Rebecca Emily Mesch
323 Arroyo Drive | Irvine CA, 92617 | (408) 332-8354 | rebeccamesch@gmail.com
Objective
I aim to find a job teaching or teacher-aiding English as a Foreign Language in a non-Englishspeaking country, particularly Japan.
Education
University of California, Irvine
2006-present
Degree: B.A., Arts & Humanities (emphases: Music and French)
Minor: Education
Activities: Chamber Choir, Clair de Lune A Cappella, Circle K International, Housing
Assistant(HA): Arroyo Vista Housing, Campuswide Honors Program
Fremont High School, Sunnyvale, CA
2002-2006
GPA: 4.29
Activities: Chamber Choir, Featherettes Dance Team, Key Club International
Relevant Coursework
Education 134: Teaching English Abroad
Fall 2009
I Learned the basics of teaching English reading, writing, speaking, listening, grammar, and
pronunciation. I also got information about applying for EFL jobs, difficulties of living in a new
country, creating lesson plans and syllabuses, etc.
Music 158A-B-C: Introduction to Diction
Fall 2008-Spring 2009
I Learned the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) for four different languages (English, Italian,
German, French) and gained a basic introduction to the field of linguistics as it applies to vocal
singers.
Japanese 1A-B-C: Introduction to Japanese Fall 2009-present
I Learned the basics of the Japanese language, including the hiragana, katakana, and kanji
writing systems, basic vocabulary and grammatical structures, and many cultural insights.
Relevant Work Experience
UCI Extension, Dept. of English & Certificates for Internationals Winter 2008-present
Job Title: Part-Time Conversation Partner
Duties: I am a conversation partner to groups of 5-6 Japanese exchange students studying
English in America for 4-6 weeks. We plan activities such as going to the beach, the mall, the
park, etc. while actively conversing in English. I help them with their English class homework
and give them cultural insights into American (especially Californian) culture, and they do the
same for Japanese culture.
UCI Extension, Dept. of English & Certificates for Internationals Fall 2008-present
Job Title: Yearlong Conversation Partner
Duties: I am a conversation partner to one Japanese student studying in America for 9-10
months. We meet once a week. I help her with her English and she helps me with my Japanese.
Over the school year we become friends and are able to learn many facets of each others’
cultures.
UCI Extension, Dept. of English & Certificates for Internationals Winter 2009-Spring 2009
Job Title: Classroom Teacher Assistant (TA)
Duties: I assisted in the ESL classrooms of my conversation partners. I observed the teacher as
he taught lesson plans on vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, etc. I helped the students with
the activities and acted as another native speaker within the classroom. This was an extremely
enriching and educational activity for me and I can’t wait to get more similar experience.
UCI Academic ESL Department
Fall 2008, Winter 2009, Spring 2009
Job Title: TOEP Grader
Duties: I was a student panelist/grader for the TOEP (Test of Oral English Proficiency) Exam. I
listened to foreign graduate students speak in English and graded them on a rubric which
helped determine whether they would be deemed fluent enough to become a classroom TA as
part of their graduate studies at UCI.
The Music School, Sunnyvale, CA
Summer 2006, 2007, 2008
Job Title: Teacher Assistant (TA) and Music Teacher
Duties: I both assisted and taught music classes on various topics, including music theory, music
history, musical theater, piano lessons, voice lessons, and dance. I created lesson plans and
formulated classroom discipline systems including games and points for dealing with unruly
students.
Volunteer Experience
SPOP (Student Parent Orientation Program) Staffer, UC Irvine
Summer 2009
It was a true honor to be accepted to this elite group of UCI students selected to represent UCI
for incoming freshmen as they go through their summer orientation. Besides helping them with
academic advising and getting them used to campus, we aimed to nurture their self-confidence
and self-worth while letting them get to know their peers in a judgment-free and open
atmosphere. Activities included small group discussion discussing hopes and fears about going
to college, diversity-training exercises “cross the line” and “the touch game”, and large group
bonding activities. We help them not just during that summer but during their entire stay at
UCI.
Key Club International and Circle K International 2002-2009
As an involved 7-year member of the community service organizations, both sponsored by
Kiwanis International, I volunteered at least once a week in many varying capacities, such as
charity runs/walks, environmental organizations, childcare/child welfare organizations,
retirement homes, animal rights organizations, teen safety organizations, etc, gaining over 1200
community service hours. Through my experiences I have learned innumerable lessons about
work and work experience, organization, efficiency, effort, and passion.
Awards & Honors
Accepted, SPOP (Student Parent Orientation Program) Staffer, Summer 2009
Distinguished Vice President, Circle K International, Spring 2009
Dean’s Honor List (3.5+ quarterly GPA), Fall 2006, Winter 2007, Fall 2007, Winter 2008, Spring
2008, Fall 2008, Winter 2009, Spring 2009
Co-founder, Clair De Lune A Cappella @ UCI, Spring 2007, University of California Irvine
Accepted, Campuswide Honors Program, Fall 2006, University of California Irvine
Fremont High School Alumni Association Scholarship, Spring 2006, Fremont High School
Tom Baer Future Teacher’s Scholarship, Spring 2006, Fremont High School
Honors in English AP, Spring 2006, Fremont High School Red & White Awards
Honors in French 2, Spring 2004, Fremont High School Red & White Awards
Distinguished Musician Award, Spring 2002, Cupertino Middle School