Chief, English and Foreign Language Section

Led section of four permanent faculty, two rotating military officers, and several temporary faculty. Supervised curriculum in English studies; consulted on curriculum in Spanish studies; ensured learning objectives and outcomes consistent and rigorous across multiple sections of fourth-class developmental, standard, and advanced composition and literature
courses; coordinate assessments of course content as core-courses and situated within all majors; served as “voice” of the Section in departmental meetings; advocate for resources, including for temporary faculty to ensure high quality and adherence to national English guidelines for class sizes; provided input on OERs and PARs; provided counsel for Section
members on variety of academic and personnel issues; and coordinated morale events in times of stress for Section.

Speech Coach

15 Distinguished Graduates for CGA’s Commencements.

Develop, revise, and rehearse speeches within limited timeframe for consistently favorable results.
Joe Sullivan-Springhetti’s speech, ranked 4 th best college graduation speeches of the
year by Parade magazine.

CGA Public Speaking Advisor

Wrote Guide to Effective Public Speaking for CG’s JOs used in Organizational Behavior and Leadership classes for two years; sent to several JOs in Fleet for feedback to incorporate in revision.

Led “Public Speaking for Officers” session at Sector Long Island; received valuable input to enhance Guide.

Assisted ADM Olsen and ADM Kelly with their Convocation and Commencement Speeches respectively.

Led two “Lunch and Learns” sponsored by Alumni Associations.

Coached many 4/c and several 3/c students selected in top positions for Class of ’59/Hewitt Speaking Contest.

Program Advisor, Prestigious Scholarships and Fellowships

Guided student to Fulbright Scholarship in Norway; two students to Truman Scholarships with one finalist, and, currently, two students to Fulbright and one student to Marshall Scholarship; consulted with other potential applicants, but supporting them to find more fitting paths in CG.

Attended National Association of Fellowship Advisors’ Introductory Training in Chicago, IL. and Biennial NAFA Conference in Washington D.C.

Served on Mock Interview Panels for Former Candidates.

Faculty Advisor, American Service Academies Program

Organized and facilitated process to select 8 deserving cadets to attend ASAP to study the Holocaust in Poland for two weeks in May/June; coached their writing of essays; communicated with Maciek Zabieroski, Director of ASAP in Poland; met with group before trip to prepare them for emotional side of visit; discussed my article, “A Lesson from Holocaust” with them; met to reflect upon their return; encouraged students to write about profound experience.

Director of Summer English Placement

Organized and further developed process of administering essay placement exam to swabs; trained junior officers and temporary faculty to assist with process (and ultimately lead); reviewed 100s of exams, and instituted a more efficient background form, rubric, and Excel file to manage significant academic and performance data; collaborated with Dr. Page for Diagnostic Test of Language Skills (DTLS); made decisions about placement in various composition courses–created reports for registrar.

Assistant Director of Summer Placement

Assisted senior English faculty in entire process, offering input for
more efficient procedures and reporting process.

Director of Reading Summer Placement

Organized and administrated DTLS to swabs, and crunched data to report Director of English Summer Placement; trained temporary faculty to assist with process.

Visited NAPS and GMC prep schools to gain further insight and offer recommendations to English faculty as they prepared future swabs for CGA’s composition courses.

Founder and Advisor, id est (“so that”), Literary Journal

With creative-minded cadets, founded first edition of the journal with cadets’ poems, short stories, fictional essays, and photography-and carried tradition from hardcopies to e-copies through 12 editions; advised editors, offered recommendations for edits, taught marketing skills, and oversaw publications and distributions. Deconflicted situations between cadet writers and SUPT and Assistant SUPTs with respect to extent of creative license, allowing some freedom but staying within the REGS. At behest of SUPT, created editorial boards of officers and civilian faculty to review all entries before publication, and consult with me and editors about reviews—both positive and negative (affronting core values).

Chair, 4/c Course Coordinators Committee

Prepared and led meetings; facilitated exam schedule across departments; managed conflict among members, and created a communication system for members with diverse viewpoints.

Course Coordinator of English Courses

Served as Course Coordinator for a multitude of composition and literature courses; prepared and presented EOCRs at dept. meetings.

Faculty Advisor of English for International Students

Formed writing groups outside of class to support their growth as readers and writers in 2101 classes.

