Type of project: Copywriting, Storytelling, Articles
The problem
The marketing team was stretched thin: all master’s programs needed a website update, and two large storytelling projects — one with students and another with alumni — were waiting in the queue. The website copy for the master’s programs was outdated and technical; it didn’t speak to ambitious 22-year-olds deciding where to spend the next two years of their life. The team envisioned copy with memorable examples: what would students walk away with after graduation? They needed a professional writer savvy in depth-interviewing on technical subjects and distilling specialist knowledge into sharp copy.
The result
After interviewing professors, program directors, and students, I wrote website copy for six English-taught master’s programs, tailoring it to prospective students’ search intent. What projects will they work on? What can they do with the degree? What impact can they make? Some of the new copy resulted in a 13-20% increase in website visits.
For the students’ stories project, I interviewed undergraduates and postgraduates and wrote first-person articles answering the question no marketing brochure can: what is studying at the University of Twente really like? An embedded systems student designing a system that can run on a chip in space, a civil engineering & management student involved in redesigning the world’s largest sea lock in IJmuiden: all stories are imbued with personal anecdotes.
My approach to the alumni stories was the same: personality and vividness were leading. I interviewed over 30 professionals including specialists in the semiconductor industry, scientists, engineers, policy advisors, clinical technologists, and managers, among many others. The Q&As weren’t word-by-word transcriptions with slight edits as Q&As usually are. I wrote carefully thought-through stories that bring the individual to the fore, spotlighting challenges and milestones such as landing a job at ASML right after graduation, becoming a city councilor at the age of 27, starting an AI company in a basement, and much more.
Deliverables
Website copy:
Robotics
Electrical Engineering
Embedded Systems
Computer Science
Communication Science
Philosophy of Science, Technology & Society
Q&As with alumni:
Julia: “The Impact of the Advanced Composites Made Here Is Huge.”
Robin: “The Structures We Have Worked so Hard to Design Will Hopefully Still Be Here in 100 Years.”
Carlos: “I Model Ocean Conditions.”
Emmilie: “I Want to Make Sure That Packaging Can Be Reused or Skipped Altogether.”
Ben: “I Get out of Bed Every Morning and Know I Make Hospital Care a Little Bit Better.”
Oğuz: “I’d Like to Make the Best Chip: One That Helps Doctors Diagnose Patients Earlier and Saves Lives.”
Stella: “When There Is an Emergency in Africa, I Support Emergency Response Teams Through Spatial Analysis and Mapping.”
Fatema: “I Make Knowledge and Growth Opportunities Accessible to All Employees.”
Tracy: “I Use Satellite and GIS Data to Analyse Agricultural Regions and Help Clients Make Informed Decisions.”
Mees: “I Stimulate People in Our Municipality to Be More Active.”
Shannon: “The Wind Farm We Are Developing Has the Capacity to Power More than 800,000 Households.”
Wouter: “Technological Innovations Can Improve Patient Treatment, but Are They Really Better than Standard Treatment?”
Dahnée: “ASML Is a World-renowned Company, and I Help Maintain the Quality of the Machines That Manufacture Microchips.”
Naveen: “We Are Developing a New Kind of Battery Chemistry That Uses Hydrogen and Iron to Store and Release Energy.”
Eric: “I Enjoy the Challenge of Questions like “How Do We Move Thousands of Pallets?”
Alexandra: “I Contribute to the Responsible Use of Healthcare Data and AI Systems.”
Jaimi: “My Role Is to Ensure the Goals We Have Set in Deventer Are Achieved.”
Steven: “The Goal of What We Do Is to Make Sure Industrial Wastewater Is Cleaned to the Point It Can Be Released Without Damaging Ecosystems.”
Babiche: “I Love Raising Awareness about How AI Can Save Time, but Also about the Mistakes It Makes.”
Martijn: “Helping Businesses Work Better Using AI, That’s My Mission.”
Daniel: “I Control How Satellites Move and Operate in Orbit.”
Nico: “I Design and Manage Tools That Help Us Hire the Right Talent.”
Sanne: “We Cover the Whole Chain: Designing, Developing, Manufacturing, and Distributing Microneedles.”
Maarten: “I Advise Organisations in the Public Sector on Financial Matters.”
Students’ stories:
Hannah Studies the Master’s in Interaction Technology: “I Want To Make Technology Accessible to As Many People As Possible.”
Dimitrios Studies the Master’s in Electrical Engineering: “Societal Progress Depends on Electrical Engineering.”
Alexey Studies the Master’s in Construction Management & Engineering: “I Want To Make Construction More Sustainable.”
