Kudos, UncategorizedLeave a Comment

Professor Dean Smith was the recipient of the 2023 College of Professional Studies Faculty Excellence Award at the 2023 CPS Commencement Ceremony. This honor is awarded to the part-time faculty member in the College of Professional Studies who has provided extraordinary service to the students and the college. The award recognizes both enlightened teaching and meritorious efforts to advance the college and its programs.

John W. Warren, Director, GW Graduate Program in Publishing, introducing Professor Dean Smith and the CPS Faculty Excellence Award.

Dean Smith has taught in the MPS in Publishing program since Fall 2012. His course, Book and Journal Publishing, is our students’ first entry into the program; for many of our students it is their first entry into the profession of publishing; a nuanced, complex, and challenging profession to summarize succinctly in a twelve-week course.

Professor Smith’s full-time role is Director of Duke University Press, one of the most prestigious university presses in the world and a rather large enterprise. He has plenty on his hands. Nevertheless, he comes to GW’s Alexandria campus once per week, from Durham, North Carolina, for his twelve-week course to teach the course in person, in addition to teaching the online course during the same twelve weeks.

In his course, Dean brings in a wide variety of guest lecturers to speak about the different sectors and roles in publishing. People such as the President/CEO of Elsevier, and SVP of Ingram Content Group, as well as well-known authors and other publishers.

Dean is a devoted mentor to students and an outstanding professor. He has been instrumental in introducing students to job opportunities. Here are some words of support from Dean’s students, typical of what I hear from his students every year.

From Isabella Greene, our CPS Graduate Distinguished Scholar:

Dean encouraged me to be bold in my pursuit of publishing jobs and to keep an open mind throughout the program. He really set the tone for what ended up being a fantastic program.

Professor Dean Smith receives the CPS Faculty Excellence Award, Commencement, 2023

From Casey Aimer:

Dean exemplifies excellence and a commitment to the program that exceeds all others. His immense love for publishing and preparing the next generation of professionals propels him to travel from North Carolina to teach each week. His class is the cornerstone of the first semester and is the perfect introduction to the program.

And Kelley Robbins:

Tapping his own personal and professional network, Dean brings in longtime publishing professionals to speak to his students during class sessions and share their insights about the industry and areas of expertise. He goes above and beyond the basic requirements of being an instructor and serves as a springboard to help launch students into their publishing careers. I consider him both a friend and mentor and can’t think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.

Join me in congratulating Professor Dean Smith for the 2023 CPS Faculty Excellence Award.