In selection Admissions’ processes, offered guidance and assertive input for verbal literacy performance exhibited in international students’ applications in selection processes to avoid accepting underprepared students; participated on phone calls to prospective students and provided feedback about their verbal skills to Admissions representatives.

Taught many students and developed many positive relationships with them, some even beyond their graduations.

Search Committees

Member, Head for Department of Leadership and Management and Head for Department of Science.

Chair and Member for a Multitude of Temporary Faculty.

Invited, Negotiated Honorariums, and Hosted Significant Speakers for Lectures to Cadets

Read and discussed authors’ books in composition and literature courses before speeches so that cadets felt prepared; received many compliments from speakers about engagement of cadets; impact of their lectures was immense (ex. LTs and LCDRS return to CGA and still speak of these guest speakers).

(1) Farah Ahmedi, author and survivor of traumatic journey from Afghanistan to
America in which she lost her leg and began to use a prosthesis.
(Hosted once for summer school students and a second visit for her to attend a
Homecoming dance).

Book: The Other Side of the Sky: A Memoir

“Farah Ahmedi recounts her heartbreaking journey from war-torn Kabul to America
in her New York Times bestselling inspirational memoir.” Amazon

(2) Andrew Carroll, author of several books filled with correspondence from Civil War
through Iraq War (and beyond) to and from soldiers and their loved ones.
(Hosted 2x for 4/c)

Books: War Letters, Operation Homecoming, and others related to war
correspondence

“A compelling compilation of previously unpublished war letters, encompassing
every major conflict from the Civil War to Desert Storm, offers vivid accounts of
famous battles, fierce declarations of love, reflections on the nature of warfare, and
expressions of fear, loneliness, humor, patriotism, and anger during a time of war.
350,000 first printing.” Amazon

(3) Billy Collins, U.S. Poet Laureate, 2001-2003 Co-hosted author with Dr. Jose
Gonzalez
(Hosted for 4/c)

Books: Many books of poetry including Sailing Alone Around the Room, “which
contains both new poems and a generous gathering from his earlier collections…
These poems show Collins at his best, performing the kinds of distinctive poetic
maneuvers that have delighted and fascinated so many readers. Possessed of a
unique voice that is at once plain and melodic, Billy Collins has managed to enrich
American poetry while greatly widening the circle of its audience.” Amazon

(4) Darryl McDaniels, author, musician, and record producer. Lead singer in his band,
Run DMC and pioneering artist in Hip-Hop music and culture.
(Hosted for government majors and 4/c)

Book: Ten Ways Not to Commit Suicide: A Memoir

“In this surprising and moving memoir, the legendary rap star and cofounder of
Run D.M.C. keeps it a hundred percent, speaking out about his battle with
depression and overcoming suicidal thoughts—one of the most devastating yet little
known health issues plaguing the black community today.” Amazon

(5) Tim O’Brien, one of the most read and respected literary authors in America (spoke
to corps as part of a leadership series).

Book: The Things They Carried and others about his experience in Vietnam War.

[The Things They Carried] is “taught everywhere—from high school classrooms to
graduate seminars in creative writing—it has become required reading for any
American and continues to challenge readers in their perceptions of fact and fiction,
war and peace, courage and fear and longing. The Things They Carried was a finalist
for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award.” Amazon

(6) Loung Ung, author, activist, and refugee from Cambodia.

Book: First They Killed My Father (later, a film)
(Hosted for 4/c and government majors).

“From a childhood survivor of the Cambodian genocide under the regime of Pol Pot,
this is a riveting narrative of war crimes and desperate actions, the unnerving
strength of a small girl and her family, and their triumph of spirit.” Amazon

(7) Took Advanced Composition students to see author and humorist David Sedaris
at Yale, 4/c literature and composition students to see Richard III at Yale Rep; also, to
summer plays at Connecticut College and Ivoryton Theater, and more literary
events outside U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Member, Women’s 50 th Anniversary Committee; GSO Course

Developed and taught first Cultural Perspectives: Gender and Sexual Orientation course at U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Hosted female officers from Classes of ’80 and ’81 speaking on panels in Cultural Perspectives: Gender and Sexual Orientation classes (2x).

Interviewed Ernie Manfred for Oral History Archive.

Volunteered for Registration at “Celebrating 50 Years of Women at USCGA” event; attended sessions and dinner; networked with female officers—active duty and retired—with great nostalgia for the past.