By: Leo Boshardy
College of DuPage Professor Steven Accardi and students from his Writing for Nonprofits course have partnered with CREO DuPage to help create communication strategies and boost effective use of social media platforms.
Offered through the Writing Studies program, Writing for Nonprofits is a dedicated service learning class that provides students the opportunity to work with and write for a local community organization. CREO is a nonprofit pre-college program focused on helping Latinx students in the DuPage area prepare for and complete their college studies.
“The goal is to give students a real hands-on experience with their writing, a chance to apply what they’ve learned at to see its impact,” he said. “CREO identified several needs they had, and students responded with writing projects such as designing messaging strategies, composing success stories and persuading new donors to sponsor.”
Students interviewed CREO graduates in the process of making final plans for college, and their stories will be featured during an upcoming fundraising campaign in May. Stephanie Larkins, a Library and Information Science major at COD, said CREO’s work in DuPage County’s Latinx community will have lasting effects.
“CREO is a worthwhile organization that helps the community by boosting up youth who may not have the resources and advantages that others have,” she said. “I am proud to help them in any way I can so that they can continue their work and expand to help even more families.”
Writing Studies student Molly Muriby recommended creating a series of content templates that included relevant rhetorical needs for various audiences.
“Hearing that my writing is directly impacting an organization that is doing such meaningful work is very fulfilling,” she said. “In addition to knowing that I am helping CREO, I am adding real, practical writing experience that will fortify the portfolio I have started this semester.”
Student Luis Villaseñor saw the class as an opportunity to make a difference.
“People need help, and I like seeing the smiles on their faces when I help them. Working for or supporting a nonprofit is a respectable and virtuous thing to do,” he said. “I was drawn to help CREO because I am a Hispanic student and I know the struggles that many of us go through. After learning in this class the importance of rhetoric as well as how to use it, I have a great ability at my disposal.”
Pictured, from left, Luis Villaseñor, Stephanie Larkins and Molly Muriby.