SAMPLE CV

Curriculum Vitae
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Date of Birth:
Nationality:
Marital Status:

David Edward Smith

1 Lovett Lane, Netherscope, Oxfordshire, OX18 9HA
Home: 01699 776644, Work: 01699 776655
11 March 1966
British
Married, 2 Children

Education:
1984 - 1988
University of Leeds
B.Sc Mathematics, First Class Honours
1978 - 1984
The Dragoon School, Northampton
3 A Levels: Maths (A), Physics (B), Chemistry (A)
9 O Levels including Maths (A) and English (A)

Training Courses Attended:

Objected Oriented Design - Amazon Training 1994
Advanced Programming in C++ - QA Training 1996

Skills Profile:

Fluent in C, C++, VC++, Powerbuilder, Oracle Database and Tools

OLE, Active-X development
Windows NT/95 and UNIX operating systems
Microsoft MFC and SDK
Client-Server database design
Object Oriented Analysis using OMT and Jacobson methods

Career History:
April 1996 - Present
Mega Software Ltd, High Wycombe, Bucks
Project Leader
At Mega Software I am responsible for the design and development of a number of
advanced bespoke products for sale and distribution. Recent projects have made
extensive use of object oriented design tools and methods and key technologies
such as C++, MFC, OLE and Active-X, Client-Server and ODBC.
The first major project started in 1996 when I was appointed to lead the

development team engaged in producing a Windows 95 parts pricing system for the
motor trade. The system was designed and built using formal OO techniques and
client-server architecture. I was responsible for the formal analysis, specification
and design of the system using OMT and Jacobson methods and for its
implementation in C++. The system was built as a tiered architecture using
Powerbuilder 4.0 as the GUI and lower level business objects implemented as OLE
server components in Visual C++.
Since February 1997 I have been leading the development of a product for the retail
banking sector. This product was designed and built using object-oriented
techniques (Visual C++, MFC for Windows NT) and OLE Automation to provide
the external object-based architecture and ODBC to access a range of databases.
As a major part of this project I designed and implemented the Superlogic product
in Visual C++ and MFC. Superlogic is an advanced graphical tool allowing
business users to define high level business logic in the form of rules. The system
incorporates a graphical data dictionary definition tool, which maps external data
and a totally general purpose tool which allows the operation of a set of business
objects to be controlled through rules and OLE automation.

February 1994 - March 1996

Good Software Systems Ltd, Warwick
Senior Analyst/Programmer
Development of interactive systems to allow the marketing department to create and
manage campaigns, media, accounts and budgets. I was specifically responsible
for the requirements analysis, design, programming and implementation for an
international petroleum company and saw the project through from initial concept
to post implementation review. The system was a PC-based Windows client-server
system using a Visual Basic front end linked to an Oracle database. Some routines
were written in Oracle *C and *Forms.

July 1992 - January 1994

Tickets International Inc, Middlesex
Senior Analyst/Programmer
Tickets International developed an automated tickets and fare collection system for
a major mass transit system in Asia.
Working in a team of five I developed software using C++ for a real-time
application running under DOS 6.0 in the ticketing machines. The ticketing
machines are connected through RS232 and RS485 communication links to central
networked PCs running WinNT. I also wrote special device drivers for both
RS485 and RS232 to handle these communication links.

August 1988 - June 1992

Programmer/Analyst
I joined this small software house from University and worked as part of a team of

software developers writing a number of systems in a multidisciplinary

environment. Projects worked on during this period involved extensive use of C in
both DOS and UNIX environments.

Membership of Professional Bodies:

Associate Member of the British Computer Society.

Hobbies and Interests:

Hockey (local team Captain), squash, tennis and rock climbing.

Referees:
A.N.Other
General Manager
Mega Software Ltd
333 High Street
High Wycombe
Bucks

S.O.Else
Software Development Director
Good Software Systems Ltd
Castle View
Warwick

Note
This CV may be printed out and used as a template for your own CV. It was
produced in Word and presented in 12 point. If formatted and printed correctly it
will take up 2 1/2 A4 size pages.

Sample Curriculum Vitae

William Isaac Thomas

Office: Sproul Hall 1207, School of Education
University of California, Riverside, CA 92521
909.787.5228 withos@pop.ucr.edu
Home: 9431 Soloma Drive, Riverside, CA 92507
(909)788-9999

OBJECTIVE:
Assistant Professor, Special Education

ACADEMIC PREPARATION:
Ph.D. in Education, School of Education, University of California, Riverside, 2002

Concentrations: Special Education, Educational Psychology

Dissertation: A Methodological Study of the Self-Concepts of Fourth Grade Gifted
Children
Advisor: Dr. Donald MacMillan
M.A. in Education, Faculty in Education, Claremont Graduate School, 1999
Concentrations: Educational Psychology, Language Development and Reading
Thesis: Interpersonal Communication Skills of Language Impaired Children
Advisor: Dr. Harley Davidson
Special Education Specialist Credential, University of Redlands, CA, 1997
Multiple-Subjects Credential, California State University Long Beach, CA, 1996
B.A. in Psychology, California State University, Long Beach, CA, 1995
Concentrations: Learning Theory, Psycholinguistics
A.A. in Liberal Studies, Crafton Hills College, Yucaipa, CA 1993

RESEARCH SKILLS:
- Utilized SPSS and SAS statistical programs extensively
- Survey and evaluation research techniques

LANGUAGES:
- Fluent in English and French
- Can read some German and Spanish

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Supervisor of Teacher Education,1999-present
School of Education, University of California, Riverside
-Supervising student teachers and interns who are working on multiple-subjects and
special education teaching credentials
Instructor, Summer Sessions, 2000-2001
School of Education, University of California, Riverside
Course: The Exceptional Child
Teaching Assistant , Spring 1999
Faculty in Education, Claremont Graduate School
Courses:
Advanced Statistics, Introduction to Learning Disabilities
Teaching Assistant , Spring 1999
Faculty in Education, Claremont Graduate School
Courses:
Tests and Measurement, Casework in Special Education

Research Assistant , Fall 1998

Faculty in Education, Claremont Graduate School
- Assisted Dr. James Kleagle on the Inland Valleys Special Education Project
- Collected and analyzed survey data, using the SPSS program
Public School Teacher, 1996-1998
Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach, CA
Special Education, Grades 3 and 12
Peer Counselor, 1995-1996
Developmental Disabilities Immersion Program
California State University, Long Beach, CA

PUBLICATIONS:
Thomas, W.I. (1998), Effects of Standardized Achievement Testing on Self-Concepts of
Middle School Children. Clearing House, 23(1), 986-989.
Thomas W.I. and S.I. Freud (1997), Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: A Case Study. The Exceptional
Child, 53(1), 17-20.
Thomas, W.I. (1997), Book review of Mainstreaming and Its Detractors (Harold Smith, Ed.,
Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall Company, 1996) in Education Forum 135(4), April.

