my education
I hold a master's degree with honors from the University of Georgia in Athens (go Bulldogs!), as well as a bachelor's degree with distinction from the Unversity of Virginia in Charlottesville (Wahoowa!). And in what seems like a lifetime ago at Herndon High School in Northern Virginia, I was the salutatorian of my senior class out of 525 students. (My guidance counselor told me I was all set to be valedictorian, until another student returned from studying abroad at the 11th hour to take the grand prize. Such is life, haha.)
Keep scrolling for highlights of my B.A. and M.Ed. years.
I've also taken courses in film production at American University, screenwriting in Northern Virginia, American Sign Language in Los Angeles, technical writing and graphic design in Seattle, agile project management in Philadelphia, database development in D.C., and caregiving and CPR in Atlanta.
Oh, and once upon a time I was a certified stage combat professional, thanks to the Society of American Fight Directors. So watch out! 🤺
masters of education
K-8 Education with Honors
Summa Cum Laude
(GPA 4.0)
University of Georgia
Full scholarship
The university covered the cost of all the courses toward my degree in its Alternative Master's Program. At the time, this pilot program drew its 20-person cohort of graduate students from previous studies other than education (like me, with my English and Theater B.A.)
Master's thesis on the theory of multiple intelligences
I defended my "action research" on the subject of applying Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences directly to the classroom setting, and particularly to the practice of Reading and Writing Workshop. Children (and adults) learn in many different ways - some are primarily verbal-linguistic or logical-mathematical learners, others are physical-kinesthetic learners, while still others are musical-rhythmical or any of the other five intelligences.
To connect it all together, I created what I called "The Choice Board" as an assessment tool for every unit I taught. At the end of each teaching segment, I gave my students brand new options for ways they felt they could express their learning best. There was typically one option for each of the multiple intelligences - plus a "mystery" option if they felt extra adventurous!
Ph.D.-level paid research assistantship
The College of Education also offered me a paid assistantship typically awarded only to Ph.D. candidates, even though I was in a master's degree program. In addition to taking 20 credit hours each quarter and increasing my time in the classroom as the cohort moved along, I worked 13 hours each week for a different faculty member in support of whatever projects they needed assistance with: indexing a manuscript, conducting and analyzing field research, creating publicity videos, etc. The opportunity was a great way for me to get to know virtually every faculty member at the school!
Full-time middle school student teacher
I taught sixth grade language arts and mathematics for an entire school year while in the Alternative Master's Program, as part of the program's "action research" thesis requirement. Each student in the cohort was paired with a mentor teacher at a local school. For fall quarter, I was in my mentor's classroom two full days per week; for winter quarter, three days; for spring quarter, five days.
Children’s musical director
I co-directed Russell Middle School's drama club, which also meant co-directing the school's production of a musical called "Sneakers." I still have the poster of it somewhere, specially framed by my mentor teacher and signed by all of the kids in the show.
Publicity designer
I wrote and designed materials for the College of Education to promote its Alternative Master's Program.
bachelor of arts
English & Theater
Double Major with Distinction
(GPA 3.78)
University of Virginia
Theater "renaissance" artist
UVA's drama department prides itself in cultivating future theater professionals who have expertise in all areas of the art form, both on and off the stage. I directed and co-directed several student and mainstage productions (including "Boys' Life" and a production of Sam Shepard's "Fool for Love" that the famous playwright attended), co-produced two years of the department's student showcase series, and for three semesters served as publicity chair for First Year Players - an integral part of my freshman year that bonded me for life to so many great, smart people.
Additionally, I acted and sang in various plays and musicals like "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Cabaret" (though I was an absolutely terrible tap dancer in "Babes in Arms"). I also wrote several plays and skits - including spoofs of the season for our end-of-year "Dram Prom" celebration with none other than classmate Tina Fey. (Check out this article about Tina returning to speak at UVA after achieving fame and fortune - it reveals so much about the tireless work ethic, self-deprecating humor, and collaborative culture of our little drama department mini-society back in those days.)
Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society
One of my theater professors, who was also the department head, nominated me to this prestigious academic society, the oldest one in the United States, requiring a high GPA.
Echols Scholar
I was accepted into UVA's selective program for high-achieving students, which offers many benefits, including the flexibility to build your own major and priority access to senior- and graduate-level courses. I used the program to take all of the film history, analysis, production, and aesthetics courses offered among the drama, English, and education departments at the time, while still double majoring in English and theater.
Without the Echols honor, I never would have gotten into a former nuclear physicist's in-demand course for "Psychoanalytic Criticism: Film Theory of the 1930s and '40s." I still consider this class to be the most influential of my undergraduate career, for teaching me how to subliminally "read" a film. (The second-most influential was "Creativity to Collaboration: Image to Form," in which - I kid you not - we finger-painted.) Marlene Dietrich in "Blonde Venus," Bette Davis in "Now, Voyager," Rita Hayworth in "Gilda," and the concept of the "male gaze" in cinema... my moviegoing would never be the same.
Golden Key National Honor Society
This prestigious academic program welcomed me into its fold as well. Upon graduation, I think I got a golden key to hang around my neck? Or maybe it was a key to the city. Hm, has anyone seen a golden key around here?
Dean’s List
I was listed every semester the dean kept count.
Box office associate
For two years, I helped sell and manage tickets to drama department shows. The box office was also where I did most of my eating, studying, and memorizing lines in between patrons and classes. "To be or not to... um.... LINE?"