Resume and CV

Professional Summary

Lifelong writer and artist seeking a full-time library or archivist position using well-developed writing, proofreading, editing, teaching, and design skills.

Education

2020 – 2022              Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)
Library & Information Science Graduate Student Association (LISGSA):
Vice President (2020-21)              President (2021-2022)                    Student Advisor (2022)
Society of American Archivists University of Missouri Student Chapter (SAAMUSC):
LISGSA Liaison Officer (2021), Current Member
American Library Association (ALA): Member
Missouri Library Association (MLA): Member
Society of American Archivists (SAA): Member
Progressive Librarians Guild (PLG): Member

Courses taken:
Introduction to Library Science
Introduction to Information Technology
Diverse Children’s Materials
Organization of Information
Collections Access and Management
Reference Sources and Services
Youth Services in Libraries
Management of Information Agencies
Teen Library Materials
The Public Library
History of Books and Media
Practicum in Information Agencies
Intellectual Freedom and Its Discontents

2007 – 2009                  Master of Arts English: Creative Writing           Creative Nonfiction focus
Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri
Memberships:
Modern Language Association (MLA): Member
Sigma Tau Delta: English Honor Society: Member

2002 – 2006                  Bachelor of Arts English: British Literature and Composition
Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri
Memberships:
Unique Ensemble: Member, Historian
National Society of Collegiate Scholars: Member

2012 – 2013                  Courses in Graphic Design and Illustration toward a BFA degree
Missouri State University

Relevant Work Experience

2022 – Present              Archvist
State Historical Society of Missouri, Springfield, Missouri

• Processing new collections
• Helping manage reading room traffic
• Assisting researchers in locating relevant information on Missouri history
• Digitizing collections and creating finding aids

2022 – Present              Digital Imaging Associate
Springfield-Greene County Library District, Springfield, Missouri

• Digitizing News-Leader photographs from negatives
• Researching and identifying newspaper articles from archives that feature digitized
  photographs
• Creating metadata to develop a searchable database of digitized photographs and
  newspaper articles
• Correctly cataloging images based on Library of Congress Subject Headings
• Created an original Banned Book Cover redesign of The Hate U Give for a Banned Books
  Week awareness campaign

Fall 2022              Practicum in Collection Services
Springfield-Greene County Library District, Springfield, Missouri

• Weeding and selecting materials to address needs and space in the Library’s collection
• Editing metadata in the Library’s catalog
• Measuring and planning for future changes in the Library’s shelving system

2015 – 2021              Parcel Team, Data Entry Specialist, Excel Import Specialist, Invoice Auditor
Mihlfeld & Associates, Springfield, Missouri

• Contacting shipping vendors to obtain necessary back-up documents for processing invoices
• Interpreting and obtaining the correct information per each customer’s requirements to process invoices
• Correcting EDI errors to ensure that the information is accurate in order to ensure that our company makes accurate payments on behalf of customers
• Carefully and quickly reviewing bills of lading and invoices to identify errors on invoices to save our customers expenses
• Helping to train new employees on data entry and general invoice processing
• Editing and importing Excel spreadsheet invoices into the system to save time

2011 – Present              Freelance Pet Portrait Painter and Artist
Brushstrokes by Niki, Brushstrokes-by-Niki.com
Sole Proprietor and Artist

• Painting acrylic and oil pet portraits, castle landscapes, abstract design
• Photographing events, including one wedding
• Creating and selling steampunk clay creations, costume pieces, up-cycled “trash” artwork and crafts, and door wreaths
• Managing and promoting the business using grassroots marketing and vendor booths at popular local pet festivals

2013 – 2015                  Per-Project Content Writer, Editor, and Consultant
Great Educators, LLC, St. Robert, Missouri

• Writing test bank questions for ELA education standards (K-12^th grades) and editing others’ projects (for grades K-12) for grammar, content, and formatting
• Collecting readings for and writing practice questions for 36 weeks per grade level of ELA preparatory materials for junior high to high school-level students
• Within a year, became established as a primary writer for English and Language Arts materials,
• Within a year, became a key consultant for adapting ELA materials for common core standards in states that do not use the federal version
• Credited for creating consistently strong material, gaining the honor of frequently being given first choice of extensive, long-term projects

2010 – 2015                  Adjunct English Instructor
Ozarks Technical Community College, Springfield, Missouri

• Teaching one-to-four various sections of composition and developmental writing per semester
• Constructing unique assignments implementing the course objectives while calling for critical and creative thought
• Consulting with students in one-on-one writing and revision conferences for each major assignment
• Utilizing email submissions, Blackboard, social media, and blogging in assignments, encouraging students to navigate various forms of technology and communication
• In 2013, earned license for online teaching, and in 2014, transitioned to exclusively teaching online classes

2007, 2009                    Substitute Teacher
Reeds Spring School District, Reeds Spring, Missouri
Nixa Public Schools (2009), Nixa, Missouri
Branson Public Schools (2007), Branson, Missouri

• Maintained order in the classroom
• Instructed students in nearly every subject
• Assisted students with various difficult assignments

2007-2009                     Graduate Teaching Assistant (Independent Teaching Role)
Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri

• Taught two sections of composition per semester for four semesters while attending graduate school full time
• Constructed unique assignments implementing the course objectives while calling for critical and creative thought
• Consulted with students in one-on-one conferences for each major assignment and final evaluations
• Utilized email submissions, Blackboard, and blogging in assignments, encouraging students to learn to navigate various forms of technology

2005                             Student Archivist
Pickler Memorial Library, Truman State, Kirksville, Missouri

• Assisted patrons in accessing rare and delicate documents and shelved and filed rare materials
• Collected and filed newspaper clippings pertaining to the university and its alumni
• Created Excel spreadsheets of data from 19^th-century university rosters and county records

Skills and Qualifications

• Well-developed skills in research in academic and public library settings
• Expertise in proofreading, editing, writing, and video editing
• Experience creating LibGuides and educational materials for both general use and special purposes
• Highly skilled with Microsoft Office programs, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Well-versed in using multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, blogging engines such as WordPress and Blogger, and LinkedIn, for both personal and professional purposes
• Highly experienced in using all versions of Windows and Android, and comfortable using Apple computer platforms
• Seven years’ college teaching and course development experience at Ozarks Technical Community College and Missouri State University

Additional Skills and Achievements

• Recipient of Mizzou’s Doris J. Athy Memorial Scholarship two years in a row during MLIS program
• Recipient of multiple undergraduate merit-based and skills-based scholarships, including the Bright Flight Scholarship
• Scored a 34 on the English portion of the ACT exam
• Recipient of graduate teaching assistantship from 2007-2009
• “Black Magic More: A Caffeinated Memoir,” presented at Truman State University’s Graduate English Organization Conference on April 4, 2009
• Experience utilizing Adobe Photoshop for a variety of projects in both art and archival uses
• Average typing speed: 75-85 wpm
• Foundations Exhibition 2013 at the Missouri State University Student Exhibition Center: Four pieces chosen for exhibition from fall 2012 foundational drawing and design classes
• From Truman State University, a strong liberal arts background, particularly in the arts and humanities, including history (art and world), religion, psychology, vocal music, communications, and, via extensive personal research, classic cinema