RESEARCH SUBMITTED AND IN PREPARATION:

- Interaction of Verbal and Nonverbal Communications Among Learning Handicapped
Fourth Graders
- The Great Debate: A Qualitative Analysis of Reading Instruction

PAPERS PRESENTED AT CONFERENCES:

Sociometric Keys to Learning. Presented at the 20th International Conference on Learning
Disabilities, San Diego, CA, 2000
Critical Thinking and Reading. Presented at the 57th Annual Conference of the California
State Federation Council for Exceptional Children, San Luis Obispo, CA, 1999
Retention and Prime-Time Television. Presented at the 29th Annual Conference of the Society
for Gifted and Talented Children, San Antonio, TX, 1999

CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS:

A survey questionnaire and follow-up interview study of parents of GATE students to assess
the need for parent support groups

GRANTS RECEIVED:
California State Teacher Grant (CTIP) A Motivational Field Trip for GATE Students.
Awarded October 1997.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
American Educational Research Association
Pacific Coast Consortium on Innovation in Teaching

Society for Gifted and Talented Children

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE:
- Vice President, Pacific Coast Consortium on Innovation in Teaching, 2000
- Chair, University Relations Committee, Society for Gifted and Talented Children,
1999-2000

HONORS AND AWARDS:

Victress Bower Scholarship Award, Riverside, CA, 1998
Outstanding Dissertation Award, University of California, Riverside, 2000

REFERENCES:
Letters of Reference File is available upon request from:
Career Center
University of California
Riverside, CA 92521
The following persons have written letters of recommendation on my behalf:
Donald MacMillan, Professor
School of Education
University of California, Riverside, CA
909.787.5228
John Dewey, Chair
Department of Education
California State University, Long Beach, CA
(213) 777-4545
Maria Montessori, Professor
Faculty in Education
Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, CA
(909) 655-9999
CURRICULUM VITAE : FLOYD D. SPENCE
DATE OF BIRTH 06 June 1966
HOME ADDRESS 716 Swallow Court, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
PHONE # (803) 889-2821
OFFICE ADDRESS Department of Microbiology and Immunology,
Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425 PHONE #
(803) 792-9998
SOCIAL SECURITY# 385-29-8854
CITIZENSHIP US Citizen

EDUCATION
1984-1988 Furman University B.S. 1990
1988-1992 College of Charleston M.S. Marine Biology 1992
1992-1996 Medical University of South Carolina. Ph.D. 1996
DISSERTATION
Downregulation of the immune response in the Atlantic Oyster exposed to heavy metals and
the use of specific immune function assays to indicate the level of heavy metal contamination
of oyster beds. Advisor: Dr. D.A. Denham, Department of Microbiology and Immunology,
MUSC.
AWARDS
1993 MUSC Student Research Day, PhD 1st/2nd year 2nd place
1995 MUSC Student Research Day, PhD 3rd year + 1st place
MEMBERSHIP IN SOCIETIES
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Society for Microbiology
EXTRAMURAL GRANTS / AWARD AMOUNT - DIRECT COSTS
1995-1996 East Coast Environmental Consultants Scholarship $20,000 per annum
INTRAMURAL GRANTS / AWARD AMOUNT - DIRECT COSTS
1995 MUSC Travel Fellowship $500
ACADEMIC COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
Graduate Student Assocation - Committee Member 1994-1996
TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES
Assisted in Advanced Immunology graduate course in Microbiology & Immunology
Graduate Program.
MEETINGS ATTENDED
FASEB, New Orleans, 1994
South East Regional Bioremediation Society, Savannah, 1995
American Society for Microbiology, Phoenix, 1996
EXTRAMURAL PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Bio-Rad summer workshop on cloning and sequencing, 1995 - lab. assistant.
HOBBIES
Running, wind-surfing, chess, guitar.
PUBLICATIONS
Papers
1. Denham, D.A., and Spence, F.D. The specificity of the immune response in the Atlantic

Oyster. In Proceedings of the Conference on Bioremediation, Ed. C.W. Kent, Verbose Press,
1995 328-331.
2. Spence, F.D. and Denham, D.A. Phenol oxidase activity in the Atlantic Oyster as a
biomarker for heavy metal pollution. Journal of Environmental Toxicology, 1996, 12: 182186.
3. Spence, F.D., McKutchen, G.W. and Denham, D.A. Opportunistic parasites of heavy
metal- stressed Atlantic Oysters. Journal of Fish and Shellfish Biology, 1996, 16: 388-392.
4. Spence, F.D. Concentrations of heavy metals in Atlantic Oysters are inversely correlated
with glutathione S-transferase activity. Transactions of the Society of Food Toxicology 1996
(in press).
Abstracts
1. Denham, D.A., and Spence, F.D. The cellular immune response in the Atlantic Oyster.
FASEB, New Orleans, 1994.
2. Spence, F.D. and Denham, D.A. Determination of the phenol oxidase activity in the
Atlantic Oyster. South East Regional Bioremediation Society, Savannah, 1995.
3. Spence, F.D., McKutchen, G.W. and Denham, D.A. Increased burden of opportunistic
parasites of Atlantic Oysters exposed to heavy metals. American Society for Microbiology,
Phoenix, 1996.
REFERENCES
Dr. Douglas D. Denham, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University
of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC 29425
phone# (803)-792-9998
fax# (803)-792-1895
e-mail denhamdd@musc.edu

WRITING A CURRICULUM VITAE (CV)

A CV displays your academic credentials and accomplishments in greater detail than a
resume. It is primarily used for positions in academia, research, and certain governmental
agencies. It includes additional topics such as papers, presentations, memberships, etc.
NAME
Address
Phone Number
Email
(Home, Business, or Both)

SUMMARY STATEMENT (Optional)

Discuss key strengths
EDUCATION:
Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Degree, Concentration, Date of Graduation
Dissertation: Title & brief explanation
Graduate Institution, City, State
Degree, Major, Date of Graduation
Thesis
Undergraduate Institution, City, State
Degree, Major, Date of Graduation
POSTDOCTURAL TRAINING (If applicable)
FELLOWSHIPS
Field of Research, Place, Title, Dates
INTERNSHIPS/RESIDENCY
Hospital, Specialty, Dates
LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION (If applicable)
Type of License or Certification, Date Received
PROFESSIONAL/RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Typical Categories: Research/ Scholarly Activities, Teaching Experience, Consulting
Experience, Other Related Experience, and other categories you may want to include)
TITLE, Date
Place, City, State
Description of activities, leadership rolesuse strong action verbs
List in Reverse Chronological Order
ACADEMIC/RESEARCH INTERESTS
PUBLICATIONS
Use standard format
PAPERS PRESENTED

GRANTS/AWARDS
EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT/ VOLUNTEER WORK
FOREIGN LANGUAGE ABILITIES/ SKILLS
*******************************************************
**Repeat name and number each subsequent page**
**For references create a separate page using your contact information as the heading.

