Sarah Jayne Hitt
303-273-3484
sjhitt@mines.edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in English—Literary Studies, University of Denver
March 2012
Master of Arts in English, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois
June 2005, with honors
Bachelor of Arts in English, Minor in Spanish, Secondary Education Certification: English 9-12
MacMurray College, Jacksonville, Illinois
May 2000, with honors, summa cum laude
DISSERTATION
“Farmers and Aliens: Narratives of Americanization in Homesteading Literature”
A study of how the process of settling the Great Plains created “Americans” out of immigrants and nonmajority groups, through analysis of O Pioneers! by Willa Cather, Giants in the Earth by Ole Rolvaag, two
memoirs by Jewish female homesteaders, and From the Deep Woods to Civilization by Charles Eastman.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
Teaching Assistant Professor
• LAIS 100: “Nature and Human Values,” foundational course in writing and ethics for all students
THE WOMEN’S COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER
Community Faculty. Denver, Colorado, September 2008-present
• FSEM 1500: “Women in Transformation,” foundational course for all students
• FSEM 1515: “Critical Thinking and Decision-Making,” foundational course for all students
• ENGG 1010: “Effective Writing Strategies,” blended (online and in class) basic writing
• WRIT 1122: “Academic Writing,” rhetoric and argument
• WRIT 1133: “Academic Research,” research writing across the disciplines
• ENGL 2708: “Literature and the Creation of Identity,” Humanities elective
WRITING PROGRAM, UNIVERSITY OF DENVER
Adjunct Instructor. Denver, Colorado, January 2009-May 2010
• WRIT 1122: “Academic Writing,” rhetoric and argument
• WRIT 1133: “Academic Research,” research writing across the disciplines
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITY OF DENVER
Graduate Teaching Assistant. Denver, Colorado, September 2005-December 2008
• ENGL 2770: “Western Women in Literature,” a tutorial for English majors
• ENGL 2021: “Business Technical Writing,” required course for all business majors
• CREX 1110: “Creative Expression: Storytelling,” required course for all students
• ENGG 1111: “Critical Reading and Writing,” first-year English course
• ENGG 1122: “Argument and Research,” first-year English course
• ENGG 1133: “Reading and Writing about Literature,” first-year English course
PLATT COLLEGE
Adjunct Instructor. Aurora, Colorado, September 2008-May 2009
• COMM 103: “Oral Communication,” required course for graphic design students
• COMP 102: “Research Writing,” required course for all students
ROBERT MORRIS COLLEGE
Teaching Intern. Chicago, Illinois, December 2004 – April 2005
• ENG 104: “Research-Based Writing,” required course for all students
• Participated in department assessment initiatives
DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Writing Center Attached Tutor. Chicago, Illinois, January – March 2005
Sarah Jayne Hitt
303-273-3484
sjhitt@mines.edu
• Assisted ENG 104 instructor with course planning
• Taught a series of mini-lectures, facilitated group discussion, and tutored students on class readings
and assignments
JACKSONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Student Teacher. Jacksonville, Illinois, February – May 2000
• Taught upper level tenth grade and lower level twelfth grade students
• Created units in poetry, Shakespeare, persuasion, and grammar
WRITING CENTER EXPERIENCE
COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
Coordinator, Liberal Arts and International Studies Writing Center
• Administer all activities and budgets
• Promote Writing Center across campus through marketing, presentations
• Tutor college students of various backgrounds on writing projects in all disciplines
THE WOMEN’S COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER
Writing Tutor. Denver, Colorado, September 2010-present
• Tutor college students of various backgrounds on writing projects in all disciplines
• Advertise Writing Center with presentations in Foundations classes
DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Writing Center Graduate Assistant. Chicago, Illinois, September 2004 – June 2005
• Served as Projects Coordinator, planning programs designed to increase the visibility of the Writing
Center among students campus-wide, and created Program Planning Handbook
• Assisted with administration, scheduling, management, and maintenance of two center locations
• Tutored college students of various backgrounds on writing projects in all disciplines
ROBERT MORRIS COLLEGE
Writing Consultant. Chicago, Illinois, July 2004 – June 2005
• Helped create and develop Writing Center component of existing Tutoring Center
• Created and taught various writing workshops
• Tutored college students of various background on writing projects in all disciplines
SCHOLARSHIP
PUBLICATIONS
• “Work Among the People: How Susan La Flesche Picotte and Zitkala Sa used Boarding School
Education for the Benefit of their Tribes.” Dominant Culture and the Education of Women. Ed. Julia C.
