Resume

Objective To help solve global and national problems by invoking new ideas, employing empirical analysis and delivering information in a way that resonates with the powers that be and the public at large. Awards SPJ, 2007 General News Reporting National Finalist for “Student financial aid scandal” SPJ, 2007 Region 8, 3rd place, Mark of Excellence Award for “Student loan inquiry hits UT” SPJ, 2007 Region 8, 1st place, Mark of Excellence Award for “Student financial aid scandal” Texas Student Media, 2007, Martin L. ‘Red’ Gibson Outstanding Staff Member Award for superior skills Journalism News 8 Austin – Local 24-hour broadcast news station in Austin, Texas Web Producer – March 2008-present; 40 hours per week Editing and supplementing reporter stories on the station’s Web site with contextual information, links and resources Reporting in the field to help provide added coverage to the station’s Web site Creating relevant and balanced audience polls Participating in newsroom discussions about daily stories, news judgment and ethics Blogging, taking photos and producing and editing video for the Web site The Daily Texan – University of Texas at Austin’s newspaper, circulation 25,000 Senior Reporter - Fall 2006, Spring 2007; 40 hours per week Exposed conflict of interest in student loan industry’s practice of providing dinners, happy hours and treats to financial aid officers at the University of Texas Wrote nearly 100 articles on issues ranging from academic freedom, budgets and investments, gender and race at the university, student loan issues and federal and state higher education policy with a focus on the UT administration General Reporter - Spring 2006; 24 hours per week Coverage included campus, city and state events, higher education, drought, wildfires and voting issues The Downtown Planet – small publication catered to downtown Austin, Texas Journalist/Intern – Fall 2005; 12 hours per week Coverage included local community events, art galleries, urban development and business Internship Capitol Partners, Inc. – bi-partisan appropriations lobbying firm in Washington, DC Intern – Summer 2006; 32 hours per week Observed practices and procedures in lobbying for federal appropriations Researched information relative to clients in Congress Daily and U.S. Senate and House appropriation bills Scheduled clients to meet with U.S. Senate and House delegates and staff Compiled and consolidated the firm’s accomplishments into a report Legal The Reyes Law Firm – debt collecting and entertainment law firm Legal Assistant – Aug. 2004 -April 2006; 20 hours per week Communicated with courts, process servers, lawyers and clients Researching debt collecting and credit law Drafted court documents and correspondence Volunteer Literacy Austin – volunteer organization that provides basic reading and writing instruction  Volunteer Tutor – Sept. 2007-Dec. 2007; 6 hours per week Developed a Level 1 English language curriculum and provided instruction for Spanish-speaking adults Languages Conversational Spanish – studied Spanish for one month in Monterrey, Mexico during the summer of 2007 Education University of Texas at Austin Double major in English and journalism Minor in anthropology Cumulative GPA 3.0 Graduation date: December 2007 Qualifications Blogging, social networking, photography, basic HTML, Final Cut Pro, Dreamweaver and Photoshop skills, some InDesign, In Copy, 60-70 WPM Member of Society of Professional Journalists References Tracy Dahlby Frank A. Bennack, Jr. Chair       in Journalism, UT Austin (512) 471-1845 (office) tdahlby@mail.utexas.edu Adel Iskandar Lecturer, American University Visiting lecturer at UT Austin and Georgetown University Scholar on Middle Eastern Media (859) 539-2803 iskandar@american.edu Michael Pearson Assistant News Director News 8 Austin (512) 531-8800 (office) mpearson@news8austin.com