The Academic Job Search in Mathematics

The Academic Job Search in Mathematics

by Thomas W. Rishel
Mathematical Association of America
First Step: The Curriculum Vitae
Before you begin the job search you will need a vita, sometimes called a "c.v.", a
"curriculum vitae", or, if it's in compressed form, a "rsum". Entire books have been
written on how to put together a c.v. and what should go into it. Without trying to
upstage any of those volumes, I will now list some of the categories of information
you, a mathematician looking for a job, might want to use for your rsum.
Basic Information

Include your name, address, phone, e-mail, and Social Security information. Make
sure especially that your name occurs on each page of the c.v. and that you have
included page numbers.
Work Experience
Include those jobs which are relevant to the position. The fact that you delivered
papers in Girard, Ohio, in 1973, while it may show initiative, is not really germane to
the question of whether you deserve a postdoc at MSRI.
Education
List degrees, dates of attendance and/or receipt of degree, honors, and possibly
minor subjects.
Publications
Of course anything published in the Annals of Math should be included in this
category, but you might also be able to list your senior thesis, a bibliography or
seminar report you have prepared and published semiformally prior to completing
your thesis, or a research experience for undergraduates (REU) paper from the
summer before your senior year. As you develop more of the formal, refereed
papers, you may want to consider eliminating these latter publications. If you have no
papers submitted yet, you may want to skip this section.
Research Interests
A school or an industrial employer will want to hear about your research interests.
Describe here, briefly and generally, the results of your thesis as well as further
questions that arise from it. If you wish to go into greater detail, you may want to write
- and some employers may request - a one- or two-page "research statement", a
discussion of more technical details of your previous research and future plans.
Talks
Of course you should include talks at national meetings, but you can also include
here Math Club talks; REU reports; talks to sectional meetings of the Math
Association, to other schools, to your department seminars, and the like.
If you have not yet given such talks, you should seriously consider doing so.
Prospective employers will want to know, for instance, how well you perform before
various faculty and student audiences. At the same time, you need to get your
research ideas into circulation. Further, you will want to convince schools and
industries that you are comfortable explaining technical concepts before mixed
groups.
Courses
What have you taught? tutored? graded? Make sure that you indicate your level of
involvement in each of the courses listed. If you are just recently finishing your

graduate career, schools will place great emphasis on such questions as whether
you have actually lectured (rather than "just TA'ing") in the classroom, made up
exams, participated in curricular discussions and decisions, and the like. How were
student evaluations and course comments? On a separate page or two you may be
asked to write a "teaching statement", sometimes called a "teaching philosophy". We
will have more to say about this document later.
Training
Have you had TA training? This is a good place to say so. Also, what about those
computer workshops? Did you take any education courses? How about other
workshops - relevant to the job, of course.
Grants, Honors, Memberships
Don't forget that your assistantships and fellowships are "honors". So is summer
support, as well as that semester you spent on your advisor's NSF grant.
Undergraduate honors fit in this category, too.
Teaching awards are very important to employers. Make sure that they are
prominently displayed here.
Membership in the AMS shows a research interest. Membership in the MAA indicates
some awareness of teaching issues. Membership in other honorary societies, like Phi
Beta Kappa or Sigma Xi, shows potential.
Conferences Attended
When you are young, such attendance shows interest. Later you will probably drop
this category.
Committees
For younger mathematicians, participation on committees - for instance, the speaker
committee for the graduate student seminar - seems "silly". To an institution,
however, it indicates that you are willing to be a "good colleague".
Additional Information
Sometimes this section is called "Personal Information". Here you can list such
relevant information as the fact that you speak a foreign language or that you spent
three years teaching in Chicago or working for the Peace Corps in Kazakhstan.
The Additional Information section is a place where you can list computer skills,
significant coursework in areas outside your specialty, or any administrative
experience you may have.
If you are an international student, you can also use this section to discuss visa
questions.

References
Make sure to get at least one reference letter that concentrates on your teaching
skills. You can help make this reference specific to your skills by giving the letter
writer copies of your evaluations, lesson plans if you have them, and a copy of your
rsum with the items pertaining to teaching highlighted for emphasis. You should
also suggest that the letter writer visit your class to make the recommendation more
immediate.
Also, try to get your advisor's letter of reference to say more about teaching than
"She must be a good teacher; students don't complain, and she talks well in the
graduate seminar."
Some applicants list full names and addresses; others eliminate all of these. Use
your own judgment.

Learning from Your Vita: A Timeline

Now that you have filled in as many of the categories of your sample c.v. as you can,
you will want to give yourself a thorough evaluation.
If you are a first-year graduate student, you may well find that you have not been
able to put down much information. Don't be too bothered yet, however, for this is
why you went to graduate school. Your goal should be to start to fill in as many of the
blank spaces as possible. How do you do this? Well, to start with, you will want to
give some talks. Do you have a math club or graduate seminar? See if you can
speak there. It need not be on a current research topic; you can give a general
discussion of an open problem, or maybe you can tell the group about your REU
experience as an undergraduate. A joint talk with another student or a discussion of a
topic you're learning in a course is another possibility.
Some universities have begun to have programs called Professors for the Future
(PFF) or the like. Such programs often provide the opportunity for you to go to an
undergraduate institution in the area to speak on a topic of interest to students at the
host institution. This opportunity is one you should not miss. You will be able to speak
to undergraduates, thus finding out how far you have come in the short period of time
since you left your undergraduate college, and at the same time you will have a
chance to see how faculty at those schools conduct business during the day. If your
institution does not have a PFF program, you might still arrange to speak to the math
club at your undergraduate institution the next time you are visiting.
Another vita category that you, as a first-year student, can fill in is that of "Training". If
your department does not have TA training (Shame on them!), then your university
probably will, and you should definitely take it. After all, teaching is going to be part of
your life for the next few years, if not forever, and it is logical to spend some time
getting more proficient at it. The people who train you and assign you TA jobs are
good candidates for letters of recommendation, by the way.

By your third year you will want to be attending, and possibly speaking at, MAA
sectional meetings. By now you should be able to tell people about your proposed
research program. You will also have some student evaluations and comments to
show to prospective employers.
If there is a PFF program at your school, you should now get very involved in it. Such
a program will give you an idea of what teaching is like at a variety of institutions.
Try to take TA assignments that will strengthen your qualifications. For instance,
have you spent almost all your time on a grant? If so, try to get some teaching
experience. On the other hand, if you have spent most of your graduate career
teaching, ask for a grading assignment in a course related to your potential thesis
problem. This will offer you two advantages: a chance to learn more about the field
itself and a line on your rsum attesting to your knowledge of a more advanced
topic of mathematics. Also, join the MAA and the AMS.
If you do all of the above, when you reach your final year, you should have a fine c.v.
You will want to refine it by writing about your research. You may also have some
papers "in the pipeline" to list. You will also want to look for those areas in which you
are relatively strong and weak; those will be indicators to you of what your interests
are, what kinds of schools or industries you should or should not apply to, and what
potential employers are apt to ask you about.

