The Center for Excellence in Scholarship and Research (CESR) was established in January 2007 to support faculty publication and scholarship. This January marked the program's one-year anniversary, but for David Chapman, CESR's current editing specialist, the celebration is bittersweet, as it also means his time as a graduate assistant for the program is nearing an end.
Drawing on his background in science and his graduate education in technical communication, David Chapman provides valuable editing services to faculty as the graduate assistant in the Center for Excellence in Scholarship and Research.
Chapman, a student in the technical communication graduate program, was hired last January to assist faculty with the production of their scholarly works. A significant factor in the program's rapid success, he works hard to make faculty aware of the services available through CESR. "We have done a lot of leg–work to simply get our name out there," explains Chapman. "We want faculty to be aware that CESR exists and to understand the services we offer." The approach is working. Since the center's inception, Chapman has edited over 1,100 pages of scholarly manuscripts for 21 faculty members from all seven academic colleges. "Most of the faculty who have used our services are now repeat customers," says Chapman. "The program is a success—we just have to get more people to know how we can help them."
Perhaps the most effective approach to increasing awareness of the program's services has been the quality support Chapman has continually provided to Minnesota State Mankato's faculty. Dr. Paul Mackie, assistant professor of social work, was the first faculty member to send Chapman a manuscript for review. "David is an accomplished editor, has a sophisticated knowledge of the APA writing style, and always offers suggestions that strengthen my written work," says Mackie. "Simply put, I do not submit journal entries until he has reviewed them." Dr. Stephen Larson, assistant professor of finance, has had similar experiences. "David's service to research at Minnesota State Mankato is quite valuable and I hope others continue to take advantage of it. One of the papers he edited won best paper at a conference last month, and another was just published."
Originally from California, Chapman received his undergraduate degree in entomology and a minor in math from Ohio State. He then worked as an environmental consultant in Sacramento for three years before accepting a job working on asbestos carcinogenicity for the Environmental Protection Agency in Duluth. Chapman credits these experiences for his success at CESR. "I have a background in diverse fields," he explains. "I've studied and have an interest in science, and I draw on this knowledge to help relate to the subject matter I am reading."
In both jobs, Chapman communicated scientific information, but he had no formal training in either communication or writing. "I decided to go back to school because I felt that expertise in technical writing would give me a professional advantage," says Chapman. Shortly after Chapman's acceptance into the technical communication program, Dr. Roland Nord, the program director, recommended him for the job at CESR. "Through our correspondence, I recognized the potential David had," says Nord. "His background in the sciences, work experience, and demonstrated expertise with language led me to believe that he could excel as an editor."
Chapman feels grateful to the technical communication faculty for providing a first-rate program of study, and he feels lucky for the opportunity he was presented at CESR. He has found the position extremely fulfilling, not only because of the chance to interact with faculty whose work he respects, but also because of his ability to assist in the research process. "What I am here to do is help scholars communicate the knowledge that they have spent so much of their time and energy developing," he explains. "Even to play a small role in this process feels like a real contribution to science in general."
