Education

• West Virginia University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

  Journalism, German
  Over the course of four years I completed a B.S. in Journalism with emphasis in visual media and B.A. in World Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics with a concentration in German, with honors in the Honors College at West Virginia University. My Journalism capstone centered around media impact on ethnocentrism and xenophobia and using media as a way to break the hold of ethnocentrism on certain communities. My German capstone, which was written in German, examined the works of Anna Seghers throughout her life and her participation in the East German Literary Society, as well as her involvement in the socialist realist, subjectivity/objectivity debate.
  

• West Virginia University

  Master of Arts (M.A.)

  TESOL/Linguistics
  During my time as a M.A. candidate at West Virginia University, I took courses in ESL linguistics, phonology, syntax, phonetics, theory, cognitive foundations, and more and researched media impact of the usage of English swearwords for German speakers as well as their associated emotional-force. I taught 8 German courses between the 101 and 203 levels, substituted for the 102 and 204 levels, and upper-level German courses in the 300 and 400 levels. I also spent time tutoring students taking German in high school who struggled with ADHD in the classroom, and children who were interested in learning the German language as an extracurricular activity.
  

• West Virginia University

  Program Assistant for the Intensive English Program

  
  I perform a variety of administrative tasks that assist students and faculty in the Intensive English Program at West Virginia University. Some of the tasks are but are not limited to the following: answering questions about visa types and information, registering for classes, issuing of certificates, helping students understand lease agreements and navigate life in the United States, and more.
  

• West Virginia University

  WWVU-FM U92 Disc Jockey and Show Host

  
  Throughout my time working at the radio station, I hosted the "Morning Show," "Alternate Routes," and a regular afternoon show during prime hours. For each of the shows I was in charge of putting together a set-list that would tend to multiple music tastes, flow well together, and help new and local musicians rise into the spotlight of the music scene. For the "Morning Show," my co-host and I would play games and discuss historical facts, upcoming shows, album review and more. My show "Alternate Routes" was an eclectic underground music resource playing non-mainstream music from folk, blues, soul, country, among other genres. I was responsible for gathering a team of students who were interested in reproducing the U92 magazine that had been widely published at the University in the 1980s. I was both a writer, editor, and graphic designer for the magazine.
  

• West Virginia University

  German Graduate Teaching Assistant

  
  As a graduate teaching assistant at West Virginia University, I taught eight German courses ranging from beginner to intermediate levels, covering the basics of German and reinforcing the intricacies of the German language at the upper-intermediate level. I substituted for upper-levels on multiple occasions, primarily grammar related courses or courses involved with East German literature and film. As a GTA I also designed my own materials, planned my own lessons, and utilized the IPA (Integrated Performance Assessment) system for assessing student proficiency levels. I won the Oustanding GTA Award for the World Languages Department for the 2018-19 academic year.
  

• West Virginia University

  WWVU-FM U92 Promotions Director

  
  During my time as the Promotions Director of the student-run radio station at West Virginia University, I worked with the Music Director, Productions Director, and Program Director to organize events in the community that were geared towards raising awareness for local music and rising artists. I operated along with a team of students who helped produce flyers, create graphics, generate a style-guide, and run events. Our main focus was reviving the U92's Zine.
  

• 
  Under the guidance of Dr. Cynthia Chalupa, Dr. Jonah Katz, and Dr. Kirk Hazen, I researched the emotional-force behind and connotations of English swearwords for German speakers. This study was a requirement for the completion of my Master's Degree in TESOL, during which I also studied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics. In this study, I comprised a list of atmospheres in which German speakers use English swearwords. I found that German speakers are more likely to swear with Germans in English than with native-English speakers, that the more media sources an individual interacts with, the more likely they are to swear in English, and that certain English swearwords are perceived to either be more emotional or less emotional for the German audience. I discuss areas of future study, and encourage those teaching language to reevaluate how taboo language is handled in the foreign/second language classroom and to reconsider media impact on student learning.
  

• Elkins High School

  High School Diploma

  Foreign Language and English
  High school was the beginning of my interest in foreign language, English literature, and the arts. I began studying Spanish and German, all-the-while teaching myself French on the side. I took Honors and Advanced courses in various subjects, including English, and partook in an exchange program with students in Hildesheim, Germany. After being selected for the program, I hosted a German student for a month, who, in return, hosted me in her home a year later.
  

• Hildesheim, Germany Exchange Program Scholarship

  
  This is awarded to students who showed sincere curiosity, respect, and enlightenment through studying abroad in Germany. The award helps provide the recipient with financial support so that the student may take full advantage of their time spent abroad. In conjunction with this, I spent a month in Hildesheim, Germany living with a host family and attending the Goethe-Gymnasium Hildesheim.
  

• Brad Martin Scholarship for Excellence in World Languages

  
  I was the first recipient of this award honoring Brad Martin. This reward was donated by an anonymous graduate who saw Brad Martin, a teacher at Elkins High School, as a wonderful, talented person who has instilled a love for language in his students. The receiver of this award is chosen by Brad Martin and must express proficiency and mirroring interest in foreign affairs and language.