Research and Teaching Statements

More and more institutions are asking for research and teaching statements. Even if
these are not being requested now, you will probably have to write them on that
happy day when you go up for tenure. Thus there are a number of reasons to get into
the habit of writing these today; it is never too early to start.
It may feel strange to say that the research statement is the easier one for you to
write. However, when you think about how graduate school is constructed - how it
aims you toward research - that strangeness disappears.
In a research statement, talk about your thesis first: What is its history? Not from the
beginning of time, of course, but where did the problem come from? Who else is
working on it or a similar topic? What is your result, and how does it fit into the
general direction of the field? What are the next questions that will be addressed in
the area?
Further, are there other problems that you hope to explore in the near future? How
about other problems you have considered - in a master's thesis, say, or before you
went to graduate school?
The teaching statement is often more difficult for a student to write. This seems to be
true for a number of reasons: one is that we are often told that we are to write a
teaching philosophy rather than a teaching statement. Another reason is that when
we begin teaching, we often feel that we are just picking up a book and working

problems. A third related point is that the motivation we have for teaching is not
always well thought out: "I'm here mainly to be a graduate student. I'm doing
recitations because I need the fellowship."
In light of the above, let's try to construct a teaching statement. First, because it's
easier to write a statement than a philosophy, let's start with "I began teaching in
1993" rather than "Teaching is love and caring."
Second, by starting with "I began teaching in 1993" we can more easily find
ourselves discussing a specific classroom situation that taught us about how we
approach the topic of teaching. And this last is what a prospective employer is more
likely to be interested in hearing than obviously true, not especially revelatory
generalities.
Of course, each of us will have a different teaching statement. I don't want to pretend
that I can tell you exactly what you will write - but, having said that, let me now do so
anyway.
Start with concrete details of your teaching experience. What courses have you TA'd
or taught and at what levels? How do you conduct a typical class? Do you have a
particular assignment or class that pleased you and that you wish to describe? Was
there a classroom situation that taught you something meaningful about the way you
teach and the way students react to your methods?
You might also want to or need to discuss your experience with "reform"
methodologies. For instance, have you been involved in cooperative learning
situations, or have you been using lots of computer or calculator assignments? Are
you using reform-style texts? Indicating familiarity with newer techniques of teaching
can be a plus in the job market.
You may have strong feelings about using reform methods and/or texts. You may
wish to say so, but the teaching statement is probably not a good venue for doing so.
Save your editorializing for later interviews where you can back up your opinions with
specifics.
As soon as you have drafted teaching and research statements, share them with
others. The input of those people can be immensely helpful in shaping your
documents. Remember too, most schools will emphasize teaching more than
research, so they will read the teaching statement more carefully. If you can show
them that you enjoy teaching and are good at it, you will have a much better chance
at the job.

The Cover Letter

You will need a cover letter to introduce yourself to a prospective employer. Such a
letter is much more important than you may think, so you should show a draft to
colleagues before sending it out to schools. Since it is the first document from you
that the school or company will see, you will want to make sure that it expresses your
interest in the position in the most positive light. In fact, this last indicates a way to

start your cover letter: "I saw in the AMS Notices that (your institution) has an
opening for a statistician."
Make the first paragraph as specific to the position as possible. If you can't make a
case for being the statistician (or topologist, or mathematics educator) that the school
needs, are you sure you should be applying for this job? On the other hand, if there is
some "outside" reason for your making the application - for instance, you have been
in communication about your thesis with a faculty member at that institution - you
should say so. Recall after all that you are the one trying to sell yourself. How can
you best do this?
A second paragraph can set out your research to date in compressed form. You
need not discuss your entire research career in this one paragraph; just give a short
synopsis. Leave details to the vita ("As you will see from my curriculum vitae,...") or to
the research statement ("I have provided more details in my research statement,
which is included").
In the next paragraph talk about your teaching. Again, be brief, setting out the barebones description of what you have taught and how students have responded. Lead
the search committee to details in the c.v. and teaching statement. Mention any PFFtype activities in this paragraph.
Of course it may be more appropriate in some cases to reverse the order of the
middle paragraphs, so that teaching precedes research. Use your own judgment on
this for each particular application.
A final paragraph can explain how the employer can get further information from or
about you. Sentences starting with "I will be at the meetings in January" and "I can
provide references" belong here.
A good rule of thumb is to try to keep the cover letter to no more than one and a
quarter pages; search committees will not want any more than that. Word processors
should ensure that you individualize the letter for each institution. You may feel that
this takes too much time, but how much is an acceptance worth?

Finding Job Advertisements

Below are a few frequently used sources of academic position listings in
mathematics.
Employment Information in the Mathematical Sciences. This publication contains
numerous position listings in math departments, government, and industry, and is
available free online at http://www.ams.org/eims/. Paper subscriptions may be
purchased by calling the AMS at 800-321-4267.
Mathematical publications. The publications of the mathematical societies which
accept advertising - for instance, the Notices of the American Mathematical Society,

the Mathematical Association of America's Focus, SIAM News, and AWM Newsletter
- are excellent sources of open position listings.
The Chronicle of Higher Education. This weekly newspaper is available in college
libraries and contains a substantial number of position announcements in academia.

The AMS Standard Cover Sheet

Some job ads will specify that the AMS cover sheet be included with your application.
You can find a copy in each issue of the Notices of the AMS, or you can download a
macro template or Word form electronically from
http://www.ams.org/employment/coversheet-info.html. The forms are used by
department staff to aid in tracking and responding to applications.

The Employment Register

Each year at the national Joint Mathematics Meetings an employment register takes
place. At that time you have an opportunity to interview a fairly broad range of
colleges: at the 1997 conference in San Diego, for instance, 63 employers with 81
positions eventually interviewed about 325 potential employees. Although there have
been some feelings of dissatisfaction voiced by both schools and applicants, the
Employment Register still remains the simplest way for mathematical job seekers to
make eye-to-eye contact with large numbers of schools, government agencies, and
companies at one time.
At the Joint Meetings you will be offered fifteen-minute interviews with a number of
schools that have openings for the coming year. You will probably find, as both
schools and applicants have remarked, that fifteen minutes is much too short a time
to find out about an interesting applicant or position and much too long a time for one
in which there is no interest. The addition of a self-scheduled Interview Center in the
last couple of years has added to the number of employers interviewing. There,
employers set their own schedules, and applicants receive written invitations for
interviews, either via e-mail before the meetings or in message boxes at the Register.
These interviews are preferable, since they tend to be longer and more relaxed. You
should arrive with sufficient rsums to enable you to request some of these
interviews yourself using the message center.
Applicants at the Register usually come prepared to sell themselves during
interviews and may be surprised to find themselves sitting back politely listening to
the interviewer push his or her school instead. Remember that this is a forum for
making and receiving impressions. Overall, the Joint Meetings interview becomes a
filtration process: no one really gets a job there, but many people and schools are
winnowed out.
How can you increase your likelihood of continuing on to a next round of applicants?
Well, one way is to find out about the schools and companies interviewing you. The

