Education
B.S. Ball State University, May 1996 Major: Journalism Graphics Minor: Speech Communications
Licensure Ball State University, May 2001 Secondary Teaching Certification in Journalism
M.A. Ball State University, July 2002 Major: Journalism
Honors and Accomplishments
2005 IHSPA Hoosier Star recipient, North Star student newspaper, Lawrence North HS
2005 Lawrence North High School Honored Educator
2004 IHSPA Hoosier Star finalist, North Star student newspaper, Lawrence North HS
2004 Several individual North Star student newspaper staff members place in both state and national journalism newspaper contests
2003 IHSPA Hoosier Star finalist, North Star student newspaper, Lawrence North HS
2003 Lawrence North High School Honored Educator
2003 Individual North Star student newspaper staff members place in write-off competitions at JEA's annual fall scholastic journalism convention
2003 Debut of MEOW, Lawrence North's first-ever student feature magazine
2003 Designed, wrote, compiled and edited the first in-house Commencement Program for Lawrence North HS
2002 Individual North Star student newspaper staff members place in write-off competitions at JEA's annual fall scholastic journalism convention
2002 Produced, edited and designed Lawrence North's first in-house 40-page course curriculum guide
2001 Individual North Star student newspaper staff members place in national journalism writing competitions
2001 Redesigned, produced and edited Lawrence North's quarterly Parent Newsletter
2000 Recipient of first-ever "Future Journalism Teacher Scholarship" from the JEA at the national fall conference in Kansas City, Mo.
1999 Wrote, edited and designed the Design Style Manual for The Business Journal's newspaper redesign
1999 Inducted into Kappa Tau Alpha, Ball State's journalism honorary fraternity
1998 The News & Observer was named one of the "World's Best Designed" from the Society for News Design
1997 "Award of Excellence" from the Society for News Design for the design of a 24-page high school football season preview tabloid
1997 "Designer of the Year," The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind.
1997 Recognized as the "Designer of the Month" at The News-Sentinel four separate times throughout the year
1995 The Orient was voted best in design, theme, copy and closing by the ICPA
1995 Voted "Most Valuable Member" of the nearly 40 member Orient staff
Conferences, Presentations and Workshops
Presenter, College Awareness Day, Ball State University, Spring 2007
Presenter, Apple Site Visit, Ball State University Teachers College, Spring 2007
Attended IHSPA/J-Ideas First Amendment Awareness Symposium at the Indiana State House, Spring 2007
Speaker on "Newspaper Content and Design" at JEA/NSPA national fall journalism convention, 2006
Speaker on " Teaching HS Journalism" at JEA/NSPA national fall journalism convention, 2006
Speaker on "Newspaper Content and Design" at IHSPA's annual fall state convention and JEA/NSPA national fall journalism convention, 2006
Exhibited JEA/NSPA national fall journalism convention, Nashville, Tenn., 2006
Exhibited IHSPA state scholastic journalism convention, Franklin College, Fall 2006
Attended CCIM speaker luncheon discussion on fostering student participation and discussion in class, Fall 2006
Exhibited JEA/NSPA national spring journalism convention, San Francisco, 2006
Attended AEJMC mid-winter conference in St. Petersburg, Fla., Winter 2006
Speaker on "Bold Newspaper Design" at IHSPA's annual fall state convention and JEA/NSPA national journalism convention, 2005
Faculty Adviser to Crossroads, the official newsmagazine of the Ball State University summer journalism workshops, 2002-2005
Speaker on "Advanced Newspaper Design" at Ball State's HS Journalism Day, Spring 2005
Speaker on "Innovative Newspaper Design" at Ball State's HS Journalism Day, Spring 2004
Speaker on "Interviewing Fundamentals" and "Newspaper Graphics" at Ball State's HS Journalism Day, Spring 2003
Speaker on "Content Decisions" at IHSPA's annual fall state convention, 2003
Speaker on "Newspapers with Attitude" at the fall JEA/NSPA convention in Kansas City, 2000
Featured speaker on "Newspaper Innovations," "Effective Typography" and "Newspaper Layout" at Ball State's Junior High Journalism Day, 2000
Quark Xpress Workshops instructor, Ball State University, Fall 2000
Ball State summer journalism workshops instructor on "Newspaper Innovations," 2000
Speaker on "Newspaper Infographics" and "Basic Yearbook Graphics" at Ball State's HS Journalism Day, Spring 2000
Speaker on "Cool Newspaper Design" at the fall JEA/NSPA convention in Atlanta, 1999
Featured speaker on "Basic Newspaper Design," "Advanced Newspaper Design" and "Serving Your Readers" at Ball State's Junior High Journalism Day, 1999
Speaker on "Newspaper Design" at IHSPA's annual fall state convention, 1999
Quark Xpress Workshops instructor, Ball State University, Fall 1999
Ball State summer journalism workshops instructor on "Newspaper Redesign," 1999
Speaker on "Yearbook Fundamentals" at Ball State's Junior High Journalism Day, 1994
Professional Affiliations
Indiana High School Press Association
Journalism Education Association
National Scholastic Press Association
Quill & Scroll
AEJMC
Research
Specialized Research Interests:
Secondary Teacher Licensing
Journalism Instruction in Secondary Education
High School Journalism Teaching Standards
Advising High School Publications
Newspaper Design
Creative Project: "A Manual for Creating a Design Style Handbook for High School Newspaper Advisers" (unpublished Master's Degree Creative Project, 2002)
Secondary Education Services
Secondary Education Coordinator
Summer Student Workshops
Summer Advisor Workshops
Junior High School J-day
High School J-day Technology Workshops