About Tory Irwin
I started out like many young writers: by entering a Reading Rainbow story writing contest when I was in kindergarten. I earned an honorable mention and from then on out I knew all I wanted to do was create things that made people feel. I honed my writing craft, earning a degree in English with a minor in media writing. I started my career as a journalist, sharpening my skills for quick story telling and producing content on a deadline.
When I felt the winds of change calling, I relocated to the Pittsburgh area and took a job with an online school as an admissions representative.
It didn't take long for me to miss writing, and I returned to my roots writing product descriptions for Dick's Sporting Goods before shifting into a communications role with Washington & Jefferson College that allowed me to grow as a writer and communicator as I honed my internal communications skills for a student and faculty audience. Currently I serve on the communication team with the mobility engineering organization SAE International, crafting content for an audience around the world.
My Work
ARTICLES
Writing Samples
I've written in many contexts for both an internal and external audience and currently manage the professional blog for SAE International. You can find examples of some of my external facing pieces on websites managed by my current and previous employers.
Check out some of my work:​
VIDEO
Concepting, Scripting, and Editing
I took a screenwriting class in college and fell in love with it. Throughout my career, I've had the opportunity to create video concepts, write short scripts, and produce video content for social media. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, when focus shifted to creating digital content from afar, I worked with students to create a video campaign dubbed #WJMaskUp to encourage following safety guidelines, created an explainer video for the different types of communications sent from campus, and other various social videos to help students feel connected from afar. At SAE International, I've worked with professionals in the engineering field to create engaging social video content surrounding technical concepts.
POLICY AND TRAINING
Strategic Thinking
As my responsibilities have grown, I've drafted trainings, policies, and other strategic documents to help forward the mission of Washington & Jefferson College. See a sample of this type of work in my Social Media Handbook, crafted for use by W&J faculty and staff who are managing branded W&J social media accounts.