most common complaint of employers is that candidates know nothing about the
school or job for which they interview. Find out beforehand where the school is, how
large it is, whether it offers graduate degrees, roughly how many students it has,
what kinds of mathematics courses it offers, and what kinds of mathematical jobs it is
offering. Most of this can be learned from a look at the school's Web site, through the
job listing, and by finding a college guide in the reference section of a library or
bookstore (a couple of copies are also available during the Register, but there may
be a wait to use one).
Even if you sent one to the school directly, bring extra copies of your rsum to the
interview. If you have your teaching and research statements, you can also help
guide the interviewer's questions, making for a more relaxed and controlled interview.
You will have some idea of where the questions are going and, in fact, may be able
to steer some of those by occasionally offering,"As you can see from my teaching
statement..." or "What I thought might interest your school about my rsum is...".
What are some of the questions you may be asked?
Research questions may take the form of asking about your dissertation (yes, they
can read about it, but they want to see how articulate you are in person), about future
research and projects, and about your library or computer needs.
Teaching questions will occur: What have you/could you/are you willing to teach?
How well do you teach? What is your teaching philosophy? What strategies have you
used that you or others might consider innovative?
You may be asked how you feel about committee work. A newly minted Ph.D. is
typically bemused by such questions, but older candidates and interviewers alike
know how important it is to hire someone who will share the burden of academic
duties.
Curricular questions will come up. How do you feel about "reform" (a loaded
question)? Have you any experience with computers, cooperative learning,
"alternative" courses, and innovative strategies?
You may be asked about grants and funding. Are you thinking of applying for any?
Have you been on a grant - through your advisor, say? Would you be willing to
cooperate with another faculty member on a summer REU, for instance?
Some more amorphous questions you might be asked: Why do you want to come to
our school/business? Why do you, with your Ph.D. from Name University, feel that
you'd be happy at Our Small College in the Middle of Nowhere? (No, "I need a job" is
not the answer.) Think about what you can offer their school that other candidates
cannot and why you would like to teach there.
Many schools will ask you what questions you have for them. It is definitely uncool to
say you have none. You should want to know, for instance, how many majors they
graduated last year and whether any went to graduate school. You might also ask

the grant questions yourself: "Do you have an REU program in the summer? Is there
some other means for me to get some summer support?" Another topic of interest to
you would be "How often will I get to teach a relatively advanced course or one in my
area?" Or "How many people do you have in my area?" Ask questions about usage
of computers in the classroom and about the existence of math labs and computer
facilities on campus. You can also find out about average teaching assignments and
class sizes. How much are you willing to teach the basic courses, and what ideas
might you have for making them innovative? Are you willing to make them the center
of your professional life?
At this point you can begin to think of your own questions. For instance, you can now
ask about the health of the institution: How does the future look?
In closing, let me say that the Employment Register can be a hassle, but it is also
what you make of it. If you go in with the attitude that your time will be wasted by a
group of schools beneath your dignity, then you probably will waste your time as well
as that of the schools and industrial employers. Similarly, the schools and industrial
employers will probably see you as aloof and not worth their energies. On the other
hand, if you look at the experience as a learning process - one in which you and the
school find out if you actually fit together - you will often find out that you don't, but
once in a while you may both be pleasantly surprised.

A Final Comment about the Register

We have all gone through the selection process many times and probably will do so
again. It is never easy to be evaluated; it is almost as hard to be the one doing the
evaluating. When we have no offers, it is easy to tell ourselves that we will take
"anything, anything!" However, that's not the way you should think. You have worked
hard to achieve what you have, and you should see yourself as now having a
valuable skill which you need the opportunity to hone over the next thirty years or so.
Your goal then is to find a job that suits you - one that fits. Such a job, when you find
it, can be extremely surprising. I have known differential geometers who ended up
running computer labs, algebraists who moved to linguistics, and in at least one case
a topologist who became a university president. So it would not surprise me at all if
you sat down this year to another interview with No Name College, only to find
yourself coming back to the Joint Meetings ten years later as the interviewer who's
excitedly telling another new Ph.D. about your interesting job as chair at the same
institution.
Now, here's a homework assignment: Go back and look at your rsum again. What
does it seem to be telling you about your real interests? Are you an honest-togoodness researcher, or is your advisor trying to convince you that you are? Do you
really like to spend extra time with students, or is teaching just a chore? Would you
be happy in industry? Can you and your significant other, a sociologist by training,
find nirvana in Frozen Tundra, Montana?

When you finish this homework assignment - and today's answers may change by
next week - you still might not have a job, but you will know quite a bit more about
yourself and what you want from the job market. At this point, that may be all you can
ask.

The Campus Interview

Now you have made it to the campus interview. At this point a school is obviously
serious: they are shelling out a large amount of money to bring you there. That fact
alone should make you happy. At the same time, it should prompt you to do "a really
good job". What does this "really good job" consist of?
The range of events involved in an on-campus interview is quite broad. You will most
likely give a research colloquium, but you may also speak to an undergraduate math
club or in a class. You will surely meet with members of the department, either
individually or in groups. It is highly likely that the dean will want to meet you, and
some schools, usually small ones, will ask you to meet the provost or president.
Occasionally schools will ask you to meet with some of the students. There may be
lunches and/or dinners to attend; other social events, like receptions or walks around
campus, might be planned. All in all, you are likely to be quite busy.

Before the Campus Interview

Some of the most important things you can do to make the campus interview go
smoothly actually occur before you reach campus. Ask the person who contacts you
for a rough schedule of events. It often turns out that the school cannot spell out this
schedule in detail. Maybe you are the first candidate, or perhaps the school is unsure
of the schedules of some of the people you will be meeting, but your asking about the
schedule will give the school some idea of what you need to know before you reach
campus.
You will also find it easier to make proposals about the schedule before you reach
campus. For instance, if the school is primarily a teaching institution, you might ask to
meet with a group of undergraduates to get their impression of the institution. You
could try to arrange for such a meeting at the student union so as to make it less
"academic". On the other hand, if there is a particular faculty member whose papers
you have been reading whom you would like to meet, you will want to make sure to
arrange the interview for a day and time when he or she is on campus.
Ask about details of transportation and lodging: will the institution take care of them,
or should you arrange them? The former can be easier for you, but it can also lead to
some surprises. For instance, one school bought a supersaver ticket for a Friday
interview of a candidate who didn't ask for details. The candidate ended up spending
a Saturday in an edge-of-town motel because he didn't have a rental car and no one
from the school could drive him around. If the school makes arrangements, find out
beforehand what they are so as to avoid misunderstandings.

