By Ahtesham Ahmed

The Professional Writing Program in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at UHD has a plethora of unique talents. Among them is Barbara Canetti, one of the early graduates and pioneers of this program. Ms. Canetti brings to the college a unique perspective and vision as an ex-student, a successful reporter, a dedicated professor, an advisor, and a degree coordinator.

The Transition – Leaving Career for School

Ms. Canetti started her professional career as an investigation reporter in the 1970's with The Tampa Times in Tampa , Florida covering police and court crimes. In 1978 she moved to Houston to seek new opportunities. She worked as a General Assignment Reporter for the Houston Post. In 1981, she joined United Press International as an International Correspondent covering global news and events for Houston . After spending some time at UPI, Ms. Canetti decided to take a leave to attend to her family. During this period, she also made up her mind to complete her degree and got enrolled in the Professional Writing Program at UHD.

From Learning to Teaching

In her senior year, Ms. Canetti was working for the UHD University Relations Office and the English Department. The English Department administration was in search of a lecturer for their newly introduced media courses, and Ms. Canetti, with her reporting background, seemed like an excellent fit. Ms. Canetti graduated in 1989 and became a faculty member that year.

Current Endeavors at UHD

Ms. Canetti continued her studies and received her M.A. in Communications from University of Houston . By early 1990's, she was a full time lecturer at UHD and gradually progressed into the roles of advisor for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences as well as a degree coordinator. She currently teaches media writing, desktop publishing, and public relations classes. She also serves as a faculty advisor on the Student Publications Committee, which is responsible for monitoring and advising the two university student publications, The Dateline (newspaper) and the The Bayou Review (literary magazine).

The Career – A Key Contributor to the Professional Writing Program

Barbara Canetti has become an integral part of the Professional Writing Program. When asked to compare reporting to teaching, she states, “As a reporter all my accomplishments were for myself, but as a teacher, I see the wholesome reward at the end of the day when I have helped others out.” For further information on the Profession Writing Program or to contact Barbara Canetti, please visit the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at http://www.uhd.edu