Prof’s Disclaimer: The nature of the professional resume’ is highly subjective in that if you asked 10

different people to critique your resume’, you would likely get 10 different responses. I would encourage

you to ask several trusted and experienced individuals for their advice regarding your resume’. At the end

of the day, take all the suggestions you receive and decide for yourself what you think works best for you

and your specific professional goals.

The Portfolio Method – A resume’ is far more than a cover letter and a summary of

your job experience. It is critical to remember that your submission is the very first

opportunity that an employer has to make of you. And, make an impression they will.

Without a well-crafted portfolio, your expertise and experience will likely go unnoticed,

getting lost in the vast black hole of paperwork known as HR.

Most job-seekers will submit the traditional form cover letter and resume’ that does

nothing to set them apart from every other job seeker who sent a very similar

application. The portfolio method is more of a “package” that sets you apart in that you

go above and beyond the minimum application requirements making it nearly

impossible to for your resume’ to go unnoticed. In addition to the cover letter and

resume’, the portfolio method includes documentation of your credentials,

accomplishments, commendations, and any other documentation that supports and is

relevant to the job(s) you are applying for. Why wouldn’t you want to put your ‘best foot”

forward?

Portfolio Format:

Page 1 - Custom cover letter tailored to the specific position and employer for

which you are applying for

Page 2 - Custom resume’ tailored to match the specific aforementioned position

(1-3 pages according to your years of experience and job history)

Pages directly after your resume’ – Pertinent portfolio items such as letters of

recommendation, certificates of credentials, awards, commendations, reports

that support work performance, etc… In other words, don’t just tell them how

great you are in your resume’. Show them proof. The portfolio method not only

serves to attract attention to your resume’ submission, it also creates the

perception that you are thorough, contentious and care enough about the

position to go the extra mile.

After serving on what seems to be a thousand or so search and hiring committees, I

have amassed my very own "tried and true" resume' tips straight from the Paige Davis

arsenal:

Resume’ Tips & Organization: (the cover letter goes first, but it’s best to craft your

resume’ first and then write your cover letter accordingly).

Contrary to what you may have heard, a resume' can be more than 1 page. The

length will be relative to the years you have in the workforce.

Design matters...a sloppy looking resume' will get set aside regardless of

qualifications.

A resume' should be tailored to each specific position you apply for rather than a

standard form. This is another good reason to include an objective statement.

Regardless of whether you use a functional or chronological format, I typically

prefer this specific order:

1. Name and Header (name is always larger font & “pops” so that it is

noticed)

2. General Objective Statement (tailored to the specific job you are

applying for; no form resume’s.)

3. Education and/or training (even if you aren't finished; goal dates are

fine)

4. Professional experience (most current job entered first. Incorporate skill

sets and experience using action words to describe your

accomplishments)

5. Portfolio items: letters of recommendation, community service and/or

volunteerism, certificates, honors, awards, performance reports,

commendations, academic accomplishments such as dean’s list if

applying for work shortly after graduation, etc...

6. References (Some will suggest stating "references to be furnished upon

request" or not including references at all. I have been reviewing

resume's & hiring for years. I can tell you that from a hiring perspective, I

appreciate an applicant who has already included references. It’s

convenient and it looks professional. I suggest a list of at least 3

references with complete contact info. Even if it isn't needed, it just looks

good and saves the employer time)

Cover Letters – Tips & Suggestions:

Format to match the formatting of your resume'. You want documents to look like

they are part of a package. For example, fonts, font sizes and other aesthetic

elements should be consistent.

Explain why you are sending a resume.

Don't send a resume without a cover letter.

Don't make the reader guess what you are asking for; be specific: Do you want a

summer internship opportunity, or a permanent position at graduation; are you

inquiring about future employment possibilities?

Convince the reader to look at your resume. The cover letter will be seen first.

Therefore, it must be very well written, visually appealing and targeted to that

employer. Generic cover letters are not nearly as effective.

Call attention to elements of your background — education, leadership,

experience — that are relevant to a position you are seeking. Be as specific as

possible, using examples. But, don't write a carbon copy of the resume' itself.

Reflect your attitude, personality, motivation, enthusiasm, and communication

skills.

Provide or refer to any information specifically requested in a job advertisement

that might not be covered in your resume’, such as availability date, or reference

to an attached writing sample, or other portfolio items such as certificates, letters

of recommendation, etc...

Indicate what you will do to follow-up.