Discuss what kinds of research or teaching presentations you will be giving. These
seminars are the centerpiece of your visit to campus, and they cannot be
overemphasized. They show how you think on your feet, how you handle questions,
whether you are a good performer in the classroom, and whether you can adequately
represent the institution in professional meetings. Especially at nonresearch schools,
both students and faculty want accessible talks. Many candidates have lost jobs
because they have completely misunderstood what their audience was expecting.

The Research Talk

The research talk is usually the easier of the two types to prepare. Get an idea of
who will attend. At a really small school, the entire science faculty may well want to
come; in large institutions, the audience may be exclusively mathematics faculty in
disciplines related to your own. At a small school tailor the talk toward a general
audience. Do so by discussing some of the general history of the mathematical area
in which you are doing your research, offering an overview of the topic and trends for
the future. For a more mathematical audience you should still offer ten minutes on
the history of your topic, followed by a discussion of your result and where it fits into
the general scheme of research. Prepare a simple example of a situation in which
your theorem applies; this will give the listener some intuition as to the usefulness of
your results. Finish the seminar by pointing toward further questions.
Prepare your seminar talk or talks well beforehand; try them out on your advisor and
other graduate students. Let them ask lots of questions. One thing that may surprise
you is that everyone except your advisor will ask about a detail you want to skip
because you think it is "trivial".
People usually recommend not giving proofs in seminar talks. This may be good
advice in general, but if you have discovered a new technique that generalizes to
solve a whole class of interesting problems, you would probably be remiss in not
showing it.

The Teaching Talk

Faculty often say that the teaching talk is to be "for juniors and seniors," but it is
inevitable that faculty will attend in significant numbers, if not in the majority. These
same faculty will be unafraid to wade into the talk if they want to make the point you
were saving for your punch line or when they hear something they believe to be
untrue. Thus you shouldn't expect to "get away with" misleading or intuitive
comments unless you can back them up.
For the teaching talk, those of you who participated in a PFF program will be glad
you did, while those who have not will suddenly realize the value of this program.
Of course speaking in front of an unfamiliar group can be difficult, but you should try
to adopt as relaxed a tone as possible. It sometimes helps to ask at the start how

many of the audience are faculty and how many are undergraduates. You can say
that the talk is for the undergraduates ("I hope you faculty won't mind, but...") and
then tell everyone how you would prefer to entertain questions: either "when they
occur" or "saved till the end." You can follow that by asking if the audience has
learned about the basic underpinnings of your general topic ("Does everyone know
what a group is?"), thus assuring that you don't give a lecture completely over
everyone's head. The alternative of asking if everyone has heard today's topic can be
fraught with peril: what do you do if they say yes?
If you are asked a question whose answer you don't know, don't be afraid to say, "I
don't know" or "Can someone help me with the answer?" You are not supposed to
know everything.
Teaching talks can take forms other than the one just mentioned. Some schools ask
the candidate to take over a calculus class for a day. Other schools want to hear a
discussion of pedagogical issues; for instance, they may ask you to discuss your
approach to calculus reform. A third possibility is a talk to a general audience about a
popular topic like Fermat's Last Theorem or the Euler characteristic.

After the Seminar

Now your talk is done. You feel somewhat drained and either exhilarated or slightly
depressed. In either case, try to hold your mood in check, because you are now
going to be meeting lots of people. You will hear the same questions over and over
("I couldn't come to your talk. What was it about?"). It is important that you answer,
over and over, in a sincere, enthusiastic tone.
There is no well-defined order in which events occur during the on-campus interview,
but let's assume the following:
The search committee chair, who drove you to campus and gave you general
information before your seminar talk, will now turn you over to the department chair.
You and he or she will want to discuss conditions of the contract: how much money,
whether there is summer work or grant support, how many classes each semester
and at what level, whether there is access to a computer, etc. Such a discussion
usually takes the form of a "hypothetical" ("If we offer you the job..."; "If the dean
agrees..."), although it might be a seeming certainty, but it is well to remember that a
discussion is not a contract. Many faculty have complained that they thought they
"had a deal" when they were hired, only to find out later that it wasn't an agreement
at all.
The dean will interview you. If you are new to this process, you might consider this
pro forma; it would be wrong to do so. The funding for your proposed position comes
from the provost or vice president through the dean's office. If the dean does not like
a candidate, or if he or she thinks that the department is making a mistake, or if he or
she finds that another department has come up with a more attractive candidate, you
may be receiving a letter from the department that says, "Sorry, but the dean has
canceled the search." Another possibility is that the dean will authorize only a two-

year job when you and the department thought you were negotiating a tenure-stream
position.
In any case, be prepared to give the dean your two-minute cocktail party explanation
of your thesis topic or mathematical area. Remember, you may be speaking to
someone who has a Ph.D. in quantum physics or computer science. If so, you might
get follow-up questions. Be prepared to answer them in a serious tone.
The dean may also want to explore how you feel about getting involved in a function
that you see as tangential to your future position. For instance, he or she may sound
you out about your willingness to direct the computer lab or tutoring center. You can
have a number of possible responses to this: Maybe you don't want to give up your
research in homotopy theory; perhaps you see this as your main chance to get
tenure. In any case, realize that a "negotiation within a negotiation" might be taking
place. You might want to listen carefully to the dean's proposal and then answer with,
"That sounds interesting. Let me think about it and get back to you or the chair," thus
keeping your options open.
Ask the dean about the direction the college is taking. "Do you see increases in
student enrollment?" "Will department sizes be impacted in the next few years?"
"What do you see as the major changes in the curriculum at your school in the next
few years?" You can ask the same or similar questions of the provost or president:
"What is the most critical issue your school is facing?"

Some General Recommendations for the Campus Interview

Take extra copies of your curriculum vitae to the interview, along with your teaching
and research statements.
Dress appropriately. Every school wants to see that you are taking the interview
seriously.
Find out as much as possible about the institution before you go there. You can ask
the person who contacts you to send brochures, for instance. One of the college
guide publications will also provide background information.
Make sure you show up on time. If you must be inadvertently late, know whom to
contact.
Know who's coming to get you, and where and when.
In spite of the fact that employers cannot lawfully ask questions that lead to illegal
discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, national origin, or physical disability,
these questions still seem to come up, innocently or otherwise. Be prepared to
answer or deflect such questions as "What will your spouse do in such a small
town?" "Do you plan to have children?" "Aren't you ever going back to China?"

