Jacob Kovacs
Curriculum vitae, d.d. December 2013
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Website // Twitter // LinkedIn
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CONTACT
Economics student with career interest in public policy. Cultivated broad, interdisciplinary
academic background to ensure good communication with multiple stakeholders in policy
decisions. Skilled writer, group facilitator, and peer educator, with leadership and
advocacy strengths developed in student government and administrative roles.
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PROFILE
EDUCATION
Economics B.A., geography minor (Fall 2014), University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Transfer (2011­2012), The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA
Transfer (2009­2011), South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia, WA
Coursework
highlights
Economics
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Macro­ and microeconomics
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Economics of financial crisis
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Environmental economics
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
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GIS data management
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Urban applications of GIS
Environment, energy, and health policy
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Environmental sociology
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Environmental economics
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Environmental science, cell biology and organismal physiology
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Economics, politics, and ethics of energy issues
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Environmental health policy and practice
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Epidemiology and policy dimensions of global and public health
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Comparative healthcare systems and healthcare reforms
Communication
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Intercultural communication principles
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Persuasive academic writing
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Journalism and media ecology
Training
Nonviolent Communication (2013)
Thurston County Dispute Resolution Center, Olympia, WA
Basic Mediation Skills (2012)
Pierce County Center for Dispute Resolution, Tacoma, WA
Training,
con’t.
Tutor Training (2012)
Odegaard Writing & Research Center, Seattle, WA
Introductory CSS/HTML, JavaScript, Python (2012)
Codecademy.com, online
Watershed Management Certificate (2009)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, online
Pacific Northwest Writing Centers Association (2013), Seattle, WA
Council of Writing Program Administrators (2013), Savannah, GA
Undergraduate Research Symposium (2013), University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Student Legislative Voice Academy (2011), Tacoma, WA
Power of One (2011), Portland, OR
Legislative Academy (2010), Olympia, WA
National Leadership Conference on Student Government (2010), St. Louis, MO
Student Leadership and Activities Institute (2010), Wenatchee, WA
Students of Color Conference (2010), Yakima, WA
Power of One (2010), Moscow, ID
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Conferences
SKILLSETS
Administration
& leadership
Assistant director (6/2013­current)
Odegaard Writing & Research Center, Seattle, WA
Contribute to long­term vision and program design
Document and streamline administrative processes
Create and maintain administrative records, online collaborative spaces, tutor handbook
Provide routine support to staff of 60+ tutors
Review applications and conduct job interviews
Chair, Professional Development Committee (1/2013­6/2013)
Odegaard Writing & Research Center, Seattle, WA
Scheduled, facilitated, and documented meetings
Planned and coordinated committee projects
Senator for diversity affairs (6/2010­6/2011)
South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia, WA
Managed $40,000 budget
Authored and defended budgets in funding request process
Secured funding for new staff position, responding to increase in student demand
Recruited student participants for conference opportunities
Handled paperwork, budgeting, and booking for 40+ conference attendees
Member of S&A Fee Committee, allocating $1M
Point of contact and referral for students seeking support
Wrote news releases, resolutions, manuals, promotional and educational handouts
Administration
& leadership,
con’t.
Chair, LGBTQ advisory subcommittee (6/2010­6/2011)
South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia, WA
Organized professional development events for faculty and staff
Formally assessed campus climate, developing recommendations for action
Scheduled, facilitated, and documented meetings
Secretary, QSA student club (9/2009­6/2010)
South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia, WA
Ran club listserv, and managed social media presence
Authored budget requests, petitions, club correspondence
Recruited nonprofits for tabling at club events
Teaching
Assistant director (6/2013­current)
Odegaard Writing & Research Center, Seattle, WA
Support ongoing professional development of tutoring staff
Design and facilitate large and small group trainings
Promote tutor community and skill­​
sharing
Provide individualized mentoring
Targeted Tutoring facilitator (9/2012­12/2012, 9/2013­12/2013)
Odegaard Writing & Research Center, Seattle, WA
Facilitated small group tutoring sessions (3­5 participants)
Created educational handouts and worksheets for group activities
Chair, Professional Development Committee (1/2013­6/2013)
Odegaard Writing & Research Center, Seattle, WA
Designed and conducted workshops in response to tutors’ concerns and interests
Writing consultant (9/2012­6/2013)
Odegaard Writing & Research Center, Seattle, WA
Provided 1­to­1 tutoring sessions for undergraduate, graduate, and faculty writers
Multi­genre support, including research proposals, fiction, classwork, job applications
Promoted development of transferable writing strategies and rhetorical awareness
Writing & math tutor (2009­2012), Self­employed
Tailored assistance in academic and resume writing, calculus, statistics, and algebra
Violin & piano teacher (2005­2007), Self­employed
Covered music theory fundamentals, posture, practice habits, and repertoire
Advocacy
Research publication (2013)
Plenum Journal of Undergraduate Geography, Seattle, WA
Conducted mixed methods research to assess and map the landscape of community
services for LGBT youth in Washington State
Advocacy
con’t .