Submitting Your Resume’ Portfolio:

Most larger companies will have online application portals where job seekers simply

upload a copy of their cover letter and resume’. Be sure you follow these instructions to

the letter. Unless indicated otherwise, submit PDF versions to avoid compatibility

issues. Then, using the job notice or company directory, find out who is in charge of

hiring the position. Send a very professional hard copy of your resume’ portfolio via mail

directly to the person(s) responsible for hiring the position you applied for.

Companies with efficient human resources departments will send notices to job seekers

if their resume’ is not selected for further review. If you don’t receive this type of notice,

or a request for an interview within a week or two if the application deadline, it is

acceptable to make contact with the company to find out more information without being

pushy. This can be done by sending an e-mail thanking them for reviewing your

resume’ and offer to send any additional paperwork that they might need.

Resume’ Action Words List:

Assist

Able

Action

Analysis

Achievement

Accomplished

Advanced

Conduct

Consult

Committed

Conducted

Contributed

Coordinated

Develop

Deliver

Design

Defined

Diversified

Devoted

Distinguished

Encourage

Earned

Enhance

Evaluate

Examined

Extended

Facilitate

Formulate

Fulfilled

Forecasted

Generated

Gained

Gathered

Gave

Headed

Hosted

Identified

Implemented

Improved

Improvised

Influenced

Launched

Lobbied

Maintained

Managed

Marketed

Maximized

Mediated

Modernized

Motivated

Negotiated

Observed

Obtained

Operated

Organized

Originated

Oversaw

Participated

Performed

Pioneered

Planned

Prepared

Presented

Promoted

Provided

Published

Pursued

Quantified

Ranked

Received

Recommended

Redesigned

Reengineered

Reorganized

Represented

Restructured

Revised

Safeguarded

Secured

Selected

Specified

Spearheaded

Standardized

Strengthened

Structured

Suggested

Superseded

Supervised

Targeted

Taught

Tested

Trained

Transformed

Transcended

Unified

Upgraded

Utilized

Validated

Valued

Wrote

SAMPLE COVER LETTER 1

[Date] Ms. Rhonda West Customer Service Manager Acme Inc. 123 Corporate Blvd. Sometown, CO 50802 Re: Customer Service Representative Opening (Ref. ID: CS300-Denver) Dear Ms. West: I was excited to see your opening for a customer service rep, and I hope to be invited for an interview. My background includes serving as a customer service associate within both call-center and retail environments. Most recently, I worked on the customer service desk for Discount-Mart, where my responsibilities included handling customer merchandise returns, issuing refunds/store credits, flagging damaged merchandise for shipment back to vendors and providing back-up cashiering during busy periods. Previously, I worked within two high-volume customer-support call centers for a major telecommunications carrier and a satellite television services provider. In these positions, I demonstrated the ability to resolve a variety of issues and complaints (such as billing disputes, service interruptions or cutoffs, repair technician delays/no-shows and equipment malfunctions). I consistently met my call-volume goals, handling an average of 56 to 60 calls per day. In addition to this experience, I gained considerable customer service skills during my part-time employment as a waitress and restaurant hostess while in high school. I also bring to the table strong computer proficiencies in MS Word, MS Excel and CRM database applications and a year of college (business major). Please see the accompanying resume for details of my experience and education. I am confident that I can offer you the customer service, communication and problem-solving skills you are seeking. Feel free to call me at 555-555-5555 (home) or 555-555-5500 (cell) to arrange an interview. Thank you for your time -- I look forward to learning more about this opportunity! Sincerely, Sue Ling Enclosure: Resume

SAMPLE COVER LETTER 2

Jessie B. Fairbanks 15 Oakwood Drive

Sometown, NY 11111

(718) 555-1212

[Date]

Maxwell Jones

HR Director

ABC Hotel

New York, NY 11111

Dear Mr. Jones:

In regard to the open cook position you have posted on Monster, I am very interested in the

opportunity. Perhaps after reading this letter and enclosed resume, you will agree we have a

mutually beneficial reason to meet. My credentials include:

12+ years of cooking experience in a hotel setting.

A track record of increasing clientele by preparing top-quality meals and maintaining

high standards of excellence.

Respected leadership skills with experience training and motivating kitchen staff to work

together as a team.

Expertise in menu planning and food/supplies ordering.

An uncompromising emphasis on quality, sanitation, waste reduction and cost savings.

