Erin-Clemens.com

West Virginia University                                        
West Virginia, USA
Presently Attending
International Studies: East Asia & English (Majors)
Native American Studies & Chinese Studies (Minors)

• Officer of four student organizations: President – ONAI (Organization for Native American Interests); President – Friends of Literacy; Public Relations Officer – Chinese Club; Lead Singer – ONAI Singers
• Art Editor – 2009 Calliope (WVU Undergraduate Literature and Art Journal)
• Member – Japanese Club, Student Sierra Coalition, Center for Civic Engagement, Cooking Club and FEM
• Blogger – Office of International Programs & DC Inauguration 2009
• Guest lecturer - WVU in Native American Studies, Native American Literature and Chinese Civilization & Culture courses. Topics: Native American contemporary art and social issues ("NDN: The RIZE of Lakota Youth Culture"); politics and cultures of tea in Japan, Europe and China ("The Price of 茶 in China: Politics and Cultures of Tea"); powwow style drumming and singing.
• Leave of Absence (2006-2007) - Belfast, Northern Ireland. Private study of Irish culture, language, history, religion and politics with special focus on The Troubles, pre-Christian religious practices and Gaelic.
• Distance Learning: completed coursework on Cherokee Indian language, history and culture at the Qualla Boundary (Eastern Band of the Cherokee); Summer Session 2007.
  

苏州大学 (Suzhou Daxue) – Suzhou University          
Jiangsu, China
Summer Session 2008
Study Abroad Intensive - Mandarin Chinese (普通话)

• Received top marks as an exchange student upon completion of this study intensive in Chinese history and culture, in addition to Mandarin Chinese reading, writing, grammar and conversational usage.
• Completed a post-studies independant tour of China, including the following locations: Hong Kong (香港), Shanghai (上海), Tongli (同里), Nanjing (南京), Hangzhou (杭州), Shenzhen (深圳市), Guilin (桂林), Xi'an (西安) and Beijing (北京).

Monongalia County Literacy Volunteers                 
West Virginia, USA
2002 - Present
Moderator/Coordinator – Advanced ESL Conversation Table
Secretary - Board of Directors (Chair – Tutor Development Committee)

• Contributed over 300 hours of volunteer service in 2007 and over 600 hours in 2008; awarded the Bronze Presidential Service Award (2008) and Gold Presidential Service Award (2009) for service hours.
• Proposed, initiated and coordinated: Tutor Development Committee, Diversity Discussions (including Muslim Culture and Asian Culture seminars for tutors), Advanced ESL Conversation Table, special day trips (including a tour of Southern West Virginia during Helvetia’s Ramp Festival), WVU student organization Friends of Literacy, Tutor Mentoring Program and Advanced Lesson Planning Workshops.
• 2008 and 2009 Tutor of the Year for work with ESL Conversation Table.

Narrow Escapes Media                
West Virginia, USA
Present
Co-founder & Member

• Artistic co-operative founded in 2008 with Ryan Dunkerley to promote, market and release our individual and collaborative artistic works
• Preparing photobook of poetry, blog entries and photographs for publication in late 2009/early 2010

Helianthus, Inc.                
West Virginia, USA
Present
Consultant - ESL, Non-traditional Education and Diversity Awareness

• Planning and execution of digital technology and diversity awareness seminars and workshops for clients like Alderson-Broaddus College
• Lending expertise in areas of blogging, digital media, arts (photography/digital media/poetry), foreign languages, multiculturalism and ESL education.

