Carolyn Rude, professor of English in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of “professor emerita” by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.

The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 2003, Rude served as chair of the Department of English from 2006 to 2011. She taught both undergraduate and graduate-level courses.

She authored Technical Editing, now in its fifth edition, and co-authored or edited several other books, as well as more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, encyclopedia articles, and reviews. Her professional honors include awards from the Society for Technical Communication, the National Council of Teachers of English, the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing, and Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication. She was elected Fellow in two professional societies.

Rude was a member of the Modern Language Association, the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing, the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication, the Society for Technical Communication, and the National Council of Teachers of English. She served as president of the Association of Teachers of Technical Writing and vice-president of the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication.

In addition, Rude served on the editorial boards of numerous professional periodicals, including Technical Communication and Technical Communication Quarterly.

Rude received her bachelor’s degree from Grove City College and a master’s degree and doctoral degree from the University of Illinois.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.

Share this story