Curriculum Vitae
Education:
ABD English (Composition), Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2006-Present. Anticipated graduation 2010.
M.A. English, Kansas State University, 2000
B.A. English, University of Mississippi, 1998
A.A. Liberal arts, Itawamba Community College, 1996
Full-Time Teaching Experience:
English Instructor, Northwest Mississippi Community College, starting August 2010
English Instructor, Greenville Technical College, Greenville, South Carolina, 2005-2006
Assistant Professor of English (temporary), Gordon College, Barnesville, Georgia, 2003-2005
Part-Time Teaching Experience:
Adjunct Instructor, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, 2007-2009
Graduate Assistant, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania, 2006-2008
Adjunct Instructor, Itawamba Community College, Fulton, Mississippi, 2002
Graduate Assistant, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, 1998-2000
Courses Taught:
English Composition I and II
Expository Writing I and II
Basic Writing I and II
Creative Writing
Research Writing
Humanities Literature
Introduction to Humanities
Speech
Writing Center and Other Teaching-Related Experience:
Rater/Reader, Freshman Writing Placement Program, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2008
Editor, World of Writers, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 2008
Staff Member, Writing Center, Greenville Technical College, 2005-2006
Staff Member, Writing Center, Gordon College, 2003-2005
Teaching Achievements:
Consistently high student evaluations
Consistently high faculty observations
Student essay “Don’t Give Me Red Roses” by Vicki Keadle published in The Gordon Sampler, Gordon College, 2005
Professional Memberships and Affiliations:
NCTE: National Council of Teachers of English 2004-Present
CCC: College Composition and Communication: 2004-Present
Presentations:
“Of Bombs and Battleships: The Corporitization of Literacy Education in America.” Conference on College Composition and Communication, April 1, 2008, New Orleans, Louisiana.
“Like Shingles on a Roof: The Metaphors of Literacy” EASPSU Conference, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, October 2007.
Discussion Leader: Greenville Technical College English Department, A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.
Presentation, Introduction to Turnitin.com, Gordon College, 2004 – presented the website, Turnitin.com, to the faculty during faculty meeting. Demonstrated functions of the site and answered questions.
Host, Discussion about Turnitin.com, Gordon College, 2004 – hosted a discussion with faculty about Turnitin.com. Discussed usage of the website and compared notes on the website’s usefulness as a tool to check plagiarism.
Reading of “Toothless and Wailing”, Masters of the Universe fiction celebration, Kansas State University, 2000.
Publications:
Wester, J. (2010). Biscuit pudding. Salon.com. Retrieved from: http://www.salon.com/food/guest_chef/index.html?story=/food/2010/02/01/biscuit_pudding_open2010
Review of Sperber, Murray Beer and Circus: How Big-Time College Athletics is Crippling Undergraduate Education in Reading Matters Newsletter of Square Books, Oxford, MS. 2001.
“From the Hills to the Prairie: A Mississippian in Kansas.” Writing from the Land. Kansas State University Creative Writing Conference. 1999.
Conferences, Meetings, Seminars Attended:
Participant, IUP GSA/EGO 5th annual graduate student interdisciplinary conference, “Coffee Cups, All-Nighters and Ticking Clocks: Celebrating Ideas across Disciplines” Indiana University of Pennsylvania, March 3, 2007.
Participant, “What are WE doing here? A Talk on Masculinities and Feminist Analysis in Four Parts.” Robert Heasley, Presenter. IUP Women’s Studies Program, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, November 2, 2006.
Participant, TYCA - Two-Year College Association, South Carolina Region - No Frills Conference, Columbia, South Carolina, 2005
Panel moderator, Teaching Matters Conference, Gordon College, 2005,
Panel moderator, Teaching Matters Conference, Gordon College, 2004,
Participant, Oxford Conference for the Book - University of Mississippi, 1994
Training and Workshops Attended:
“Helping First-Year Students Discover Their Writing Selves: A Presentation for the IUP English Department Colloquium.” Jo-Anne Kerr, Presenter. Indiana University of Pennsylvania. February 28, 2008.
“It’s Like Climbing Mount Everest: A Guide Through the Dissertation Process.” Krystia Nora, Presenter. Indiana University of Pennsylvania. February 20, 2007.
“Improving the Content and Layout of Curriculum Vitae.” Sharon Deckert, Presenter. Indiana University of Pennsylvania. June 15, 2007.
Institutional Service:
Interviewer, Business English, Fall 2005, Spring 2006
Room Supervisor, Georgia Regents Test, Spring 2005
Host, “Road Scholar” Georgia Science Olympiad, Regional Tournament, 2005
Host, “Road Scholar” Georgia Science Olympiad, Regional Tournament, 2004
Proctor, Georgia Regents Reading and Writing tests, Gordon College, 2003-2005
Proctor, Georgia Regents Test, Special Accommodations Test, 2004
Assistant Proctor, Regents reading and Regents writing tests, 2003
Volunteer, Academic Contest, Gordon College, Humanities test questions, 2003-2004
Miscellany:
Eagle Scout #253, Troop 12, Tupelo, Mississippi, 1991.
