Education

• Northwestern University

  B.S

  Industrial Engineering
  Focus was Industrial Psychology; Received Business Basics Certificate; Received Comparative Literature Certificate. • Graduated Magna Cum Laude • Member Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society (2001) • Member Kappa Theta Epsilon Co-Operative Education Honor Society (2000)
  

• University of Illinois at Chicago

  M.A

  English literature
  The focus of my work at UIC was building core communication skills as well as developing academic acumen. My studies culminated with my thesis: Searching for the Voices of Anglo-Saxon Women
  

• University of Illinois at Chicago

  Graduate Student

  
  Pursued an M.A. in English literature as a full-time student.
  

• University of Tennessee

  Ph.D

  English literature
  The focus of my work is Medieval and Renaissance Studies, in which I have passed a series of classes and then intense examinations: the Latin PhD exam, the medieval studies comprehensive exam, the Renaissance literature comprehensive exam, and the specialized comprehensive exam. My dissertation ended up proposing identities for the perennial mysteries tied to the early 14th century Auchinleck Manuscript: where and when it was created, by whom, for whom, and with the help of what artist. I picked up many skills in working on manuscripts, but I also answered the question that drove me to grad school in English: why are we so drawn to stories? I now understand how many of us use story to help us "fill in the gaps" in our lives and to try to make sense of a chaotic world. However, I also found that this use of story to help us make sense of the world often causes us to paint ourselves as the good guy no matter the evidence. And this tendency is still burgeoning in our society I think.
  

• University of Tennessee

  Writing Lab Tutor

  
  Tutored Division 1 Athletes for the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center at the University of Tennessee on any collegiate writing assignment. Worked with athletes on everything from idea generation and organization to final draft fine tuning and editing. Specialized in helping students come up with an outline to act as a game plan for their writing.
  

• University of Tennessee

  Graduate Teaching Associate

  
  At UT, I mostly taught English 101 (Rhetoric and Composition) and 102 (research methods) while pursuing my own studies as a PhD Candidate in English. Designed and taught sections of English 101: Rhetoric and Composition around core department objectives. Designed and taught various versions of our research skills based English 102 class: Inquiry into the Rhetoric of Humor; Inquiry into Rewriting Others, Rewriting Ourselves; Inquiry into Fairies and Faerie; Inquiry into Real Life Heroes and Villains. Was awarded for innovative use of technology and teaching methods in the classroom (see below). Selected by Dr. Bellamy to assist her with leading a discussion section for English 206: Introduction to Shakespeare. Selected by Dr. Heffernan to assist with his English 483/Honors 337 class in England: From the Cloister to the College: The Development of the University. Selected to teach English 101 to inner-city freshmen during the summers of 2008 and 2009 as part of the University's LEAD program, a program to increase the graduation rate of lower income students.