Dr. Fran O’Byrne Pelham
Holy Family University
fpelham@holyfamily.edu
__________________________________________________________________________________
EDUCATION
University of Pennsylvania, Ed. D., The Teaching of Writing
Trenton University, Master’s English Education
Holy Family University, B.A. English,
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Holy Family University, Philadelphia and Newtown
1982-present
Editing, Journalism I and II, News and Feature Writing, Investigative Reporting, Communications and Culture,
Introduction to Mass Media, Photojournalism, Magazine Writing, Writing for the Media, Public Speaking, Senior
Seminar, Practicum, Writing 1 and II, World Literature 1 and II, Interpersonal Communications, Seminar in
Communications, English Culture and Communication, Writing for Publication, Readings in Literature: Hemingway
Modern Short Stories, British Literature I and II, Teaching Language Arts in Elementary School, Writing for Young
Audiences, Myths, Deities and Spirituality (Celtic Studies Program), Part-time Director of Writing Center:
1986-1989.
Holy Family College Alumni Event: Thomas Merton: Poetry and Photography, 2006, Celtic Spirituality, 2005;
Spiritual Journaling, 2004; Nonfiction Writing, 2003;
ACADEMIC SERVICE
Holy Family University
Developed three new courses for Communication Program; revised Communication Program; prepared a 50-page
booklet Journalism for students of Journalism at HFC; Chair, Search Committee for Hiring a Rhetoric and
Composition Professor; Chair, Search Committee for Hiring a Speech Professor; Search Committee for Hiring
Assistant Dean; Search Committee for Hiring a Writing Instructor; Member of Who’s Who Committee; established
Pi Lambda Theta, a Communications Honor Society and Advisor; Member of the Faculty Handbook Committee;
Study Abroad Program; Sepche Committee Forum; Chair of task force on Speaking Across the Curriculum;
Advisor, The Tri-Lite, campus newspaper; Academic Advising; Member of the Committee for MA program in
Modern Issues in the Humanities; Directed freshmen writers for Alumni Research Project published by the English
Department; former member, Campus Ministry Team; Mission Statement; Writing Center Brown Bag Luncheon
Series; Committee for Holistic Evaluation of Incoming Freshmen; Writing Contest.; Judge for Writing Contest for
the Communications Department.
ACADEMIC PAPERS AND WORKSHOPS
Memoir, three-day workshop, Holiday Inn, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia Writers’ ConferenceNon Fiction Writing,
three-day workshop, Holiday Inn, Philadelphia, PA, Philadelphia Writers’ Conference
Generation X’s Take on Literature and Popular Culture, Pennsylvania College English Association, Bryn Mawr
Freytag’s Literary Triangle: A Survivor of Popular Culture, English Association of the Pennsylvania State
Universities, Kutzstown, PA.
Bridging the Gap Between Journalism and the Student Newspaper, College Media Convention, NY
Marketing Your Writing Product, Philadelphia Writers’ Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
From I Love Lucy to Ally McBeal: The Changing Roles of Women in Television, (Presenter and Chair) Far
West Popular and American Culture Associations, Las Vegas, NE
Pairing Technology with Pedagogy: The Computer - The Beauty of the Beast. International Conference for
Innovation in Higher Education, San Juan, Puerto Rico
The Art of Journaling, Franciscan Adult School, Brant Beach, NJ
Cognitive Consciousness and the Teaching of Research, Institute for the Study of Postsecondary Education,
SUNY, New Paltz, NY
History and Mystery: A Reader’s Guide to Dramatis Personae in’ The Death Of The Last Black Man in the Whole
Entire World’, New York Conference on Language and Literature, SUNY, Cortland, NY
A Postmodern Approach to Teaching Research, Fifth Annual Conference: Mid Atlantic Writing Centers
Association, Villanova University.
Inquiry and Composing: A Case Study of a Student’s Combined Processes, New York Conference on Language and
Literature, SUNY, Cortland, NY
OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE
International Chemical Company: Director of Technical Communications. Responsible for all writing operations for
overseas and domestic business, 1985-1992.
JOURNALISM EXPERIENCE
Editorial Board, Four Quarters, La Salle University.
Writer for column, “Town and Country,” The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Photojournalist for Jenkintown Chronicle.
Freelance writer for over 100 periodicals and magazines.
BOOKS
Sophie and Jack: A Pirate Adventure, 2007
Sophie and Jack, Trafford Children’s Book Publishing, Canada, 2006.
