Zoe Soderquist

English is my specialty, and I’m a proud grammar geek. I love the challenge of writing something complex in easy-to-understand terms so everyone can learn. Read about my experience below.

Experience

Technical Writer Intern @ Crucial Learning / September 2023 to Present

I research, write, and edit technical documentation that meets organizational standards. This documentation includes system user guides, knowledgebase articles, step sets, FAQs, release notes, troubleshooting guides, and technical documentation style guides.

One of my primary responsibilities in creating such documentation is to translate complex technical information regarding platforms into simple, polished content for users to understand the platform. I worked with Product subject-matter experts to understand CLP product and services and tested various aspects of the new system.

Editorial Aide @ ASU Academic Enterprise Communications /  May 2023 to Present

I received daily assignments to edit, fact check, and proofread official ASU department communications. These communications came in the form of email, print, SMS and web communications. 

In the editing process, I ensured pieces upheld AP style standards and university style guide standards. I also corrected for grammar, punctuation, flow, and content In editing various types of pieces, I was also able to make stylistic edits to language and formatting. I familiarized myself with Adobe Acrobat and Google Docs.

In addition, I was able to work with other teams in the AEC department, such as the photography and design teams. I helped with assorted projects and learned various programs and techniques for their workflow. I also collaborated with the email team content managers to improve content and design of communications.

Notable: Consistent timeliness, maintaining workflow ahead of assignment due dates.

Blog Editor @ Superstition Review  /  January 2023 to Present

I curated weekly blog content including guest posts, contributor submissions, and original pieces. I also created campaigns like the intern Q&A series with blog posts introducing each intern for the semester with their responses to fun questions. I coordinated with social media to post corresponding content. I designed blog posts in WordPress and managed audience interaction.

For contributor update posts, I contacted previous publication contributors and crafted an original post regarding their current activities. I also interviewed authors and literary agents to create posts or looked through Submittable for potential guest posts.

I also supported the general function of the magazine, such as helping recruit future interns by developing marketing and advertising strategies or making training material for future interns.

Notable: Taking on extra summer responsibilities, learning multiple areas of function of the literary magazine by taking on additional work, mentoring intern trainee.

Editorial Assistant Intern @ AZF /  May 2023 to September 2023

While at AZF, I learned the functions of magazine development and production. I wrote weekly articles and designed potential article mock ups by pulling images and generating potential titles. I edited, proofread, and fact checked other interns’ articles and print magazine proofs.

I digitized articles using WordPress and Joomla! and taught other interns how to use the platforms. I posted the weekly Foundress Friday Q&A post and trained the new interns in the process.

I managed the production of the print magazine’s November Innovator issue, which included managing all of the innovators’ contributions, biographies, Q&A, headshots, etc. The issue included 19 different categories of innovators nominated by innovators from the 2022 issue, where I contacted each of the innovators and their 3 nominations for information. I also created the holiday event guide, a spread featuring different Valley events whom I contacted for images and descriptions.

I was consistently given additional assignments, such as writing the copy for a website my company was involved in designing, creating manuals for other interns regarding essential editorial tasks, creating spreadsheets, etc.

Notable: Extending my tenure past original internship timeline, doubling my weekly quota of articles within 2 weeks of hire, never missing a deadline, being asked to edit others’ submissions, managing issue production, training new interns, creating future training materials. 

Editorial Intern @ Green Living Magazine  /  January 2023 to May 2023

At a small company, I had the unique experience of managing every aspect of the company. Foremost, I authored articles in both the digital and print issues. I proofread and fact checked stories before they were published and edited proofs of the monthly magazine before it was sent to print.

I also managed the company’s social media accounts. I attended and photographed events, designed graphics in Canva, and utilized CoSchedule to post content across accounts on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. I worked with the Editor in Chief to plan daily social media content by designing a monthly content calendar and coordinated with other members of the editorial team to draft matching written content to go alongside posts.

Another large part of my internship was supporting sustainability ventures. I attended sustainability events for magazine coverage and supported during the planning stage. I created marketing material for social media, wrote advertorials, found vendors, and worked on related administrative work with the event planning team. During events, I interviewed and photographed attendees to write articles and post content on social media channels.

Notable: Expanding my responsibilities and helping across all areas of the company, such as being asked to take over as social media manager in addition to primary editorial responsibilities.

Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate Coach @ Brophy College Prep /  August 2022 to May 2023

The first task of the year was to run team try-outs and provide mentorship for incoming members of the team. I also worked on marketing strategies to garner more members and tournament judges.

Throughout the school year, I crafted lesson plans on debate strategies for the weekly meetings. I also created student resources for the bimonthly topics and helped debaters in drafting and editing their debate cases. At practice, I judged debate rounds and offered advice.

Another part of my coaching responsibilities was attending tournaments. I judged at weekend tournaments, chaperoned students at out of state competitions, and helped coordinate logistics.

Notable: Qualified 2 students of Arizona’s 3 total qualifiers to National Speech and Debate Tournament, qualified 1 student to prestigious Tournament of Champions, and had student take 2nd place at Arizona state tournament.

Writer, Communication Intern and Instructor  @  Lead Youth Education  /  April 2022 to May 2023

I managed the company blog where I researched, wrote, and edited blog posts to topics of interest to students. I designed posts in Wix and uploaded them on the website. I also assisted with web design in the Wix platform.

I also worked on instructional design, producing educational videos for self-paced courses and designing lesson plans for coursework. I also helped with the social media account, creating marketing graphics to expand the company.

I took on students myself, leading one on one sessions that covered writing and communication techniques. 

Notable: Student I mentored was ultimately accepted into dream school.

Director of Communication  @  New Voters  /  December 2022 to April 2023

Intern  @  New Voters  /  May 2022 to December 2022

Starting out as an intern, I supported schools in organizing voter registration drives and directed internal communications in our organization.

I was promoted to Director of Communication where I led a team of high school and college student interns in a multi-faceted role. I headed national and team meetings and managed team communications on Slack.

The communication department is in charge of all New Voters content. Each week, I worked with interns to draft a monthly content calendar and delegated assignments. 

I managed company social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn and worked with graphics design interns to curate content. I helped interns design graphics in Canva and edited intern submissions. I reviewed analytics and set team objectives based on performance.

I also worked on producing the newsletter, utilizing Substack and MailChimp to design templates for future newsletters. I edited intern submissions and published finalized newsletters. 

Another aspect of the communication department is expanding the reach of New Voters. I established and maintained partnerships with other organizations and news outlets. I also wrote and edited press releases and blog posts on organization updates. 

During my tenure, New Voters was in the process of creating a separate domain and designing a new website, and I worked with the web team in the process and offered web design suggestions. 

Notable: Promotion to leadership role, successful project management and all-encompassing leadership.

Education

M.S. Instructional Design and Technology @ Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Fall 2025

B.A., English (Writing, Rhetorics, Literacies) @ Arizona State University

B.A., Communication @ Arizona State University

Relevant Coursework: ENG374- Technical Editing, ENG391- Writing in Context, COM308- Advanced Research Methods in Communication

Activities: Sigma Tau Delta (English honor society) Speech and Debate forensics team, State Press Newspaper

Created by Zoe Soderquist ©️ 2024