I've been a student in higher education for over thirteen years. I started at a small school in Oklahoma called Southwestern Oklahoma State University where I decided to be an English major because they did not have a Psychology degree. After completing my Associates and gallbladder surgery, I moved to Tulsa and finished with a Bachelors in English at the University of Tulsa. Here I would also complete a Master's in English, while working full time at McFarlin library in circulation. After returning from Halifax, Nova Scotia, I entered library studies at the University of Oklahoma.
Background Information
TEACHER
STUDENT
LIBRARIAN
I started my career at Tulsa Community College teaching Composition I and II, plus, Humanities I and II at Rogers State University in Claremore and Pryor, Oklahoma . Teaching itself has been an education. During these years, I learned how to think on my feet, bring people into conversations, humility, discipline, compassion and empathy, an understanding of the importance (or unimportance) of education in people's lives, sexism, racism, ageism and a healthy appreciation for red wine during grading.
My Librarian training started early. When I was six, I organized my friend's book collection, complete with check out cards and lending rules. As an undergrad and a Shelver at Hardesty Regional Library, I volunteered to place barcodes on every item to switch to an electronic system. Later, I would help move/unpack/organize items in the migration from the Annex to the newly renovated Central Library. For the past six years, I have been working the reference desk at Tulsa Community College gently directing students during their research and calming their fears of inadequacy.