Senator for diversity affairs (6/2010­6/2011)
South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia, WA
Collection of LGBT demographic and academic performance data
❖
In response to relative institutional invisibility of LGBT student needs,
researched and authored proposal to collect LGBT demographic data
through Washington State community colleges’ common application
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Presented and defended proposal at statewide Legislative Voice
Academy, to audience of 100+ student government peers; proposal
selected via democratic process for inclusion in 2011 White Paper, as one
of five legislative advocacy priorities for the upcoming year
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Co​
authored 2011 Legislative White Paper in small committee
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Subsequent team of students advanced proposal through committees
under State Board of Education, culminating with all 34 of Washington's
community colleges opting to collect LGBT demographic data as of
Autumn 2013
Consulting for LGBT inclusion
❖
Consulted by Career Services to develop LGBT­relevant material for
their standard career­planning and resume workshops
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Consulted by Counseling Services to design LGBT­inclusive intake form
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In response to elevated financial needs of LGBT students (unaddressed
by federal, state, and institutional financial aid processes), consulted by
College Foundation to establish targeted scholarship for LGBT students
and advocates
Campaign for inclusive nursing curriculum
❖
In response to student concerns about inadequate coverage of LGBT
patient care issues in the nursing curriculum, authored a Senate resolution
supporting curricular inclusion
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Sent Senate resolution to appropriate department dean, with supporting
documents describing LGBT health disparities and similar curricular
changes at leading medical schools
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Received response promising special review of LGBT patient care issues
in upcoming curricular redesign
Secretary, QSA student club (9/2009­6/2010)
South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia, WA
Campaign for safe restroom facilities
❖
In response to student concerns about safety and privacy, authored a
petition requesting designation of single­occupancy, locking, gender­
neutral bathrooms, to meet the needs of transgender students, students
with children, and students with certain disabilities or medical conditions
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Supported by student signatures, petition led to creation of 4 bathrooms
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Consulted for college facilities staff on implementation issues
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Created materials to publicize the location of these facilities to students
Advocacy
con’t.
Writing
Campaign for faculty participation in campus diversity programs
❖
In response to rapid student turnover at two­year colleges, sought to
increase longevity of student­led projects by encouraging faculty buy­in
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Created and updated educational handouts for faculty, offering techniques
for maintaining safe and inclusive class environments
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Organized email campaign for students to solicit faculty participation in
SafeZone program
Blogger (2004­current)
http://jkovacsblog.wordpress.com/
Multiple individual and collaborative projects
Research publication (2013)
Plenum Journal of Undergraduate Geography, Seattle, WA
Conducted mixed methods research to assess and map the landscape of community
services for LGBT youth in Washington State
Coauthor, Legislative White Paper (2011)
Student Legislative Voice Academy, Tacoma, WA
Outlining collective legislative priorities for community college student governments
Contributor, LGBTQArchitect (2011)
http://architect.lgbtcampus.org/
Supplied original materials to open​
source campus advocacy database
1st place, Research Essay Competition (2011)
3rd place, Research Essay Competition (2010)
South Puget Sound Community College Library, Olympia, WA
(Portfolio available at http://jtkovacs.com/writing/)
Presentations
& workshops
“Hacking conflict: Preserving our peer­to­peer ideals through tutor training in mediation”
Pacific Northwest Writing Centers Association (2013)
“​
(Hard) learned generosity: Troubling normalized training practices”
Council of Writing Program Administrators (2013)
“​
Toward better collaborative learning interactions: Exploring what writing centers have to
learn from conflict resolution fields”
Undergraduate Research Symposium, University of Washington (2013)
“Conflict in tutoring practicum”
Odegaard Writing & Research Center (2013)
“Conversation strategies: Active listening & reflective response”
Odegaard Writing & Research Center (2013)
Presentations
& workshops,
con’t.
“Working with job applications: Resumes, CVs, and cover letters”
Odegaard Writing & Research Center (2012)
“Addition of LGBT demographic categories to the Washington State community and
technical college system’s common application”
Student Voice Academy, Council of Unions & Student Programs (2011)
“Best practices for LGBT campus advocacy”
Leadership & Activities Institute, Council of Unions & Student Program (2010)
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EMPLOYMENT
HISTORY
Assistant director (6/2013­current)
Writing consultant (9/2012­6/2013)
Odegaard Writing & Research Center, Seattle, WA
Blogger (2004­current)
Writing tutor (2009­2012)
Math tutor (2009­2012)
Violin teacher (2005­2007)
Self­employed
Senator for diversity affairs (6/2010­6/2011)
Secretary, QSA student club (9/2009­6/2010)
South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia, WA
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RECOGNITION Annual Dean’s List (2012­2013), University of Washington
Bogden Scholarship in Economics (2013), University of Washington
Bava Scholarship (2012), University of Washington
Scholastic Achievement Award (2011), The Evergreen State College
Foundation Scholarship (2011), The Evergreen State College
Pride Scholar (2011), Pride Foundation
Moody­McClanahan Scholarship (2010), South Puget Sound Community College
Foundation Scholarship (2009), South Puget Sound Community College
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INTERESTS
Democratic/collaborative processes, flat/egalitarian institutions, citizenship development
Classical violin and piano
Student affairs, peer­driven education
Conflict mediation
Web design and blogging