Try to ignore any "internal bickering". The fact that the pure mathematicians want you
and the applied ones have another candidate is no reason for your openly choosing
sides.
The campus interview is not usually a time for micro-negotiation of the contract.
Unless the institution starts it, you should not try to get a firm commitment on salary,
courses taught, etc. To do so makes you look like a haggler, putting an offer in
jeopardy.
Remember that social events are not social. You are being evaluated at all times. Eat
and drink less. You will be tired, but you don't want to get overtired.
Keep copies of receipts. Find out where to send them for reimbursement.
Memorize names as much as possible. You never know who will have a vote on your
position.
Find out when a decision is likely to be reached. Get the name of a person to contact.
If you are rejected, discreetly try to find out why from one of your benefactors.
Usually you will not be told, but when you are, you will have valuable information for
your future searches. The reason may be simply that the department "just needed a
statistician," but maybe there is some signal you are sending that turns people off. If
the reason is the former, you will feel a bit better; if the latter, you must work on doing
better at your next interview.
Finally, view each interview as a learning experience where you get to meet faculty at
various institutions, to chat with them about what interests them most, and to share
with them the topics you each have learned. Then, even if you don't get the job, you
will have made worthwhile contacts and gained useful information.

An Offer Arrives
It is impossible to consider all the possible permutations of job offers and their
consequences. We will merely suggest one completely fictional possibility - in some
ways, a "worst case" scenario; in others, not bad at all - to give an idea of what can
happen.
Although you said only last week that you would take "anything, anything!", a phone
offer has just been extended to you, and you are very seriously considering rejecting
it.
The offer is from St. Patrick's of the Tundra, a small four-year school that you and
your significant other soon begin to call "SPOT", situated in Mosquito Net, Minnesota,
a town of 2,300 located five miles from the Canadian border. The chair has called to
tell you that you will be getting a letter in the next mail offering details of a two-year
nontenurable position in the department without possibility of renewal. He says that
SPOT values teaching and wants you to do eight sections a year, only four or five of

which will be precalculus. He knows you will have to think it over, but he needs a
decision by "early next week."
You tell the chair that you will need to see the offer letter before you can decide; he
tells you to call when you have questions. Then you go off, mildly depressed, to find
your significant other, your advisor, and your office mate.
You and your significant other discuss the career implications for him or her, given
that he or she is in the fourth year of a graduate computer science program. You both
decide to go through with the negotiation, "even if it's only for practice." That makes
you feel better, because it gives you hope that it is only for practice. The two of you
then discuss your current situation: you sent out 99 letters of application (there was
that "thing" about not going to three significant figures), of which 75 have responded
negatively, 19 said they would consider you, and the other 5 have not replied at all.
There are also the two postdocs that your advisor said at one time were possibilities.
You then discuss whether two people from Carolina will ever find happiness in the
frozen North.
When you catch up with him, your advisor has no information about SPOT, but
reminds you that there are other offers still pending - small consolation! He does say,
however, that he will now call the two possible postdocs to "see where they are in the
selection process."
Your office mate says she knows someone in linguistics who went to school in
northern Minnesota, maybe even to SPOT. She will get that person in contact with
you as soon as possible so that you can talk about the area and the school.
You decide to go to the library after your next class to research SPOT and the market
in general: How large is the school? Who's in the department? How many students
do they have? Are there any possibilities for your significant other? What should you
expect for a salary? You start to formulate a list of questions for the chair. You don't
want to call more than once or twice, because any more would seem like badgering.
The next morning you find a faxed letter in your mailbox detailing the offer; it's about
$4,000 less than what the Chronicle of Higher Education says is average for a
beginning assistant professorship. Furthermore, the letter does indeed say that you
are being offered a "terminal, two-year position."
Before you respond you want to call those schools among the remaining nineteen
possibilities that are higher on your list than SPOT. This consists of seventeen
schools (two are lower than SPOT), of which nine tell you that they have either filled
the position or stopped the search for "institutional reasons." Three chairs or search
committees are out of town for up to a week. Of the other five, three say that they
haven't reached the point where they have a short list yet, but they can contact you
"in two or three weeks." When you mention that you have another offer, they say that,
given their situation, you should "seriously consider it."
The other two schools say that they are "really interested"; one chair says that you
are on her short list. When you press for details, however, she becomes more
guarded: "Of course, the search committee is still at work, and they haven't decided

who to bring to campus yet, and we won't really have an offer to make for some
time...maybe a month."
The linguist calls; she liked northern Minnesota. "The people are nice, and there's a
lot of outdoor stuff to do. Of course, you have to drive eighty miles to the nearest big
town, and the winter is colder than you've ever experienced. I didn't go to St. Pat's,
but it has a rather good regional reputation. I'm pretty sure your significant other
could get some kind of job at the school."
You start to put together a list of questions for the chair at St. Pat's. Is the salary
firm? If so, are there any travel funds? At least if you can go to conferences, you can
keep yourself current, show off your research, and network for another job. As to the
teaching schedule, your advisor has suggested that, since you will have to leave in
two years, it might be possible to get release time for research during one or two
semesters. Summer research support is another factor you want to pursue. You will
also be asking the chair about possible jobs for computer scientists.
You also want to know how firm the two-year commitment is. If another position
opens in the department during that time, will they consider you? And if they do
consider you, will they count the two years toward tenure?
As you are considering these questions, you begin to realize that, in some ways, a
two-year position is a blessing in disguise - if it is used properly. A contract for that
amount of time allows you to see if you are interested in the school, while at the
same time forcing you to continue your research and look for other positions.
When you call the chair the next day, he says that while the salary is firm, "you can
get some travel funds, within reason,for up to two conferences a year and only if you
give talks there." He says he will consider you for any opening that comes up, but he
will have to confer with the dean about the "two-years-toward-tenure" issue. He
thinks he "would entertain a two-course reduction" during the first year, or maybe one
course less each year. He says he doesn't know about the computer science
possibilities, but he will check and get back to you.
On a whim you mention that you might fly up on Friday to see the place. You want to
know about rentals and the like. The chair suggests that the department does not
have much left in the budget, but they can "put you up" for a day or two.
Let's analyze the situation so far.
You have made lots of good decisions, you have not refused the job outright, and
you have asked lots of people for advice. You have contacted the other schools you
are considering and in the most positive light: "I am considering another offer and
want to know the status of my application."
Keeping your significant other and your advisor in the loop is also important. After all,
they are the people most concerned with this decision. You and your significant other
have stopped calling the school "SPOT", which indicates that you are beginning to be
serious about your choices. Meanwhile, the postdoc is still a possibility, and it is best
dealt with by your advisor.

