Preparing expert communicators

JO WILEY

Mission: communicate

Innovation in business requires more than just coming up with big ideas. In order to be successful, employees must be able to communicate those ideas clearly. In fact, effective communication is one of the most important skills employers seek­—but it isn’t always a natural talent. Many of us have to work hard at it, which is why Jo Wiley, master faculty specialist in business information systems, has made it her mission to help Haworth College of Business students become expert communicators.

Presenting one’s best self

As director of the college’s Communication Center, Wiley helps students improve their professional oral, written and visual communication skills through appointments, workshops and class instruction, and partnerships with faculty and student organizations. Her ultimate goal is to not only help students become high-caliber communicators in their classes, but to also become attractive candidates for employers and recruiters.

“Beyond helping students reach their personal educational goals, my primary interest is providing a safe, welcoming, supportive and caring environment for students, as well as those who work in the center,” she says.

Wiley has taught classes in informational writing, business web design and business preparation, but her favorite class to teach has been business publications and presentations. “This class not only allowed me to share my knowledge and experience with regard for professional communication, but also to tap into my (and therefore the students’) creativity,” she says.

Roots in writing

Wiley, who has been a WMU employee since 1989, brings an impressive 22 years of business administrative experience combined with over 22 years as an educator to her current role within the college of business. But we would be remiss not to mention her longtime passion for writing as a catalyst for her expertise.

“My passion, since I was 10 years old, is writing literary non-fiction and poetry,” she says. Armed with a Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis in literary nonfiction, as well as a Master of Arts in professional writing with an emphasis in business communication, Wiley is especially poised to serve as the college’s professional communication guru.      

Embracing uniqueness

When communicating in a business setting, sometimes the best advice is to “just be yourself.” Helping students present their best, professional selves requires embracing each one’s particular needs and characteristics, which Wiley says is the most important thing she has learned in her career.

“I have learned a tremendous amount from interacting with students for the past 23 years,” she says. “What stands out the most is the uniqueness of every student and that in order to assist them on their journey, each needs to be recognized as an individual.”