I seek employment or internship as a reporter at a daily paper.

• Journalism major completed: 11 courses taken with a grade of A earned in each (for a 4.0 Grade Point Average in Journalism).  Courses are 3 credits if not noted otherwise:
• Journ 225: Readings in Journalism with Steve Simurda
• Journ 300: News Writing and Reporting with Chris Yurko (4 credits)
• Journ 335: Principles of Public Relations with Charles Marram
• Journ 310: The Press and the Third World with David DuBois
• Journ H01: Honors colloquium for Journ 310 (1 credit)
• Journ 345: Media Criticism with Steve Simurda
• Journ H01: Honors colloquium for Journ 345 (1 credit)
• Journ 397W: Introduction to Web Journalism with Richard Newton
• Journ 392E: Editorial and Column Writing with Howard Ziff (2 credits)
• Journ 320: History Of American Journalsm with Norman Sims
• Journ 395C: Covering The Courts with Joseph Quinlan (4 credits)
• Overall GPA: 3.656
• Commonwealth Scholarship (4 years; tuition, room, and board).
• Commonwealth College Honors Scholar.
• I am completing a thesis in a self-designed major “Economics for a Better World” which incorporates courses from Economics, Resource Economics, Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Labor Studies, Sociology, and Statistics.  Other fields relevant to reporting in which I have taken multiple courses include Political Science (minor), Information Technology (minor), History, Environmental Science, Legal Studies, and Literature.

Writing skills excellent:

• Newswriting: the art of assembling a story from the available facts.
• Investigation and research gathering information from people, paper, and the Internet.
• Interpreting and explaining statistical data.
• Practiced in tight writing for the Web.
• Good syntax and spelling.

Computer skills extensive and often in-depth:

• Web site design: HTML or XML with CSS; database driven with PHP and MySQL; graphics with Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia Fireworks.
• Excellent with word processors: well versed in Lotus Word Pro, ClarisWorks, Corel WordPerfect, Microsoft Works, Microsoft Word, and an old text-only custom editing system used by the MetroWest Daily News.
• Experienced with using database, spreadsheet, and statistical programs.
• Working knowledge of presentation software.
• At home on the Internet with any tool (E-mail, FTP) and on the World Wide Web with any browser; able to use general and specialized search engines to their full potential.
• Self-taught in database design and SQL, MySQL.
• Comfortable with Windows and Macintosh operating systems; have also used UNIX and DOS.
• Programming experience includes PHP, Java, JavaScript, and BASIC; understanding of programming concepts, including Object Oriented Programming.

Foreign Language: some Spanish.

• 2003 October to present: overnight stocking at the Natick location of Christmas Tree Shops, a general merchandise and gifts retailer.
• 2002 August: designed and put up a web site for MV Technologies, an Enterprise Resource Planning Consulting firm.
• 2001 July 24 through November 25: obituary writing, “Local Hero” column, and feature writing at the MetroWest Daily News and an associated weekly newspaper, the Natick Bulletin & Tab.
• 2001 May to present: Webmaster for startup company DEM Custom Computers.
• 2000 February to May (6-10 hours/week): Web assistant, Massachusetts Daily Collegian (UMass-Amherst’s independent student newspaper).
• 1998 to 2000, summers and vacations (35 hours/week): Shoe salesperson (commission) at Sears in Natick; extensive interaction with customers and use of interviewing skills.
• 1997, summer: Stocker at Li’l Peach convenience store in Natick.

Some of my non-school, non-work activities help equip me for journalism work at a newspaper:

• Volunteer work: A Place to Turn food pantry, Natick (1995-1999); Connecticut river litter cleanup with Masspirg (2000); Natick Town Forest cleanup with Students for Planet Earth (1998).
• Travel: 46 U.S. states plus Canada, Switzerland, and Israel.
• Leisure activities include reading, creative writing, photography, short-wave radio, soccer, running, hiking, and cooking.

• 1998-2002: Periodic contributions to the Massachusetts Daily Collegian; active in various clubs and groups on campus; regular attendance at extra-curricular speeches, events, lectures, and Pizza and Prof nights.
• 1996-1998: Reporter, Op-ed editor, Art editor, Assistant News Editor, and (re)founding member of the Natick High School student newspaper.
• Volunteer work: Web site design for GlobalExchange.org (2003); River and forest cleanups with Masspirg (2000) and Students for Planet Earth (1998); A Place to Turn food pantry, Natick (1995-1999).
• Travel: 46 U.S. states plus Canada, Switzerland, and Israel.
• Leisure activities: wide reading of fiction and non-fiction; creative writing; photography; short-wave radio; soccer; running; hiking; and cooking.

References from professors and employers available on request.