You have been meticulous in having gotten as much information as possible about
St. Pat's. Further, the strategy of spending some money to visit a place at which you
might have to spend two years is a good one. You will also want to talk to some
younger faculty at the school to see how they feel about being there, and doing so
face to face is the best possible way.
You need to have one more phone conversation with the chair to discuss his
conference with the dean over the two-years-toward-tenure issue. At that time you
can suggest that you need a little more time before coming to a decision, because
you are seriously considering the offer but you need to look at one or two other
possibilities.
It will be time to get a letter of understanding from the chair or send the same in a
memo of your own. The most serious outstanding issue is the two-course reduction.
If you don't get this spelled out in detail, you will end up next year having to
renegotiate the entire deal. At that time you will have little or no recourse if the chair
says, "Oh, yeah. I thought I might be able to help you, but I just can't do that." If you
then get upset, you may be viewed as "not a team player", someone who should not
receive any future consideration for jobs at St. Pat's.
At this point, since you have negotiated the deep waters of the job search so well but watch out for that two-course reduction issue - we will leave you to your own
devices as to how to continue.
Good luck. We hope to hear from you over lunch at the next national meeting as to
how things went from here. Maybe you would be willing to be on a panel on the job
market in academia?
Author's note: My gratitude to Matt Boelkins, Diane Mack, and Mary Ann Malinchak
Rishel for their suggestions on the revision of this manuscript.
Publisher's Note: This booklet is published under the supervision of the AMS-MAASIAM Committee on Employment Opportunities.
American Mathematical Society
P. O. Box 6248
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-6248
Printed in the United States of America
September 1998

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NAME
addressRichmond, VA23227PhoneE-mail

EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA
1999-2001
Transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University in the Fall
Semester of 1999 with a declared major in the department of
Sociology and Anthropology. A concentration of Anthropology was
declared during the first semester at the university. A specialized
focus has been placed on Latin American Cultures with research on
various topics including literature, global relations, and national
identity. Independent research was completed in the field of
Education and Anthropology.
Alma CollegeAlma, MI
1997-1999
Attended classes pursuing a degree in Exercise and Health Sciences
as well as Sociology. Specialty classes include two Spring Term
classes one titled Biology of Belief: How the Mind Heals and another
titled The Effects of Community Service, Local and Global.

CONFERENCES
A Text Within a Text, I, Rigoberta Mench. Presented at Virginia
Commonwealth University International Studies Conference.
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA November 2000
Will attend The 20th Annual Conference on the First Year Experience
and Students in Transition. Houston, TexasFebruary 2001

GRANTS
Applied for Virginia Commonwealth University Undergraduate
Research Grant in order to pursue research on a personal project,
The Effects of Learning Communities on First Year Students.

HIGHER EDUCATION EXPERIENCE

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
Division of Student Affairs, Internship and Independent
Study2000-2001
Assist in the creation of the Freshman Interest Groups (FIGs) or
Learning Communities. Work with various departments and
implement a schedule for up to 75 FIGs with 20 members in each.
First Year Student Services, Division of Student Affairs1999-2001
Work with up to 3,000 First Year students through The Compass
Center, a drop-in resource center for all First Year students,
Student Testing Advising and Registration (STAR), New Student
Orientation (NSO), Family Day, Passport to VCU, a program which
encourages First Year students to participate in optional personal
strength building activities, and The Freshman Interest Groups
(FIGs).
Helped design of the theme for New Student Orientation: Flight to
the Future: Destination Graduation.
Participated in the creation of both the Jump-Start VCU program as
well as the Passport to VCU program.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
VCU 101, Introduction to the University Fall 2000

Co-Taught a 1 credit section of Introduction to the University, a

course which orients new students to the University.

OTHER EXPERIENCE
Alma College, Alma Michigan
The Scot, Alma College Yearbook1997-1999
Computer Editor: worked with employees with computer
equipment in order to publish the annual yearbook.

 Editor, Student Organizations and Academic Section: Worked with

people involved in the two topics in order to create a section that is
correct in the publication of a yearbook.
Alma College Computing and Audio/Video Assistant1998-1999
Organized and maintained a system to reserve Audio and Video
equipment, as well as assist the director in the repair of MacIntosh
computers and equipment.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE SKILLS

Spanish, conversational ability

UNIVERSITY SERVICE
City of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia2001
Member of Mayors Committee for Youth in the City, involved in
creating activities for students ages 15-25.
Participated in interview process for
Virginia Commonwealth University
Coordinator of Student Organizations and Leadership
Development2001
Director of the Office of Academic Advising2000
Coordinator of Greek Affairs. 2000
Virginia Commonwealth University
Member of the Hiring Committee for the Supervisor of the
Compass Center2000

SPECIAL TRAINING
Red CrossAdult Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Red CrossChild Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Red CrossInfant Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Red CrossFamily Services I
Red CrossInternational Disaster Relief
State of MichiganCertified Educated Nursing Assistant

PRESENTATIONS

Academic Success Program workshopFebruary 12, 2001

Discuss with students the necessities that are required in order to
Get Back on the Boat after being placed on Academic Warning or
Probation.
VCU 101Spring 2001
Speaking to three Introduction to the University courses on how to
be removed from Academic Warning or Probation

COMPUTER SKILLS
Host Explorer (SIS+)
Microsoft Office 97 (Including Works, Access, Excel, Power Point,
and Internet Explorer)
Microsoft Word 00
Netscape Communicator Version 4.0
Page Maker
Photo Shop
Page Spinner

COMMUNITY SERVICE
Global Community Service: HondurasMay 1999
With Dr. Deborah Dougherty of Alma Colleges Department of
Foreign Languages I traveled to a region on the outskirts of
Tegucigalpa, Honduras in order to give a hand up to the people
who were affected by the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch which
devastated the country in the Fall of 1998.

Alpha Phi Omega: Alma College1998-1999

I began a re-colonization effort through contacting the national
office of Alpha Phi Omega, which required an extensive amount of
community service which included Adopt-A-Highway, Push the Vote,
Campus Clean-Up, and a Canned Food Drive.

Planned Parenthood: Richmond, Virginia2001

Straight Talk volunteer who works with incarcerated youth
discussing sexuality, sexually transmitted infections, and family
planning.

MEMBERSHIPS
Sexual Minority Student Alliance (SMSA)
Pursue the advancement of knowledge concerning sexual minorities
to the VCU community
I have been a member of SMSA since 1999 and have served as
president since September of that year. President of SMSA requires
setting up meetings, planning meetings, and organizing large events
such as the Sexual Minority Prom. Participation has also required
becoming involved in VCU Safe Zone as well as GLSEN or the Gay
and Lesbian Secondary Educators Network.
Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)

Pursue the advancement of knowledge concerning

sexual minorities in the nations school systems
As a member of GLSEN, I have been required to pursue the advancement of
knowledge towards sexual minority youth. This has involved the education of
those who educate or passing knowledge to the school systems that will deal with
students who are questioning their sexuality.

TRAVEL &OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE

March 2000Puerto Rico, Nassau, Bahamas, and Virgin Islands
May 1999Honduras: Tegucigalpa, San Francisco, and Copn
June 1996Morocco: Tangiers
July 1996Spain: Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Seville, Malaga, El
Escorial, and Barcelona