Chapter of Distinction Award: Scaling New Heights

By Susan Alexander

May 2004 brought several euphoric moments for STC India Chapter members when the chapter won its first chapter achievement awards. Learning that we had received the Chapter of Excellence award was reason enough to cheer. Surpassing this with the Chapter of Distinction award is a special achievement; one we can all be proud of.

This article describes how STC India Chapter attained this recognition.

STC Chapter Achievement Awards are the result of a chapter meeting several stipulated criteria. These criteria assess the nature of activities that are undertaken by a chapter, its systems and processes, and the impact this chapter has within the industry and the community.

There are three types of chapter achievement awards:

Chapter of Merit
Chapter of Excellence
Chapter of Distinction

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Each achievement award is awarded based on a specific set of criteria that might be substituted with others of a similar nature with the approval of the chapter’s Director-Sponsor. Michele Berkes the outgoing Director-Sponsor for Region 6 provided excellent direction with the applications. It was Michele who suggested that the India Chapter fill in whatever we could in the application for Chapter of Distinction too. This last application is rather more involved than the other two, as it requires brief write-ups on various criteria, as well as URLs to substantiate articles written by India Chapter members in journals other than those of STC, press releases made by our chapter, and so on. The fact that it was possible to meet the criteria for these awards is the result of the wonderful work done by STC India Chapter members over the five odd years our chapter has been in existence. The thoughtful initiatives of previous Admin Councils have resulted in excellent processes and streamlining of the way we function. In fact it is you, STC India Chapter members and the Indian technical writing community that helped us get this award. For those unassuming volunteers who have supported our chapter and wonder if your efforts have made a difference; let me say, “Yes, Yes, Yes.”

Coming down to other aspects, our award-winning Newsletter INDUS, annual conferences, competitions, Website, learning sessions, articles written by chapter members in various journals and ezines, the high percentage of STC sustaining organizations from India, and salient efforts of India Chapter members to develop Technical Communication courses in collaboration with universities have made the Chapter of Distinction award possible.

In the end, this award is for all the dedicated folks in the technical communication community in India who have given unstintingly of their time, effort, and ideas to make this chapter what it is. It is your drive and desire to excel that have brought us this far. Let’s keep up the awesome work so that we positively impact everyone in our profession in this country, and beyond.

2003 - 2004 STC Chapter Achievement Award

"Award of Distinction presented to the India Chapter for outstanding success in your efforts to raise awareness of the technical communication profession both within the subcontinent of India and beyond."

(Susan Alexander is President, STC India Chapter.)

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