CV

Teaching Experience

Adjunct Online Faculty, English: 2020 – Present  
Arkansas State University Beebe (ASUB), Beebe, Arkansas
English Composition and Literature, Division of Arts & Humanities
-Teaching 1 section per term of Freshman English 1 online

Adjunct Online Faculty, English: 2019 – Present  
Excelsior College, Albany, New York
School of Undergraduate Studies
-Teaching 1 section per term of English 101 online

Adjunct English Professor: 2016 – Present  
Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Arkansas
English, Foreign Languages and Philosophy Department
-Teaching 3-5 sections per term of Basic English, Freshman English A, & Freshman English B

Lecturer: 2009 – Present 
University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR or UA-Little Rock), Little Rock, Arkansas
Department of Rhetoric & Writing
-Teaching 1 section per term of Writing for Work online
-Teaching 1 section per term of Composition I or Composition II online
-Helped pilot library online learning modules, Summer 2016
-Participated in Textbook Committee, Spring 2016
-Served as Portfolio Assessment Rater, January 2016 and May 2016

Adjunct Paralegal Instructor: 2009 – 2015
University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College (UA-PTC), North Little Rock, Arkansas
Paralegal Studies Program, Business Department
-Taught a majority of the required & elective courses offered, as needed, on-campus & online
-Assisted program coordinator with curriculum and course materials development

Adjunct Law Professor: 2010 – 2012
William H. Bowen School of Law, UA-Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas
-Taught Sales, a required course for graduation and bar exam preparation, as needed
-Taught American Legal History, an elective seminar often used to complete upper-level writing requirement, as needed

Education

Graduate Certificate in Online Writing Instruction (OWI-GC): May 2019
UA-Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas

Juris Doctor (J.D.): May 2002
Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama

Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.): May 2002
Brock School of Business, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English with Honors: May 1999
UA-Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas

Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Interpretation: ASL/English: May 1999
UA-Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas

Other Professional Experience

Freelance Writer/Editor and Legal Researcher/Writer: 2016 – Present 
Independent Contractor, USA 

Content Coordinator and Contributor: 2018 – 2018  
Lakeside District Living, an N2 Pub magazine, Hot Springs, Arkansas

Attorney, Of Counsel: 2009 – 2010
Keech Law Firm, PA, North Little Rock, Arkansas

Sabbatical: 2006 – 2009
Corpus Christi, Texas; Franklin, Tennessee; Little Rock, Arkansas

Associate Attorney: 2005 – 2006
The Anderson Law Firm, L.L.C., Birmingham, Alabama

Associate Attorney: 2003 – 2005
Burr & Forman LLP, Birmingham, Alabama

Judicial Clerk (One-Year Term: 2002 – 2003
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Northern District of Alabama, Anniston, Alabama

Certificates and Licenses

• Global Society of Online Literacy Educators (GSOLE) Basic OLI Certification Program, 2020-2021 Cohort, Certificate expected Spring/Summer 2021
• Arkansas State Bar, special membership, 2009 to present
• Tennessee State Bar, special membership, 2008 to present
• Alabama State Bar, special membership, 2002 to present

Awards and Memberships

• Excelsior College Distinguished Faculty Member of the Year Student Service Award Recipient 2019-2020
• National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) Excellence in Teaching Award Winner, December 6, 2018
• GSOLE, member since 2018
• Modern Language Association (MLA), member since 2017
• College Composition and Communication (CCCC), member since 2015; Professional Equity Project (PEP) Grant Winner 2015, 2017, 2018
• National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), member since 2015

Works

Books:

• How To Be A Good Mom (Or At Least Not An Epic Failure). Purposeful Words Publishing, 2017.

Presentations for Academic/Professional Conferences:

• “Situated Compositions: Web-Based Learning.” 2017 Southern Regional Composition Conference at Arkansas State University.
• “Beyond LMS:  Using the Limitless Internet to Facilitate Learning.” 2017 Second Annual Teaching & Learning Conference: Leveraging Technology For More Effective Teaching & Learning at Henderson State University.
• “Valuation Issues in Bankruptcy.” 15th Annual Bankruptcy Law Seminar. HealthSouth Conference Center, Birmingham, AL. 8 Oct. 2004. Lecture materials co-authored with Robert B. Rubin.
• “Federal Tax Problems in Bankruptcy Cases.” 10th Annual Mid-South Conference on Bankruptcy Law. Grand Casino Convention Center, Tunica, MS. 6 Feb. 2004. Lecture materials co-authored with Robert B. Rubin.