ABC Hotel's mission and commitment to serving customers and the community is one that I share wholeheartedly. As a cook for Action Resort, I maintained an excellent performance record (using only two sick days throughout my 12-year tenure with the company) and earned a reputation for dedication, teamwork and a roll-up-your-sleeves work ethic. The cook position sounds like an outstanding opportunity, and I would welcome the chance for an interview to discuss your needs and outline my strengths in person. You may reach me at (718) 555-5555. Thank you for your time and consideration of my resume, and I look forward to speaking with you. Sincerely, Jessie B. Fairbanks

Enc: Resume

SAMPLE COVER LETTER 3

MARTIN STEIN

15 Applegate Way

Sometown, PA 19000

(215) 555-5555

martinstein@somedomain.com

March 21, 2012 Christine Smith VP Technical Services XYZ Company 1224 Main St. Anytown, PA 55555 Dear Ms. Smith: Are you searching for a software engineer with a proven ability to develop high-performance applications and technical innovations? If so, please consider my enclosed resume. Since 2002, I have served as a software engineer for Action Company, where I have been repeatedly recognized for developing innovative solutions for multimillion-dollar, globally deployed software and systems. I am responsible for full lifecycle development of next-generation software, from initial requirement gathering to design, coding, testing, documentation and implementation. Known for excellent client-facing skills, I have participated in proposals and presentations that have landed six-figure contracts. I also excel in merging business and user needs into high-quality, cost-effective design solutions while keeping within budgetary constraints. My technical expertise includes cross-platform proficiency (Windows, Unix, Linux and VxWorks); fluency in 13 scripting/programming languages (including C, C++, VB, Java, Perl and SQL); and advanced knowledge of developer applications, tools, methodologies and best practices (including OOD, client/server architecture and self-test automation). My experience developing user-friendly solutions on time and on budget would enable me to step into a software engineering role at XYZ Company and hit the ground running. I will follow up with you next week, and you may reach me at (215) 555-5555. I look forward to speaking with you. Sincerely,

Martin Stein

Enclosure

SAMPLE RESUME’ 1

Peter Westfield

909 Columbus Circle, Apt. #38 | Sometown, VA 22201

Phone: 555.555.5555 | Email: pw@somedomain.com

Targeting a Position as: ASSISTANT IT PROJECT MANAGER

Solid Credentials

Honors graduate of ABC

University's BS in Project

Management program. Also

earned an AS in computer

science degree.

Project Lifecycle Experience

Assisted project managers in

planning, launching and supporting

two major IT projects during 12-

month PM internship for a top

business intelligence firm.

Technical Skills

Offer an advanced command

of: MS Project, Excel,

PowerPoint, Word,

Agile/Scrum, SharePoint, SQL

Server, Java, .Net, Windows,

Linux, Unix

Education

ABC UNIVERSITY, Sometown, VA

BS in Project Management, Information Technology Emphasis, 2011

XYZ COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Sometown, VA

AS in Computer Science, 2009

Course Highlights:

Strategic Project

Management

Managing Teams

Project Costing &

Budgeting

IT & Networking

Projects

Business & Information

Systems

Global Project

Management

PM Methodologies

& Tools

Project

Documentation

Quality Assurance

Project Management Internship

XYZ INC. (Global provider of business intelligence data), Sometown, VA

Technology Project Manager (PM) Intern, 6/2010 to 6/2011

Involved in all phases of the project lifecycle (from concept and requirements through

launch and support) for two cutting-edge, Web-based editorial systems within an agile

development environment. Contributed to successful closure of both projects, with

applications released on time and under budget.

Assisted PM in maintaining project schedules, work breakdown structures (WBS),

issue/decision logs, meeting summaries and status reports to ensure effective, ongoing

communications across all team members.

Designed tools, reports, charts and graphs for senior management to provide ongoing,

at-a-glance summaries of project status and application prototype performance.

Collaborated effectively with project, product and program managers to ensure project

deliverables remained on track and aligned with business goals and expectations.

Analyzed product portfolio data to identify areas for improvement and assisted PMs in

implementing the improvements. Contributed to an innovative solution that resolved

problematic GUI and compatibility issues without compromising release readiness,

budget or deadline.

Additional Experience

Employed as a computer lab assistant at ABC University for two semesters; clerk at XYZ Retail

Company for one year (seasonal); and computer and math tutor throughout college.

SAMPLE RESUME’ 2

CHARLES W. SIMPSON

9 Vail Drive | Sometown, OH 45238 | Home: 555.555.5555 | Cell: 555.555.1234

csimpson@somedomain.com

EXPERIENCED QA TESTER

Solutions-focused QA tester with four years of automation experience; high-level

proficiency with QC and QTP toolsets; and a foundation in Java, VB Script, SQL, Perl,

Linux/Unix and monitoring tools.

