Allen Sulzen
While working toward an associate degree in business at Palomar College, Allen Sulzen works as office administrator for a North County heating and air conditioning company.
“I have a great job and I want to learn more to increase my productivity and professionalism,” said Sulzen, a graduate of Ramona High. “I like to read about new programs and saw the College of Extended Studies’ website that has several different programs that cater to specific needs.”
The Business Writing for Success program caught his attention.
“I do a lot of typing and emailing out to vendors, so I was hoping this program could help me put my best foot forward,” he said. “I also wanted to get the latest opinions from a top-level university.”
Over three consecutive Wednesdays, Sulzen took the three half-day workshops with veteran instructor Anne Bromley. (In fall 2017, the Business Writing course will be fully online and taught by Julie Moss.)
“It’s the perfect crash course for the inexperienced, or refresher for the skilled veteran,” he summed up. “You will not be disappointed! Anne’s teaching style makes the minutiae of English and grammar seem to jump off the page. This course was one of the best investments of my educational career.”
How exactly did the program meet your expectations?
My objective was to brush up on my writing skills and to be able to draft professional documents and emails. We went through various exercises that made us really take a hard look at the way we wrote things before, and some strategies that help deliver the best message for the audience we are trying to reach. The investment of time and money was well worth the outcome.
What was your comfort level with writing, prior to taking the courses?
I was good at reading and writing in high school, and can’t say I’ve slowed down since. Though I already considered myself to be good, I know there is always something more you can learn.
What do you think are the program’s biggest strengths?
The biggest strengths of this program were the attitude that the students had and the content that Anne gave us. We got our own book and suggestions of other books that could help us continue to learn about the subject material.
One of the topics is learning techniques to overcome writer’s block. Which technique(s) did you find particularly helpful?
I really liked the way that Anne taught us to brainstorm by writing whatever came to our heads, and to not set out for a final draft the first time you put pen to paper.
How would you describe Anne Bromley’s teaching style?
Anne had a way of explaining English that takes the enigma out of it. She was very frank with us and very open. She talked a little about her background and how she became a professor, and you can really tell that she enjoys the material she teaches. The concepts, then, were a lot easier to understand, because she was able to explain them in a way that made you interested, rather than like reading a book. It helped that she had exercises for us to complete which gave us good examples of how the tools we were learning about could be used.
How convenient was it to fit the courses into your schedule?
The course wasn’t too long, so I was able to schedule it in around work. Being at SDSU in the morning was a great way to start my day!
Would you recommend the SDSU’s Business Writing program to others?
I have already recommended several different programs, including the Business Writing program, to family members and friends. I just want more people to know what opportunities are available to them. I had a great experience with the College of Extended Studies. What I liked most was that it allows for those who are not students to get a chance to experience the facilities that SDSU has to offer.