Peer-Reviewed Articles:

• “No Substantial, Unanticipated Change for Modifications: Issue Still Unsettled,” NACTT Quarterly, April/May/June (2003): 16-20. Print.
• “Permanent Separation of Marital Communications Privilege, A Case Note of United States v. Singleton.” Cumberland Law Review 32.1 (2001-02). Print. Segment of “Eleventh Circuit: Survey of Recent Decisions.”
• “Punitive Damages For the Title VII Plaintiff, A Case Note on Rubenstein v. Administrators of Tulane Educational Fund.” Cumberland Law Review 31.2 (2000-1). Print. Segment of “Title VII: Survey of Recent Decisions.”
• In Re Haskett. Memorandum Opinion. 297 Bankruptcy Reporter 637. United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Eastern Division. 31 July 2003. Print. Drafted on behalf of James S. Sledge, Bankruptcy Judge.
• EEOC v. Acme, Inc., Brief for Petitioner. Issue brief. Birmingham: Cumberland School of Law, 2001. Print. Co-authored with Buck Dougherty and Emory Mauldin. Drafted for and argued at National Appellate Advocacy Regional Competition, Region VII, November 2001.
• “Health Care After Election 2000: The [Non] Impact of Pegram.” Thesis (Unpublished). Cumberland School of Law – Samford University, 2001. Print.
• United States v. Sanders, No. 00-6540, Brief for the Respondent. Issue brief. Birmingham: Cumberland School of Law, 2000. Print. Co-authored with Andrea Anderson and Buck Dougherty. Drafted for and argued at American Bar Association Regional Moot Court Competition, March 2001.

Other Works:

• “Memories on Our Skin.” Short Fiction Break. 25 Aug. 2016. shortfictionbreak.com/memories-on-our-skin/
• “The Forest for the Trees.” Wordhaus. 17 Jun. 2016. wordhaus.com/the-forest-for-the-trees/
• Steph Williams. 2008-18. stephhwilliams.com.
• “Parenting Information Sheets.” Raisin’ Children: A Guide for Parents in Arkansas, compiled with Tina Hall and Sheila Witherington, Arkansas Dept. of Human Services, Division of Children and Family Services, 2000, pp. 18-32, 40-44, 47-51, 64-65, 82-83, 87-91, 95-97, 99.
• “Rainy Days Can Be Fun.” Foster Pride: A Newsletter for Arkansas Foster Families, Apr. 2000.
• “Build Effective Relationships With Your Children’s Teachers.” Foster Pride: A Newsletter for Arkansas Foster Parents, Sep. 1999.
• “Bottles, Diapers, and … Books?” Foster Pride: A Newsletter for Arkansas Foster Families, Aug. 1999.
• “Dressing Children on a Budget.” Foster Pride: A Newsletter for Arkansas Foster Families, Jul. 1999.
• “Parents of School Age Children Can Benefit From Head Lice Tips.” Foster Pride: A Newsletter for Arkansas Foster Families, Jan. 1999.

Freelance Editing/Reviewing

• Stephens, Bradford R. “Abstract of Capstone.” Morehead State University Graduate School. Edited January 2018.
• Kimble, Rob. I Just Got Saved … Now What? WestBow Press, May 3, 2017. Edited January 2017.
• Ruszkiewicz, John J. and Jay T. Dolmage, How to Write Anything: A Guide and Reference. 3rd ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016. Reviewed November 2016.
• McCoy, L.A. In View of the Red Planet: Hiss. Publication pending. Edited March-April 2016.
• Coppedge, Jayna. Parenting With the End in Mind: Practical Guidance With Biblical Principles. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, March 2016. Edited February 2016.

Volunteer Activities

• Weekly Accountability Group (WAG) Co-founder and Admin, November 2020 to present.
• Bedford Bibliography of Research in Online Writing Instruction: Annotator, 2019 Update.
• New Life Church Hot Springs: Life Group Leader, August 2016 to May 2020; Study Materials Writer/Editor, December 2017 to January 2020.
• Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF) General Scholarship Read 2018-2019:  Volunteer Reader, January-March 2018.