Paulk. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008. 209-220.
• “The Story of Mustapha in History and Drama, 1588-1739.” Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Theatre
Research 21.2 (2006): 24-39.
• Book Review, “The Midwestern Pastoral.” Great Plains Quarterly 27.4 (2007): 303-304.
CONFERENCE APPEARANCES
• Symposium, “Land Ownership and Americanization in Homesteading Literature,” Center for Great
Plains Studies, forthcoming March 2012
• Scholarly Symposium, “The World in a Garden: The International Flavor of The Troll Garden,” Willa
Cather 51st Annual Conference, June 2006
• Panel Discussion, “‘Step High, Stoop Low, Leave Your Dignity Outside’: The Importance of The
Dil Pickle Club to Chicago’s Modern Writers,” Midwest Modern Language Association, November
2005
• Panel Discussion, “Susan LaFlesche Picotte and Gertrude Simmons Bonnin: Negotiating
Expectations,” Midwest Modern Language Association, November 2005
• Panel Discussion, “Town and Country: Locations of Good and Evil in Leslie Marmon Silko’s
Ceremony and Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me, Ultima” MELUS, April 2005
Sarah Jayne Hitt
303-273-3484
sjhitt@mines.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Literature of the American West, Ethnic Literary History, Native American Literature, Chicano Literature,
Literature of Immigration, Gender and Women’s Studies, Identity Theory
EMPLOYMENT
Circulation Clerk, Denver Public Library, January 2007-present
Provides customer service and creates positive experiences for library customers by checking out and
returning books and other library materials, registering customers for library cards, placing holds and
ordering materials, correcting database holdings, and administering the branch’s Summer Reading
Program.
Associate Director of Events and Programs, The Newberry Library
Chicago, Illinois, December 2001-July 2003
Planned all aspects and managed activities, budgets, and staff and created development plans for the
following Newberry programs:
• Annual Book Fair, a sale of over 100,000 donated books, and supervised Book Fair Manager.
• Bughouse Square Debates, a celebration of free speech in Washington Square Park.
• Friends of Genealogy, a support group of the Newberry’s family history collections.
• Wednesday Club, an outreach group aimed at developing constituency of younger professionals.
• Treasures and Trimmings, a holiday fundraiser.
• Guild of the Newberry Library, a junior board.
Development Associate, The Newberry Library
Chicago, Illinois, July 2000 – December 2001
• Wrote, processed, and edited all donor acknowledgement letters.
• Managed daily administrative office needs.
• Supervised receptionist.
Administrative Assistant, American Dialect Society
Jacksonville, Illinois, December, 1998 – March 2000
• Wrote, proofread, and edited information for quarterly newsletter.
• Maintained electronic and paper membership files of new and current members.
• Managed accounts and finances and computed monthly and yearly taxes.
LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE
Assistant to Conference Chair, Virginia Woolf Society, University of Denver, January-June 2008
Assisted in planning all aspects of International Conference, including:
• Managing schedules and budget
• Coordinating speakers, events, catering, and materials
• Scheduling and supervising conference volunteers
Founding member, English Graduate Student Association, DePaul University, Spring 2003
ELECTED POSITIONS
• Graduate Committee Representative, English Graduate Student Association
University of Denver, September 2007 – June 2009
• Vice President, English Graduate Student Association
University of Denver, September 2006 – August 2007
• Graduate Student Representative to the English Department
DePaul University, September 2004 – June 2005