Practical experience
Language and linguistics
- Instructor at the university level: technology in linguistic research (summer semester 2018–summer semester 2019)
- Copy-editing: Copy-editor (2019–present) at Copernicus Publications, Research Assistant at the Collaborative Research Center 948 (2016–2017), freelance English copy-editor (2017–present)
- English as a Foreign Language: Instructor (2015–2017), Tutor (2013–2014)
- Research: German – Research Methods (2013–present), Dialectology (2015), Kiezdeutsch (2014); Menominee – Transcription (2015), Particle Analysis (2012); Japanese - Loanword Phonology (presented at WIGL 2015); Ukrainian – Field Methods (2015); Yoruba – Field Methods (2014)
In the fields of language and linguistics, I have been in the classroom as a student and teacher, in the lab as a research assistant, and in the field as a research and educator. In addition to my graduate-level university theoretical and research-based practical knowledge, I am have also been successful in the acquisition of German, Turkish, French, Spanish, Portuguese, American Sign Language and Yucatec Maya to varying levels.
From summer semester 2018 to summer semester 2019, I worked a research assistant (wissenschaftliche Hilfskraft) in the Department of Germanic Linguistics at the University of Göttingen focusing on the practical use of technology in linguistic research. I maintained the IT systems of and assisted in research in the department’s psycholinguistic and German Sign Language laboratories, and I taught courses on using the LaTeX typesetting system (LaTeX: Einführung in das Textsatzsystem; summer semester 2018) and psycholinguistic research methods (Grundlagen des psycholinguistischen experimentellen Arbeitens; winter semester 2018/19 and summer semester 2019).
As a M.A. student at the Unviersity of Freiburg, I worked as a translator and copy-editor at the Collaborative Research Center 948. In line with the CRC’s main research focus of Heroes – Heroizations – Heroisms, I translated and edited texts on sociological, political and historical topics for publication in the academic e-Journal helden. heroes. héros. and on the publicly accessible website.
Applying my knowledge of English as a foreign language and various pedagogical approaches to language teaching, I have taught both at the university-level as an instructor of novice and advanced courses for the English for Migrants program at the University of Freiburg and at the secondary level with students elsewhere in Germany.
My research experience has been based on a geographically and linguistically diverse group of languages. Within the scope of field methods courses, I have linguistically described Yoruba and Ukrainian, and as a student and undergraduate research assistant, I was involved with the linguistic description and transcription of the Menominee language. Additionally, I have researched Japanese loanword phonology and presented these findings at the Workshop in General Linguistics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2015. In focusing on the linguistics on German, I have taken part in corpus research in the inner-city sociolect of Kiezdeutsch and have studied German dialectology of European and the German of emigrants.
Most recently, my research focus has been on the intersection of linguistics and politics. My M.A. thesis focused on political discourse surrounding the Greek bailout and British Brexit referenda, and I have also analyzed the varying debate styles of American and German politicians in the 2012 presidential and 2013 Bundestag elections.
Public service
- International Relations and Diplomacy: Political Section Intern at U.S. Embassy–Berlin (2013)
- Public Service: Community Outreach Coordinator at AmeriCorps WISPIRG Energy Service Corps (2012)
- Healthcare: Certified Nurse Aide (2009–2010)
- Youth Civic Experience: Badger Boys State (2010); Junior State of America Summer School (2008, 2009)
- Volunteer Experience: Volunteer at Menomonie Public Library (2007–2011), English teacher of English for Migrants program (2015–2017)
Throughout my working career, I have been involved with public service in both the private and public sectors. I have always made it a priority to leave a positive impact on the people that I live with every day in an attempt to make the world a better place for us all.
From an early age, I have been actively involved with public service. As a middle and high school student, I volunteered at the Menomonie Public Library and served as the president of its Teen Advisory Board. In this role, I helped to shape the future of the library. In addition, I am a certified nurse aide and have worked a mentor at a local summer camp. In these roles, I have striven to give the elderly and young children the best possible care.
In order to better focus my public service-oriented skills, I attended Advanced Placement summer courses with the Junior State of America program at Princeton and Stanford universities. I was additionally nominated to attend the American Legion-sponsored Badger Boys State, where I was elected to local public office.
As an undergraduate, I had the chance to serve Madison, Wisconsin, and surrounding community as an AmeriCorps member in the WISPIRG Energy Service Corps focusing on energy efficiency in my local area. Through this experience, I was not only able to develop the technical knowledge needed for mapping out the community area with GIS technology, managing the organization’s online presence and carrying out home energy assessments, but I also developed important interpersonal skills needed to communicate to people in all walks of life including government officials, community leaders, other non-profit organizers and residents. Additionally, I worked with local churches, schools and libraries to educate young people about energy conservation.
Having served my hometown and university community, in the spring semester of 2013, I interned at the Political Section of the U.S. Embassy–Berlin to serve our (inter-)national and global communities. In this role, I worked alongside diplomats and foreign dignitaries in matters of internal and external politics while focusing on the important role that Germany plays in world today. I gained experience through hosting international events, meeting with local and federal employees of the German government along with other American diplomats, and researching current events and the effects that German politics has on the world as a whole. At times, I personally represented the Embassy at official events and have reported back important developments of issues as the first link directly to the U.S. Government. In addition to other commitments such as drafting daily memoranda, I analyzed trends of the 2013 German Bundestag election and assisted in producing social media posts and filming of German-language recruitment films.
As a graduate student at the University of Freiburg, I volunteered as an English as a foreign language educator while remaining very active in political discussions as they occurred in forums such as the Colloquium Politicum and think-tank-sponsored talks.
International education
- Study Ambassador at Baden-Württemberg State Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts (2015–2017)
- International Student in European Linguistics (M.A.) at the University of Freiburg (2015–2017)
- On-location Student Aide and Alumni Club Founding Member of the Academic Year in Freiburg program (2015–2017)
- Student Experience Intern in Returned Student Affairs at International Academic Programs of the University of Wisconsin–Madison (2014–2015)
- Exchange Student at the University of Freiburg (2013–2014)
- Political Section Intern at the U.S. Embassy–Berlin (spring 2013)
In the field of international education, I have had different roles as student, researcher and mentor. My background in regards to these various perspectives lends itself to insights which will help to serve the ever-growing number of international students.
Following my internship at the U.S. Embassy–Berlin, I enrolled in the Academic Year in Freiburg program at the University of Freiburg for academic year 2013–2014. Having had taken courses offered through the university as well as intensive German language courses, I can judge what works and does not work well for international students doing an exchange or a full course of study at a foreign university.
Following this experience in Freiburg, I returned to Madison, Wisconsin, where I worked as a student experience intern focused on returning students in the International Academic Programs office at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In this role, in addition to researching academic publications on study abroad, I communicated with study abroad offices at other universities, developed specific programing for the University of Wisconsin–Madison and advised study abroad professionals on preparing and handling culture- and safety-oriented situations before students leave campus, while abroad and upon return. Additionally, I updated documents and policies used by International Academic Programs and had a direct impact on the operation of student affairs in the office.
In returning to Freiburg as a graduate student, I was uniquely equipped to work as a Study Ambassador for the Baden-Württemberg State Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts, in which role I communicated with German high school students about their prospects to study in Germany and abroad. I have also been employed with the Academic Year in Freiburg program as an orientation group leader for incoming students and office assistant, in which role I have focused specifically on updating the program web page to effectively communicate with both American and German audiences. In further support of this exchange program, I became a founding member of the AYF Alumni and Friends, e.V. alumni organization.