Statement of Teaching Philosophy

My goals as a writing instructor are to facilitate learning of three related skills that will carry students through all academic and professional endeavors; these skills are a proficiency in written and multi-modal communication, a healthy confidence in the ability to communicate effectively, and an adequate time-management and self-motivation action plan.  To facilitate the learning of these three skills, I incorporate key factors into my classroom (whether live or online): scaffolding, process and collaboration.

All assignments are structured with scaffolding to emphasize process, ensure understanding and encourage completion. By scaffolding, I break large assignments into several smaller point assignments. Scaffolding is important because it allows students to practice, potentially making errors and learning from them, in lower-stake environments. Process writing is essential to the development of proficient communication skills. Students in my classes learn many different types of writing by practice and process. Process emphasizes self-editing and revision as well as cognitive reflection. Students are encouraged to reflect on individual assignments as well as the semester as a whole. This action facilitates active learning and fosters critical thinking by requiring students to correlate what they’ve learned with course goals and objectives.

Learning to successfully collaborate is a fundamental skill for any successful student (and professional). In a live classroom, collaboration should be relatively easy to facilitate in the form of mini-group projects and live class discussion. However, students may not be comfortable with or inclined to collaborative work without prompting and demonstration. Therefore, I often instruct on how to work in groups whether the ultimate product be written or oral in mode. Collaboration in an online course environment produces its own distinct challenges; I strive to stay up-to-date on the latest collaborative technologies so that online students are not deprived of the opportunity to develop this skill.

As a college-level instructor, I believe my job is to promote my students’ success not only in the subject matter but also in life. All students are capable of success. By teaching students to communicate well, I am providing them with a skill necessary for that success. I am certain that my belief in student success is conveyed through the ways in which I manage my classes and that students learn best in such positive environments.

Statement of Purpose

I love learning. That’s the most important thing you need to know about me. I don’t mean to be trite or cliché, and perhaps this isn’t the best way to begin a “Statement of Purpose.” But if you stopped reading before now, then at least you know that much.

In his commencement speech to Boston College’s class of 2008, David McCullough quoted former First Lady Abigail Adams, and said, “‘Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought with ardor and attended with diligence.’ Ardor, to my mind, is the key word.” (McCullough 143). I recently shared McCullough’s speech, entitled “The Love of Learning,” with my first-year composition courses, in hopes that my students, who so often become grade and deadline driven, would too love learning. McCullough also said that learning comes from reading, hard work, and teachers, “the more learned and empathetic the better” (143).

I have been teaching freshman writing courses as an adjunct since 2009.  I’ve taught first-year composition (on-campus and online) and upper-level writing for work courses for UALR’s Rhetoric and Writing Department and first-year English courses for Henderson State University’s English Department. While I enjoy teaching both online and in the traditional (live) classroom, I know that more and more students are choosing to learn in online/virtual/distance environments.  I presented on online instruction methodologies last year because online learning is a topic near and dear to my heart. I understand all too well that relocating to further education may not be an option for many students. So I’ve done a good bit of informal research into distance learning degree programs, Student Information Systems (SIS) and Learning Management Systems (LMS). I’m also interested in open education resources and using free and open-source applications for learning while maintaining student privacy.  I have been using Blackboard (and its predecessor WebCT) since I started teaching and recently trained on Canvas.  However, aside from a few faculty workshops like the one on Canvas, everything I know about teaching online has been through trial by fire. To continue delivering quality writing instruction to my students, I must become fully equipped to do so in the online learning environment.

I taught for years on the basis of my JD, a terminal degree. I may have taken the long way around, but I now know what I want to do for the rest of my life: teach and write; teach about writing; write about teaching; and write about writing. All of my graduate work was in law and business until I completed the Online Writing Instruction Graduate Certificate in 2019.

I am an accomplished individual who has become well-versed in my discipline through practice and strives to improve further through continued education. I think David McCullough, and even Abigail Adams herself, might agree that the best teachers are the ones who never quit learning.

Good thing I love learning.

*****

Works Cited

McCullough, David. “The Love of Learning.” The American Spirit: Who We Are and What We Stand For, Simon & Schuster, 2017, pp. 140-48.