Promoting Your Talents as a Writer. Philadelphia Writers’ Conference, June 2001.
Inquiry and Composing: A Case Study of the Combined Processes of a Freshman Writing Student in the University
Library. Ed. Dissertation, University of Pennsylvania, 1993, (published by UMI, 1994).
The Search for the Atocha Treasure, Dillon Press, Minn. 1989.
Downtown America: Philadelphia, Dillon Press, Minn. 1989.
Montgomery County: The Second Hundred Years, Vol. 2, Chapter 126, “Hotels and Restaurants,” 1983.
Moon Journal, Chapbook of poetry, 2001, sponsored by a grant from Arcadia University.
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
President and Board Member, The Philadelphia Writers’ Conference
International Thomas Merton Society
National Communications Association
Pi Lambda Theta (Univ. of Penn.), Lambda Iota Tau (Holy Family College).
The Authors Guild
American Association of University Women
National Writers’ Association
Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators
The National League of American Pen Women (past president)
Delaware Valley Writers’ Council
Philadelphia Children’s Reading Roundtable (Board Member)
Society of Children’s Book Writers
Children’s Literature Association of Ireland
National Council of Teachers of English
American Conference on Irish Studies
Education Alumni Association of University of Pennsylvania, (Board Member).
RECOGNITION
Ray Taylor Award for Faculty Development, 2004
Empire Who’s Who, 2005
Elected President, Philadelphia Writers’ Conference, 2006
Elected member, Board of Directors, Philadelphia Writers’ Conference, 2001.
Appointed member of editorial board, Collegiate Press, CA. 2000.
“First Place Award,” American Scholastic Press Association, Spring 2003
“Second Place Award,” American Scholastic Press Association, Spring 2000 & Spring 2001(Campus Newspaper
Award)
Educational Testing Service, Princeton, NJ. Selected to read Advanced Placement essays, Trinity College, San
Antonio, TX, June 1995.
Fellowship for tutoring fiction writing, University College, Dublin, Ireland, 1991 (awarded by Eastern Washington
University).
Nominated by the National League of American Pen Women for The Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts,
1988.
Second Place prize for poetry: National League of American Pen Women, 1988.
Special recognition for work in Montgomery County Bicentennial Publications, 1983.
Special citation for work with Mayor Goode’s Campaign for Literacy, 1989.
Honored in fall, 1990 as a Pennsylvania Writer, Harrisburg, PA
Who’s Who American Women, 1989-1996.
Who’s Who in Education, 1993.
Partial Scholarship to University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education, 1983-86 in Writing Program.
Pew Grant Summer Seminar, La Salle University, 1992.
Beacon Photography Contest, Long Beach Island, NJ, 1993.
PUBLICATIONS
“Writing to Learn, (book review), Pen Points, 2007).
“On Writing Well,” (book review), Pen Points, 2004.
“The Research Journal,” Little Brown Handbook, 2004.
“Reality TV: Taking Students to a Higher Level,” Popular Culture Review, 2002
“The News Release, Pitch Letter and Feature Article,” Public Relations Quarterly, 2001.
“Students Honored for Editing,” Northeast News Gleaner, Feb. 2004.
“On Writing Well,” Pen Points, 2003 (book review).
“Research on the Teaching of Journal Writing,” in, The Little Brown Handbook of Writing, 2003.
“Students Speak Out on SAC,” Speaking Across the Curriculum, DePauw University, IN, Fall 2000.
“A sign,” The Writer’s Gallery, Vol. 3, Artsbridge Publications. Winter 2001.
“The News Release, the Pitch Letter and the Feature Article” Public Relations Quarterly, Spring 2000.
“Research in Journal Writing,” (Research on journal writing cited), The Little Brown Handbook, 2000.
“Beaver Students Respond to Problems of Alcoholism,” The Sandpaper, Sept. 1994.
“Freshman Composition and Keeping a Portfolio,” Portfolio News, Vol. 4, Issue 4, summer 1993.
“The Research Journal: Integrating Reading, Writing, and Research,” Composition Chronicle, Vol. 6,
No. 3, April 1993.
“Writing that Clicks,” Teaching Today, Spring, 1994.
“Research: Recording Process and Product,” Eric Document, Sprint 1994.
“Lazy Day on the Bay,” Photo contest winner, Times Beacon News, NJ. June 12, 1993.