Excel in creating test plans and writing/running automated test scripts to pinpoint

software defects, track bugs, close open defects and validate functionality. Serve as a

value-adding member of QA teams.

TECHNOLOGY & TESTING PROFICIENCIES

Testing Tools: HP QuickTest Professional, HP Quality Center

Monitoring Tools: HP SiteScope, Wily Introscope, dynaTrace, Gomez

Testing Methodologies: System Testing, Stress Testing, Load Testing, Reliability Testing,

Feature Testing, Acceptance Testing, Functionality Testing,

Validation

Scripting Tools: Java, SQL, Unix Shell Scripting, Perl Scripting, VB Scripting

Systems: Unix, Linux, Windows

QA TESTING EXPERIENCE

ABC COMPANY -- Sometown, OH

Leading business solutions software provider with $18B in annual revenue

Software Quality Assurance Tester, 2/08 to Present

Junior Quality Assurance Tester, 12/07 to 2/08

Provide lifecycle management of automated testing projects on software and large database

applications using QTP (including Object Spy), QC and various monitoring and scripting tools.

Maintain cooperative relationships with developers and communicate with both technical and

nontechnical stakeholders.

Highlights of Accomplishments:

Promoted from junior QA tester role within two months of hire, outpacing ABC’s typical

six-month timeline for junior testers. Recognized for developing excellent test

plans/scripts and rapidly discovering defects.

Contributed to high-reliability technology releases as a result of thorough testing that

helped maintain ABC’s industry-leading sales ranking, market share and customer-

satisfaction rating.

Isolated deeply embedded software flaw in new version of company’s cornerstone

software product prior to its 2010 release, saving approximately $150K in product-

replacement costs.

Employed a “test-to-break” approach on testing initiatives and clarified ambiguous

requirements to ensure the effectiveness of all test plans.

Improved the documentation of QA testing practices to enhance their repeatability,

saving time and money and encouraging testing standardization and best practices.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

Taught English at ABC High School (Sometown, OH) while pursuing computer science degree,

8/05 to 6/07.

EDUCATION

XYZ University -- Sometown, OH BS in Computer Science (GPA in Major: 3.8), 12/07 BA in Education (Minor in English), 6/05

SAMPLE RESUME 3

PMP-certified

project manager

with five years

of experience

providing

cradle-to-grave

management

over large-scale

IT implementations.

SKILLS

Project Lifecycle

Management

Enterprise

Implementations

System Migrations

Requirements

Definition & Analysis

Project Scheduling

Team Building &

Leadership

Project Budgeting &

Cost Controls

Quality Assurance

TECHNOLOGY

KASEY BENSOM, PMP

1757 Oceanview Lane | Sometown, CA 91202 | 555.555.5555

KB@somedomain.com | BeKnown Profile URL | LinkedIn URL

PROJECT MANAGER: Specializing in Enterprise IT Implementations

Excel in liaising between business and technical areas to achieve on-

time, on-budget and on-spec project completions. Able to merge customer

and user needs with business requirements, budgetary restrictions and

logistical considerations to meet project deliverables.

Education & Credentials

PROJECT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE

Project Management Professional (PMP), 2009

XYZ UNIVERSITY — Sometown, CA

Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems, 2007

Honors: J. Walters Academic Scholarship, Dean’s List (2003 to 2005)

Internship: Network Administration Intern at 1-2-3 Company (2006)

Professional Experience

ABC COMPANY — Sometown, CA

Provide project lifecycle leadership over all phases of enterprisewide IT

implementations within a multistate, 6,500-user organization.

Project Manager, Technology Implementation Group, 2009 to Present

Assistant Project Manager, 2008 to 2009

Promoted to project manager role to plan, schedule and execute all

stages of enterprise software, hardware and system

implementations. Assessed business implications for each project

phase and monitored progress to meet deadlines, standards and

cost targets.

Drove impressive improvements across the business as a result of IT

implementations. Equipped ABC with solutions that accelerated the

SUMMARY

Software & RDBMS:

MS Project (expert),

Word, Excel, Access,

PowerPoint,

Oracle, SQL Server

Protocols:

TCP/IP, SMTP,

HTTP,

FTP, DNS

Systems:

Windows, Unix, Linux

bidding process on architectural projects by 45%, shortened the

sales cycle by 50%, increased cash collections by 35% and saved

$1.2M annually.

Excelled in guiding the work of technical teams. Articulated project

goals and scope, translated business needs into technical terms,

prepared detailed work breakdown structures (WBS) and instilled

shared accountability for achieving project milestones.

Created cost-benefit analyses and ROI assessments that were used

as the basis for decision-making on proposed IT implementation

projects.

