English & Professional Writing Alumna, Emily Dobler, Gets Political

Emily Dobler

With 2016 being an election year, Emily Dobler (DC’13) says POLITCO Pro, where she is a copy editor, is more fast-paced and exciting than it already is. There’s a constant need to refresh her Internet browser window to view the latest primary election results and other news on the presidential race.

Dobler, a Carnegie Mellon University English and professional writing double major, recently joined the POLITICO Pro team, a subscription-based offshoot of the popular politics online magazine, POLITICO. She copy edits briefs, stories and newsletters and creates daily roundups of stories to send out to subscribers. Dobler came from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette where she was a copy editor and page designer.

“Most everyone is mourning the departure of Emily Dobler, who was a standout member of our universal desk,” said Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Managing Editor Susan Smith. “Fresh out of CMU, Emily started as a writing intern here three years ago, expressed an interest in learning about our desk operation and in very short order became one of our nimblest content and design editors, an idea generator and a newsroom leader.”

Getting involved in writing for Carnegie Mellon’s student newspaper, The Tartan, initially peaked Dobler’s interest in journalism. She would later serve as The Tartan’s news editor and editor-in-chief. Her passion for writing drew her to major in English and professional writing and she said combining the two majors has paid off in her career.

“I like to think that Professional Writing courses gave me precise skills to be a better copy editor, while my English classes gave me the context to better utilize those skills,” said Dobler.

By learning how to effectively write news in Professional Writing courses such as, ‘Topics in Journalism: News Writing’ with Adjunct Professor Steve Twedt and ‘Advanced Journalism’ with Adjunct Professor Tom O’Boyle, she said she is now able to identify the correct pieces needed in a story that she’s copy editing.

Dobler added that Associate Professor of English James Wynn’s course, ‘Introduction to Professional and Technical Writing,’ gave her the skills to properly write a resume and cover letter for securing a job after graduation.

"With students like Emily you need only to offer a little guidance, maybe make an introduction or two, then get out of the way,” said Twedt who is also a staff writer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “With her smarts, talent and determination, you know she's going to succeed.”

Dobler said she hopes to work her way up in journalism to a managing editor position and eventually launch a magazine with professional writing alumni Christa Hester and Anna Walsh.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in English and the Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing Programs.

Related Article:

Meet The Wall Street Journal’s Newest Copy Editor

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By Amanda King

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