“Tories Lived in Colonial Mansion,” Antiques And Auction News, Vol. 24, No. 30, July 30, 1993.
In the Shadow Of An Eagle, Boyds Mills Press (Anthology of Stories), 27-32, 1992.
“Writing in Focus,” Learning 91, 1991.
Something About the Author, photo of author Harriet May Savitz, 1989.
“Long Liberated Ladies, “ book review, St. Anthony Messenger.
“Mishap at Muddy Waters,” Junior Trails, July 1988.
“She Spoke Out,” On The Line, July 1987.
“This Side Up: Ship to Philadelphia,” Highlights For Children, June 1987.
“February is Black History Month,” Today’s Catholic Teacher, Feb. 1987.
“Rebus Puzzles,” Black Family, 1988.
“Popcorn Zoo,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, 1990.
Writer of brochures, copy for advertisements, and newsletters for International Chemical Company, Phila., PA,
1984-1992.
“Hotels and Restaurants,” in Montgomery County: The Second Hundred Years, 1984.
Writer of feature stories for the Focus Section in The Evening Bulletin, 1983.
Writer of feature stories for Town and Country section in The Philadelphia Inquirer, 1983-1984.
MS. Magazine published a photograph, which I took, May 1984.
“Great Grandfather’s Vest Camera,” Hobbies: the Magazine Collectors, Jan. 1981.
“Author Shreds Books in Protest to IRS Ruling,” The Pen Woman, Apr. 1981.
Photographs I took appeared in A World of Sports For Girls, Westminster Press, PA.
“An Authentic Powder Room and Wig Door,” The Antique Trader, 1981.
“Energy Efficient Underground House,” Living Alternatives, Apr. 1980.
“George Horace Lorimer,” County Lines, Feb. 1980.
“Character Development Meets the Three R’S,” Accent/B.C.C.T., May 1979.
“Recapturing the Past in Miniature,” Accent/B.C.C.T., Nov. 1979.
Lyrical Voices (Anthology) one poem.
Permafrost (literary journal of University of Alaska) two poems.
The Beachcomber (The Beach Haven Times, poetry, features and photographs.
READINGS, TALKS, SIGNINGS
Barnes and Noble, Willow Grove, PA. “The Reading and Writing Connection,” Our Lady Help of Christians,
Abington, PA, Montessori School, Elkins Park, PA, Surf City Library,
St. Hillary Elementary School, Rydal, PA, Oreland Women’s club, Elkins Park Library, Meyers Elementary School,
Jenkintown elementary School, Abington Friends’, Souderton Elementary School, The Baldwin School, Goodnoe
Elementary School, St. James Elementary School, Immaculate Conception School, National League of American
Pen Women Workshop, Holy Family College, La Salle University, Catholic Librarian’s Association, Mayor’s
Reception at City Hall, Philadelphia, Lower Moreland Library, Rosemont, Pennbrook College, New Jersey Coast
Day, Delaware Community College, Spray Beach Yacht Club Women’s Auxiliary.
REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS
AAUW PUBLICATIONS, Spring
School Library Journal, Kirkus (Children’s and young Adult Edition), Science Books for Young Children, Luzerne
Intermediate Unity Book Evaluation Program, Booklist, Times Newspaper, The
Northeast Breeze, Jenkintown Chronicle, Montgomery Newspapers, The Tri-Lite, The Shield, The Family Tree, The
Daily Intelligencer, Montgomery Country Record, Univ. of Penn Alumni News, Pi Lambda Theta, Philadelphia
Children’s Reading Roundtable, The Northeast Advisor, The Beachcomber, Contemporary Philadelphia Area
Children’s Authors.
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
Outreach Program for Teaching Writing to Children at Logan Square Library, Philadelphia, PA
AAUW, “Girls Can Achieve.”
Member of Campus Ministry Social Action Committee at Holy Family College, (Committee attempted to meet
needs in local and needy communities for food, clothing, etc.)
Certified Laubach literacy volunteer. Alliance for a Living Ocean volunteer.
Workshop leader at schools in the Tri-County schools.
Lector and Eucharistic Minister, St. Francis and St. Thomas, NJ
AVOCATIONS
Tennis, NAUI certified scuba diver, golf, gardening, photography and travel.
REFERENCES
Dossier on file with University of Pennsylvania Career Planning and Placement Service, Suite 20, McNeil Building,
3718 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6209