Resolved numerous project issues including staffing shortages,

tactical matters, scope creep and divergent business and user

needs.

DEF COMPANY — Sometown, CA

Network Administrator, 2007 to 2008

Developed strong technical foundation as a network administrator

within a 2,500-user, mixed-platform environment.

Optimized network uptime to 99.9%, led a major network upgrade,

and improved systems security and reliability.

SUGGESTED SAMPLE PORTFOLIO ITEMS

Include only items that are relevant to the position you are applying for

Education

Transcripts (all) Diplomas, certificates, CEUs, licenses Course descriptions Assessments, test results (e.g. GRE scores), appraisals (e.g. 180° or 360°

feedback), grade reports Awards, honors, honor society memberships Internships, apprenticeships, special projects (e.g. senior capstone) Writing samples Workshops, seminars, conferences attended Independent learning (things you've learned on your own, or taught yourself) Certificates/evidence of special training (military, private institute, business, etc.)

Activities

Leadership positions held Hobbies or Interests (time devoted to or photos) Participation in team sports Service project participation Volunteer activities Organizations joined (all) Public speaking/presentations or performances Awards Travel

Work-Related Activities

Performance reports, appraisals (e.g. internship/student teaching evaluations) Letter of nomination and/or recommendation Accomplishments (could include newspaper clippings that detail your

achievements) Military training, citations (complete description of duties, activities) Awards Professional licenses Publications, reports, published articles Training materials Samples of brochures, flyers made Attendance records Organization charts Customer surveys Documentation of accomplishments - increase in sales, decrease in claims

Computer-related items Major projects completed/participated in

SAMPLE COMPLETE PORTFOLIO

Paige C. Davis

Professional Resume’ Portfolio

Professor of Speech Communication & Education

Order of Materials: 1. Letter of Application 2. Resume’ 3. Letters of Reference 4. Certificates, Awards & Commendations 5. Published Articles

Respectfully Submitted by: Professor Paige C. Davis, M.A.

Paige C. Davis

8218 ABC Street Spring, TX 77379

281-687-2479 paigecdavis@yahoo.com

Dear Committee,

This letter is to inform you of my interest in teaching speech communication as full-time faculty with Lone Star College. It is my desire to utilize my skills and expertise in communication and education in a manner that will provide assistance and support in a teaching environment through class-based and online formats. Equipped with a B.A. in Communication, M.A. in Teaching (Curriculum and Instruction) with Communication as my focus and experience in a variety of teaching positions, including department chair, I have a strong background in communication and education, as well as teaching strategies to facilitate learning, personal and academic growth among students.

As a teacher and lifelong student, I am dedicated to serving the needs of students

academically as well as equipping them with the confidence to apply learned material.

Education is a journey and throughout my personal journey, there are several teachers who

come to mind that helped shape and mold the person I am today. These individuals took a

personal interest in me and motivated me to seek out knowledge. They made learning exciting

by creating an environment of mutual respect, non-traditional learning strategies to supplement

curricula and simply by being excited about the content themselves.

It is through these learning experiences that I have created my own teaching

methodology and style. I promote student learning by first gaining student respect by giving

them the respect they deserve. I harbor a safe learning environment where students can share

thoughts and ideas freely. I present content in a variety of formats for maximum comprehension

and retention. Discussion oriented lectures are employed to facilitate the students own learning

and experiential activities are used to demonstrate certain ideas or theories. I value thoughts,

opinions and suggestions made by students and I make a concerted effort to get to know each

student individually.

Positive reinforcement is an essential aspect of promoting student achievement. As an

educator, it is not only my responsibility to deliver content, but it is also essential to assist

students in achieving their educational goals. In order to do this, students must be encouraged

and motivated constantly. Whether it is a verbal praise during class discussion or a personal

note about their progress on a turned in assignment, students flourish in the midst of

encouragement. So many of my teachers have made long lasting impressions on me that have

changed me for the better. There is no greater satisfaction as a teacher than to know that

somehow you have made a difference in the life of a student.

Academically, the best way to promote student learning is to be passionate about the

content you teach. Students will recognize and absorb this passion in the form of interest and

desire to learn. I love the field of communication in all content areas. Communication is at the

heart of all that we do as humans. To study communication, whether it is journalism, public

speaking, theory, photography, etc…is to gain a better understanding of the world, people,

culture, and most importantly, yourself.

My resume, is enclosed for a more complete description of my accomplishments and

qualifications. It would be my pleasure to provide you with any additional information you may

need. I am ready to teach! Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Paige C. Davis, M.A.

