Press Release Writing Sample
I wrote this description of the eGarden program (a sustainability initiative at SUNY Geneseo) for a corporate newsletter, as well as for a local newspaper.
When you think of Campus Auxiliary Services at SUNY Geneseo, you don't always think of the concept of saving the world. Yet, earlier this week, such a lofty purpose motivated CAS members to plant produce for organic, sustainable growth in twelve beds at the campus eGarden, in partnership with SUNY Geneseo's Office of Sustainability.
The eGarden is a one-acre, off-grid education and research facility on the west side of campus that focuses on renewable energy, organic agriculture and sustainable organic waste management. Overseen by the Office of Sustainability, the eGarden was brought to life by substantial research and implementation efforts from a diverse array of Geneseo students, who contributed to projects as distinctive as Arduino data collection and telemetry systems, a solar collector air heater, a photovoltaic solar collector, and micro-algae pond farming to produce biofuels.
"[The eGarden] gives students a hands-on opportunity to engage with some of these things that we hear a lot about but don’t ever actually touch,” says Dan DeZarn, Director of the Office of Sustainability. “We hear about things like solar power and wind power and renewable energy, and they’re all kind of abstract, ambiguous ideas… this is an opportunity for people who are interested in that sort of thing to engage in it firsthand and learn how to do this.”
Campus Auxiliary Services has been preparing for involvement in the eGarden's initiatives since before the eGarden was operational. Earlier this week, members of the CAS leadership team, along with CAS chef assistants as well as staff and interns from the Office of Sustainability, planted onions, garlic, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet and hot peppers, tomatoes and herbs. These crops will be cooked and served to participants in summer programs. A new harvest is intended to be planted for the fall.
Through these efforts, CAS hopes not only to provide genuinely healthful, sustainable and locally grown produce for the campus community, but to contribute to the eGarden's mission of educating students about sustainability in a hands-on, multidisciplinary manner. CAS will continue developing their relationship with the Office of Sustainability to eliminate waste, to integrate more organic, local and sustainably sourced produce into the University's dining program, and to become a more sustainable company as a whole.
Copywriting Sample #1
Press Kit for mxu, a Toronto-based professional musician
Toronto/LA-based producer mxu creates hard-hitting yet soulful soundscapes which combine timeless Southern bounce with an unshakeable contemporary Toronto sound.
Known within the producer community for utilizing vintage machines (such as the E-mu SP1200, Akai S950 and MPC series, Ensoniq ASR10, and other storied and character-rich samplers), mxu crafts hip-hop beats that come to life at the musical crossroads of the North and the South.
In addition to his original solo music, mxu enjoys giving back to the producer community with video tutorials and insights documenting his technical and creative processes, and exploring collaborations with diverse and exciting new artists.
Copywriting Sample #2
Album Release - Northern Reflektions by mxu
Over the course of Northern Reflektions’ six tracks, producer and DJ mxu explores a compelling synergy between the musical lineages of two distinct regions. Voices from Houston’s 1990’s hip-hop lexicon are summoned forth over beats that bump with the best of the Dirty South, submerged in an icy sensual darkness indicative of the unique production approach that has put Toronto on the rap map. With forays into serrated sub-bass, keening sirens and spectral piano, the music transcends mere homage to reveal a powerfully original vision of hip-hop’s past and future. Exuding a dreamlike ambience amidst banging beats from a producer at the top of his game, Northern Reflektions is a testament to mxu’s command of regional flair in service of an expansive global sound – as well as a tease for even more music soon to come, and the next chapter of mxu’s musical journey.
Copywriting Sample #3
Song Release - "Real Life" by mxu
“Real Life” introduces up-and-coming vocalists Nu Lighter (NC) and Britney Jayy (LA) over a seductive, dark R&B-informed instrumental, and represents a stylistic reinvention for pioneering Toronto hip-hop producer mxu. The vocal interplay tells a tale of two people yearning to take an online relationship from their mobile devices to “real life” (a timely theme for the quarantine era). With a soundscape that could sit comfortably on playlists next to productions by Toronto legends Noah “40” Shebib or PartyNextDoor, “Real Life” showcases mxu’s progression from beatmaker to songsmith, and serves as a teaser for further collaborations and new directions to come from Toronto’s newest star producer.
Copywriting Sample #4
Song Release - "Second Soul" by mxu
Hot off his collaborative R&B tour de force “Real Life,” Toronto producer MXU provides fans (and newcomers to his sound) with even more material to ride out a strange summer, a solo instrumental cut called “Second Soul.” The tune bumps and grooves with MXU’s characteristically contemplative swagger, yet the swung drums and ambivalent chords tap into a distinctive, liminal space that evokes feelings and sensations still in the process of being discovered. Replete with luscious piano (sampled via the vintage SP1200 sampler), the twilit stylings of MXU’s latest record are sure to set off the kind of late-night vibes that lead to the most intriguing moments.See more copywriting examples here > MXU Copywriting.
Blog Writing (stories, articles, bios)
Opinion Pieces (articles, reviews, etc.)
Top 2020: Music of 2020 (December 19, 2020, http://austinmilesretzlaff.wordpress.com)
Book Review: “Philosophy of Self-Destruction” by Boris Kriger (November 11, 2020, http://austinmilesretzlaff.wordpress.com)
Can Travel Be Sustainable and Accessible In An Age of Scarcity? (September 30, 2020, http://austinmilesretzlaff.wordpress.com)
Can Travel Be Sustainable and Accessible In An Age of Scarcity? (September 30, 2020, http://austinmilesretzlaff.wordpress.com)
Travel to Europe on a Budget (two-part article) (July 22, 2019, http://www.540westmain.org)
The Third “Flower City:” How Legal Marijuana Can Culturally and Economically Benefit Our Community (June 16, 2019, http://www.540westmain.org)
Hike to Rico's Cave: An Experience of 'Two Rochesters' (June 13, 2016, http://talkerofthetown.com)
Hike to Rico's Cave: An Experience of 'Two Rochesters' (June 13, 2016, http://talkerofthetown.com)
Fiction Writing
Wormhole Summer, 193-page novel. Originally self-published in an online multimedia format, 2015.