Maarten Studies the Master’s in Industrial Design Engineering: “I Close the Gap Between Technical Product Development and Marketing.”
Mark Studies the Master’s in Mechanical Engineering: “Designing a Robot or Optimising an Industrial System, There Is Always Something New To Explore.”
Noel Studies the Master’s in Water Technology: “There Is Still So Much To Figure Out About Water.”
Roos Studies the Master’s in Health Sciences: “I Want To Play a Role in Future Healthcare.”
Amalie Studies the Master’s in Applied Mathematics: “I Want To Make an Impact on Society by Applying Mathematics.”
Chakshu Studies the Master’s in Chemical Science & Engineering: “A Sustainable Future Starts With Sustainable Processes and Materials.”
Tigo Studies the Master’s in Sustainable Energy Technology: “I Devise Sustainable Solutions to Societal Problems.”
Marco Studies the Master’s in Industrial Engineering & Management: “I Want To Contribute to Better Production Processes.”
Floor Studies the Master’s in Business Information Technology: “I Learn To Create Information Systems That Add Real Value to Companies.”
Arend Studies the Master’s in Civil Engineering & Management: “Infrastructure Can Be Better, and I’m Learning To Improve It.”
Azzadiva Studies the Master’s in Spatial Systems and Society: “It’s More Than Learning To Use Spatial Data.”
Cynthia Studies the Master’s in Philosophy of Science, Technology & Society: “I’m Learning To See the Bigger Picture.”
Yttje Studies the Master’s in Nanotechnology: “The Applications of Nanotechnology Are Immense.”
Martijn Studies the Master’s in Communication Science: “I See All the Different Sides of Communication, From Public Relations to Marketing, Come Together.”
Ewout Studies the Master’s in Embedded Systems: “Learning About Embedded Systems Is a Big Advantage.”
Ivo Studies the Master’s in Public Administration: “By Understanding Government Policies, I Can Drive Change in People’s Lives.”
Judith Studies the Master’s in European Studies: “I’m Learning How European Policies and Laws Work.”
Marie Studies the Master’s in Educational Science & Technology: “It’s All About Improving Learning for People.”
Paola Studies the Master’s in Psychology: “I’m Learning To Apply Psychology To Make High-Risk Jobs Safer.”
Luuk Studies the Master’s in Biomedical Engineering: “Patients Face Many Challenges, and I’m Learning To Design Devices That Help Them.”
Shawn Studies the Master’s in Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation: “I Can Contribute to a Sustainable Future Using Geospatial Information.”
Ali Studies the Master’s in Applied Physics: “I’m Exploring the Building Blocks of the Matter Around Us.”
Zamin Studied the Master’s in Environmental & Energy Management: “I’m Helping Organisations Make Sustainable Changes That Work for Everyone.”
Kadhem Studies the Master’s in Business Administration: “I Am Learning To Manage Businesses Responsibly.”
Michael Studies the Master’s in Computer Science: “I’m Learning To Push the Limits of Software Technology.”
Daniel Studies the Bachelor’s in Creative Technology: “It Is a Haven for Creation.”
Bart Studies the Bachelor’s in Psychology: “Listening Is More Important than Finding a Solution Yourself.”
Deena Studies the Bachelor’s in Chemical Science & Engineering: “I’m Learning to Develop Sustainable Processes and Materials.”
Geert Studies the Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering: “This Study Brings the Maths and Physics Theory to Life.”
Yarno Studies the Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering: “I’m Learning to Design Smart Infrastructure Solutions.”
Walter Studies the Bachelor’s in Business Information Technology: “I Am Bridging Two Worlds: IT and Business.”
Janisha Studies the Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering & Management: “Processes Are the Heart of a Business and I’m Learning to Improve Them.”
Hanna Studies the Bachelor’s in Technical Computer Science: “IT Is Changing Fast, and I’m Learning to Adapt.”
May Studies the Bachelor’s in Public Administration: “I Want to Drive a Positive Societal Change.”
Sam Studies the Bachelor’s in Applied Mathematics: “I Really Like Maths, and I’ve Found My Place Here.”
Paula Studies the Bachelor’s in Communication Science: “It’s Exciting to Learn How Media and Technologies Influence People.”
Rylan Studies the Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering in Amsterdam: “I’m Learning to Design All Kinds of Devices and Machines.”
Floor Studies the Bachelor’s in Creative Technology in Amsterdam: “I’m Learning to Follow Each Step of the Design Process and Keep Users in Mind.”
About the University of Twente
The University of Twente is a public technical university in Enschede. It ranks as the best technical university in the Netherlands according to the national university ranking Keuzegids Universiteiten.