Paige C. Davis

8218 ABC Street Spring, TX 77379

281-687-2274 paigecdavis@yahoo.com

CURRENT ACADEMIC ASSIGNMENT: Associate Professor of Speech Communication & Education, Lone Star College, Cypress TX ACADEMIC PREPARATION: M.A. in Teaching- The University of Texas at Tyler, 2001

Concentrations: Curriculum & Instruction, Speech Communication Academic Advisors: Dr. Larry Kraus & Dr. Roger Conaway

B.A. in Communication – Concordia University at Austin, 1998

Academic Advisors: Dr. John Fraham & Dr. David Barker CERTIFICATES & CREDENTIALS:

LaCade Certified – Louisiana Consortium for Distance Education Fluent in the following online delivery platforms: BlackBoard, Angel, Clega, OnNet, &

WebCT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Associate Professor of Speech Communication & Education, 8/08 to present Faculty: Traditional & Virtual Lone Star College. Cypress, TX

Courses: Interpersonal Communication, Fundamentals of Communication, Communication for Business Professionals

Assistant Professor of Communication Studies & Education, 9/04 to 8/11 Online Course Author & Facilitator Herzing University Online Courses: Public Speaking, Principles of Communication

Instructor of Speech Communication & Education, 8/02 to 5/06 Faculty: Discipline Chair – 2003-2005 Baton Rouge Community College, Baton Rouge, LA

Courses: Fundamentals of Speech (online and face-to-face), Techniques of Speech, Interpersonal Communication (online and face-to-face), Communicating in the Classroom (online and face-to-face), Foundations of Education

Adjunct Instructor Assignments, 2001-2011 Lake Erie College, Lorain County Community College, Herzing University Online, Southeastern Louisiana University, Cy-Fair College, BRCC Courses: Business Communication, Fundamentals of Speech, Principles of Communication, Interpersonal Communication

Teacher of Communications Applications, 1/01-5/01 Robert E. Lee High School, Tyler TX (practicum) Early Intervention Specialist, 2/00-3/01

Early Childhood Intervention, Longview, TX Education Specialist, 5/99-2/00

Special Health Resources of East Texas, Longview, TX Third Grade Teacher, 8/98-5-99

Texas Christian School, Houston, TX Special Education Assistant, 8/96-5/98

Rosedale School, Austin, TX PAPERS:

Dear Abby: In Class Conflict Resolution Strategies Learning to Serve and Serving to Learn: An Introduction to Service Learning Concepts

PRESENTATIONS: “LSCS Core Redevelopment Process” - LSCS Curriculum Day, 2012 “The Adult Learner: A Different Breed” - ELEMENTS Conference, Bear Creek Baptist Church,

2011 “Listening for Effective Communication” - Academy of Life Long Learning, LSC-CyFair, 2010 “Conflict: Effective Communication Strategies” - Academy of Life Long Learning, LSC-CyFair,

2010 “Non-verbal Communication: The Basics” - Academy of Life Long Learning, LSC-CyFair, 2009

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: Kappa Delta Pi – Honor Society in Education New England Genealogical Society

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE: Speech Curriculum Team – System General Education Committee – System Department Chair for speech, political science and foreign languages at BRCC Online Learning Certified, La Cade program through LSU Various committee membership:

Learning Outcomes & Assessment General Education Committee SACS Self-Study: Institutional Effectiveness Committee Speech Curriculum Committee Faculty Search Committees

Pioneered first class-based service-learning initiative at BRCC Faculty advisor for numerous student clubs

COMMUNITY SERVICE:

Department sponsor - American Heart Walk Volunteer lecturer – Academy for Lifelong Learning Youth volunteer at Bear Creek Baptist Church Webmaster and author at www.professorspearls.com

HONORS, AWARDS & CERTICFICATIONS:

Albrecht Learning Signature Nominee – 4/11 Chancellor’s Breakfast Honoree – Contributions to Student Success, 2/11 Faculty Excellence Nominee, 2010 Master Advisor Credential – South Plains College, 8/10 Certified Online Facilitator: Louisiana Consortium for the Advancement of Distance

Education 12/04 Inducted to Academic Honor Society (KDP), 5/01

REFERENCES: Professional and personal references are enclosed. Additionally, the following individuals are available to serve as professional references on my behalf: Dr. Feleccia Moore-Davis VP Student Learning Lone Star College, CyFair Feleccia.R.Moore-Davis@lonestar.edu

Kim Hubbard Interim Dean, Department of Arts & Communication Lone Star College, CyFair Kimberly.D.Hubbard@lonestar.edu

Congratulating Dena Horne, center, as the Lone

Star College-CyFair scholarship essay winner, are

two of her professors Andrew Dunsky, left, and

Paige Davis.

