New Initiative at Drexel Provides Pro-Bono Editing Services to Local Nonprofits
Drexel Edits, a new initiative launched by Lawrence Souder, PhD, provides pro-bono editing services to area nonprofit organizations who need help with communications efforts that are essential to achieving their mission.
Supported by the College of Arts and Sciences, Drexel Edits recruits volunteer editors from among Drexel students, graduates and associates who want to give back to the community.
Souder, an associate teaching professor in Drexel's Department of Culture and Communication and the director of Drexel Edits, first started offering editing services to local nonprofits by way of his graduate course in technical editing during the spring term. Drexel Edits makes it possible to offer editing services year round.
“Nonprofits must communicate effectively in order to survive in a competitive economy,” said Souder, “and at the same time, they have unique needs and limitations that relate to communication.”
Drexel Edits offers a full range of editing services—comprehensive editing, copyediting and proofreading—and is able to address all aspects of nonprofit operation, including development, promotion and marketing, planning and evaluation. The current volunteer editors have considerable expertise in the areas of scholarly publication, corporate affairs and the legal profession, and have experience in editing such documents as strategic plans, grant proposals, reports, brochures and procedures.
Souder spent the fall term setting up the infrastructure of Drexel Edits so that it can service local nonprofit clients face-to-face or online. He has already tested the system for providing services in both modes. Souder said: “One of my graduates who lives in the western suburbs edited a newsletter for ACHIEVEability, a social service nonprofit in West Philadelphia, and another current online student who lives in Virginia, edited a newsletter for the Philadelphia chapter of Habitat for Humanity.”
Responses to Drexel Edits from these first clients have been positive. Henry Randolph, development manager at Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia, said of the editing services he received: “I’ve read through your edits to the newsletter, and this is exactly what we’re looking for and what is most helpful to us.”
Nonprofit organizations in the neighborhood of Drexel University who would like to take advantage of the editing services at Drexel Edits can use the form here or contact Lawrence Souder at DrexelEdits@drexel.edu.