Mary Elise (Mel) Dedicke

The Spectrum conference is a gem in Central NY. What a treat to have STC officers as well as experts in the techcomm field come to Rochester for networking and education. As an Albany, NY resident who can never travel to the international Summit, this conference is not an opportunity I believe I can afford to miss; it pays great career dividends. The STC Rochester council runs an impressive and well-organized program, and I appreciate how welcoming they are to out-of-towners like me. I loved coming back home with so much new information to reflect on, follow up on, and immediately apply to my current work. ~ Mary Elise (Mel) Dedicke

Barrie Byron

Spectrum 2011 was an outstanding experience for me, as a presenter and an attendee. Presenter notables: excellent communication from the chapter, clear instructions on registering, visiting Rochester, and preparing to attend. Attendee notables: outstanding organization, almost flawless execution, and inspiring sessions. I particularly enjoyed attending Hannah Morgan's "Using Social Media to Enhance Your Career" talk and have already put in use a social media action plan. I am impressed that so many of your competition award winners were in attendance to receive their professionally presented awards. Good job, Spectrum 2011 committee! from Barrie Byron, Spectrum presenter and attendee ———————- Barrie Byron

Kristi Leach

I led a workshop called “Grassroots Documentation Testing” at the Spectrum conference. It was the first time I’ve presented outside of my home chapter, and it was a good venue for a newbie. I got specific, respectful feedback , and I got to speak with some of the attendees afterward. This kind of interaction happens at the STC annual Summit, too, but the smaller conference size at Spectrum means that the common gatherings are more intimate. I enjoy getting to new cities, comparing chapters and job markets. I only got to see a few glimpses of Rochester, but my speaker gifts (a photo book of Rochester locales and a book of wine pairings and recipes from the Canandaigua Wine Trail) will probably help lure me back for a longer stay next time. Talking with RIT students was pretty encouraging. I spoke with two undergraduates: one who had a dual major and one who had a triple major. I think it’s smart that students interested in journalism, advertising, entrepreneurship, and psychology find value in a technical communications conference. It’s all related, and to miss that is to miss valuable skills and valuable content. Also: a Rochester Flare User Group? I’m totally jealous of that. Kristi Leach is a technical communicator new to the Chicago area. She has experience documenting complex software, conducting customer research, and content planning for STC community sites. Kristi Leach, Spectrum speaker and attendee ------------

Pamela KosturParallax Communications

While there's nothing wrong with Summit and its hundreds of attendees, it's the small conferences that allow people to really connect, both in and out of the sessions. And, Spectrum is fast becoming my favourite smaller conference. This was my second year attending and presenting. The STC Rochester chapter members seem to care very much about their profession and it shows in their eager participation in and excellent organization of the conference. It was an excellent program; so much (almost too much!) to chose from. I would have liked to have had more time to socialize and share stories, and to reconnect with friends made last year! -- Pamela Kostur Parallax Communications