LONE STAR COLLEGE-CYFAIR SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY WINNER SHARES HER STORY

Published 02/10/2011 - 12:06 p.m. CST

Dena Horne describes life-changing impact of community college and two professors

CYPRESS, TX - Certainly receiving a scholarship and earning a college degree can change a person’s future, but one student discovered much more at Lone Star College-CyFair, such as the impact LSC-CyFair’s faculty had on her life.

Dena Horne was among five Lone Star College System students who read their winning essays on “How My Community College Experience Changed My Life” as part of the recent 18th annual Lone Star College Foundation’s Chancellor’s Breakfast.

Horne’s story begins with an admission that her first college experience was so negative that she did not even entertain the idea of going back until she reached a point of necessity after moving to Houston in 2009.

“I was laid off from my job,” she said. “I searched exhaustively but I quickly realized that my work experience did not equal a degree … so I bit the bullet and enrolled for a full course load. This decision became a turning point in my life.”

That first semester at LSC-CyFair, Horne said she discovered some amazing things because of her professors, such as a passion for the study of communications and enjoyment of history.

Paige Davis, professor of speech communications, showed Horne the human side of communications and

taught her lessons applicable in her other classes.

“In addition to her teaching, her genuine concern for my personal life gave me the courage I needed to face the daunting task of returning to school,” Horne said. “She was the catalyst for my choosing to pursue a career in human communications education.”

Attending the chancellor’s breakfast along with Andrew Dunsky, adjunct professor of history, and Horne’s husband Josh, Davis said she was truly touched when Horne read her essay.

“Attending LSC-CyFair allowed this remarkable student to discover her unearthed interests and talents,” said Davis. “She now has direction and a clear purpose for her future as a Sam Houston University student and her intended career path as a community college speech communication professor. She’s a girl after my own heart! It has been my honor to serve as her teacher, mentor and friend.”

Horne said Dunsky changed misconceptions for her that history classes were boring and revolved only around dates.

“His energetic and unique teaching style has driven me to pursue a minor in history,” said Horne. “More importantly, he has given me an appreciation for the importance of history and the relationship it shares with my chosen field.”

Dunsky said he looks forward to Horne achieving her goals of obtaining a bachelor’s and master’s in speech communication.

“For the past three semesters Dena has been an integral part of my history classes at LSC-CyFair, actively participating in class discussions and contributing her own perspectives and personal experiences,” said

Dunsky. “Needless to say, it has been an absolute pleasure having her as a student and she will certainly be missed.”

Another truly life changing discovery for Horne was learning she’s capable of doing well in school from

completing full course loads with straight A’s to being accepted into the Honors Program and incorporating a service learning opportunity into her Honors contract.

“These are all things that I never would have thought possible before attending Lone Star College-CyFair,” said Horne. “It is my hope that when I reach my ultimate goal of teaching at a community college that I will have the same impact on my students that my teachers at Lone Star College have had on me.”

Receiving a $1,000 scholarship from the LSC Foundation and representing each of the five LSCS colleges were Horne from LSC-CyFair, Jason Clayden from LSC-Kingwood, Angel Guajardo from LSC-Montgomery, Willicia Toran from LSC-North Harris and Jonas Rodriguez from LSC-Tomball.

For information on LSC-CyFair, go to LoneStar.edu.

2011 Christal Albrecht Learning Signature Award

Nominee

FACULTY NOMINEE: Paige Davis

DISCIPLINE: Speech

DIVISION/AREA: Division III: Arts and Communication

NOMINATED BY: Michael W. Kirch, Instructional Dean

List and discuss ways in which this nominee promotes active learning engagement and

encourages collaboration and innovation. Please be specific.

Paige Davis is one of those instructors who do a lot with very little fanfare. However, Paige

promotes active learning engagement in a number of ways and deserves to be recognized.

A review of Paige’s student evaluations from the Fall semester gives you a good idea of her

teaching excellence. The comments also demonstrate her use of active learning techniques. It is

her interest in active learning that led Paige to her appointment on the Student Success

Committee. She believes in student success and student engagement. In addition to teaching

she also serves as a faculty mentor. This interest in mentoring students is probably why she

was invited by this year’s LSC-CyFair essay contest winner to attend breakfast with the

Chancellor. It’s this type of recognition and involvement that make her an outstanding

nominee for this award.