2009 President’s Volunteer Service Awards
(West Virginia University – Morgantown, WV)
Gold Award - Center for Civic Engagement

2008 President’s Volunteer Service Awards
(West Virginia University – Morgantown, WV)
Bronze Award - Center for Civic Engagement

2008 Native American Heritage Committee Juried Exhibit
(Pittsburgh Federal Executive Board – Slippery Rock University)
People’s Choice Award – “NDN: The RIZE of Lakota Youth Culture”

2008 Summer Mandarin Chinese Intensive
(Suzhou University – Jiangsu, China)
Completion & Attendance Certification

5th Annual Hungry Poets Night
(Blue Moose Café – Morgantown, WV)
Finalist – “My mother’s mother’s daughter”

2009 Annual Service Awards
(Monongalia County Literacy Volunteers – Morgantown, WV)
2009 Volunteer of the Year

2008 Annual Service Awards
(Monongalia County Literacy Volunteers – Morgantown, WV)
2008 Volunteer of the Year

Fall 2007 Dean’s List
(West Virginia University – Morgantown, WV)
Named Recipient

 2009 Calliope
(West Virginia University – Morgantown, WV)
Poem – “Skin Deep (A Poem For Maya)
Photographs – “A Wish And A Prayer” & “McRickshaw”

2009 Native American Literature Symposium
(Isleta Pueblo - Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Presenter – ““NDN: The RIZE of Lakota Youth Culture”

2008 Native American Heritage Committee Juried Exhibit
(Pittsburgh Federal Executive Board – Slippery Rock University, PA)
Exhibitor– “Indian Mound Realty” & “NDN: The RIZE of Lakota Youth Culture”

2008 Morgantown Arts Walk
(Sozo – Morgantown, WV)
Juried Exhibitor

2008 Native American Studies Research Colloquium
(West Virginia University – Morgantown, WV)
Presenter - “NDN: The RIZE of Lakota Youth Culture” & “Lost And Found In Translation: Common Traits in Korean, Japanese and Cherokee”

16th Annual Undergraduate Literature Symposium
(West Virginia University – Morgantown, WV)
Presenter – “John Barleycorn Versus Lord Millet: A Rumination on Cultural Contrasts”

Inaugural Undergraduate Research Symposium for
WVU President Michael Garrison
(West Virginia University – Morgantown, WV)
Presenter – “Lost And Found In Translation: Common Traits in Korean, Japanese and Cherokee”

iGeneration

This guided exploration of various digital literatures, poetics and web-based writing accompanies a PowerPoint showcasing these electronic art forms, as well as investigates the implications and considerations raised in utilizing a digital medium versus a print medium.

NDN: The RIZE of Lakota Youth Culture

This video presentation consists of a viewing followed by discussion of my award-winning digital essay, "NDN: The RIZE of Lakota Youth Culture" (11 minutes, DVD format). Also examined in this presentation are the various new media art forms of Native American youth, including slam poetry, filmmaking, skateboard culture, graffiti art and other such Generation Y/Millenial disciplines.

The Price of 茶 in China: Politics and Cultures of Tea

This interactive presentation accompanies a PowerPoint detailing the history and politics of tea in world affairs, from the legendary discovery of tea by Shen Nong (神农) over 5000 years ago to the East India Company of 16th, 17th and 18th century Britain, from the development of Japan's Cha Do or Way of Tea (茶道) in the 15th century through America's Boston Tea Party in the 18th century. This presentation ends with the demonstration and sampling of some of the various teas, tea accoutrements and tea ceremonies of Asia and Europe.

John Barleycorn Versus Lord Millet:A Rumination in Cultural Contrasts

This literary critique explores the similarites and differences of Western versus Eastern views of man and his relation to that natural world through the lens of two different harvest/creation legends, one from ancient China and the other from ancient Britain. A step-by-step reading of each lyrical piece followed by a close examination is at the center of this examination.

An Unconventional Education: 13 Years of Private School, Public School and Homeschooling in West Virginia

This discussion is based on my personal experiences and those of my family in private school, homeschool and public school, including the various permutations thereof. Discussion topics vary by class and group, but often include state and federal educational regulations, the differences between my experience of these various educational options, how homeschooling is planned and conducted, portfolio evaluation versus standardized testing, learning traits of students in these various educational platforms and lessons I have taken away from these experiences and put to use in my own work in education.

Specific presentations created and offered upon request.