Eight members of the Eastern Oklahoma State College GEAR UP team recently attended The Business Grammar and Proofreading Seminar in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The seminar was presented by Lucy Belt, a trainer for National Seminars Training. Belt is one of the most experienced business communication trainers in the United States. She began her career as a high school English teacher and has extensive experience in the corporate world.
Participates learned the newest standards for business usage, including nonsexist language; how to avoid making embarrassing written errors that could damage their credibility; how to proofread like a pro; and to improve their skills with take-home desktop references.
Belt emphasized that grammar mistakes reflect poorly on your credibility and your professionalism. So when you make an error, you’re telling the world that you are far less capable than you really are.
“The seminar was excellent,” said GEAR UP Project Director Linda Morgan. “It was packed with tips, tricks, and easy-to-remember techniques that will benefit all who attended. No matter how skilled you are, there is always room for improvement.”
Representing GEAR UP at the workshop were Project Office Manager Helen Scott; Administrative Assistant Jessica Dye; Education Coordinators, Denise Lovell, and LaDonna Baldwin; Web/Computer Tech Specialist Doug Hensley; Professional Development Coordinator John Spiegel; Assistant Project Director Dara Self; and Project Director Linda Morgan.
In 2017, Eastern received a seven–year, $17 million federal GEAR UP grant and is in its second year of implementation. GEAR UP currently serves over 3,000 students in 39 partner schools in nine counties.