Paige loves to interact with students and has trouble saying “no” to them. Because of this,

Paige is a club advisor for two student organizations; Dare to Dream (the goal of which is to

promote social fellowship, education and awareness and advocacy for disabled students) and

the College Republicans. In addition, she has agreed to serve as a co-sponsor for the college’s

involvement in the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, an initiative from Dr. Goodall’s

office. She also helps to promote engagement with our best students through her participation

in Honors by Contract which ensures that our high achieving students receive an educational

experience that pushes them to their limits.

Service learning is also important to Paige. She attended the “I Serve I Care” training and is

actively investigating the use of Service Learning in her courses. Although she currently offers

opportunities for service learning in her classes she is actively working on obtaining the

appropriate designation for her courses/students. This goes hand in hand with her position as

the Division III Heart Walk Captain. She tries to model her belief in helping others.

Paige is willing to teach any group. She works with the members of the Academy of Lifelong

Learning and delivers disciple specific presentations twice per semester to this group on issues

such as networking and conflict management.

A number of current projects demonstrate Paige’s encouragement of collaboration and

innovation. Paige works closely with her colleagues and is one of the organizers for the annual

student Speech contest. Another example of her ability to collaborate is collaboration the mini-

grant that she received for her proposal to create a Speech adjunct specific section of Adjunct

Certification. The proposal, submitted with her Speech Department colleagues, was to pilot a

content specific section of adjunct training for adjunct faculty members in Speech to ascertain

the benefits of using content specific examples. Another example of Paige’s innovation is her

piloting the use of manipulatives (objects) in teaching Speech Communication. In order to

address tactile learners she is using objects to teach such things as the communication process

and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Finally, Paige helped to draft the proposal for Faculty

Advising that is currently being considered for implementation on campuses. As part of the

Faculty Advising Initiative she has attended professional development to learn more about

student advising.

For all of the reasons above, Paige Davis deserves serious consideration for the Christal

Albrecht Learning Signature Award.

To Whom it May Concern,

I am delighted to recommend Paige Davis to your institution. I served as Paige’s supervisor as

she served as a full-time speech instructor at Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC) from

August of 2002 through June of 2006.

The first fact that will tell you what an outstanding person Paige is that we hired her to teach

speech at BRCC over many other applicants who have Ph.D.s or master’s degrees in speech

when she has a M.A. in Teaching with graduate hours in speech. We always seek faculty with

discipline-specific degrees, but Paige was so intelligent, enthusiastic, well-organized and

personable through the search process that we felt she would be an excellent teacher.

We were right about Paige’s abilities: her students evaluated her a 4.82 on a 5.0 scale, and I

evaluated her a perfect 5.0 when I observed her teach. Her students rated her particularly highly

on knowledge of course topics, explaining materials clearly, showing interest in students’

academic and intellectual development, and listening attentively to students’ concerns and

questions. I further noted that her class was very interactive and that she did an excellent job of

using technology to provide visual aids to reinforce class lecture and discussion.

Other faculty rapidly recognized Paige’s intellectual abilities, good judgment, leadership skills,

and high motivation. She was quickly drafted to serve on six committees, four of which are

essential to our candidacy for accreditation (BRCC is only 4 years old). Paige led the speech

faculty in developing learning outcomes and assessments for all speech courses and in selecting

qualified applicants for adjunct positions. While handling all these responsibilities, she also

found time to develop service learning activities, and to be an unfailing genial and helpful

colleague to all students and faculty.

Paige clearly has the intellectual ability and motivation to be successful in pursuing advanced

study and research. I have every confidence that she will be as outstanding a doctoral candidate

as she was a faculty member at BRCC, and I give her my highest recommendation.

Sincerely,

Maxie Wells

Ida (Maxie) Wells, Ph.D.

Dean of Liberal Arts (Retired)

Baton Rouge Community College

SAMPLE THANK-YOU /FOLLOW-UP LETTER

(sent via e-mail)

Date Name Title Organization Address City, State, Zip Code Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to me about the Senior Programmer Analyst position with XXX Company. I appreciate your time and consideration in interviewing me for this position.

After speaking with you and the group, I believe that I would be a perfect candidate for this position, offering the quick learning and adaptability that is needed for a diversified position.

In addition to my enthusiasm for performing well, I would bring the technical and analytical skills necessary to get the job done.

I am very interested in working for you and look forward to hearing from you once the final decisions are made regarding this position. Please feel free to contact me at any time if further information is needed. My cell phone number is (555) 111-1111.

Thank you again for your time and consideration.

Sincerely, Your Signature Your Typed Name