Dr. Patrick Manning is a lecturer in the Penn Critical Writing Program. He was first introduced to the teaching of writing as an undergraduate tutor in a university writing center. After graduating with a BA, Dr. Manning worked as a project manager at a small market research firm; his projects focused on local restaurant customer satisfaction, and he regularly conducted market research, synthesized customer feedback, and presented professional reports to clients. Following that position, Dr. Manning worked as a university administrator. There, he was often responsible for preparing research-based reports for submission to decision-makers. In his university position, Dr. Manning was also responsible for writing web copy and managing social media accounts. He returned to school and earned a PhD from McMaster University in English and Cultural Studies. His doctoral research explored working class literature and culture in 21st century America, with a specific focus on the deindustrialized Midwest. Outside of his current work as a lecturer, Dr. Manning is involved in numerous non-profit community organizations. In this capacity, he has developed experience writing for non-profits, including grant applications, web design and copy, social media posts, annual reports, fundraising requests, and various types of professional communication. His community work has led Dr. Manning to a new research project that explores best practices for parent and family groups to advocate for public school students, faculty, and staff.
