My Curriculum Vitae

Education

hampton-university-wht

B.S. in Music Engineering Technology, 2005
regent-univ

M.A. in Communication – Cinema/TV, 2007
goucher-college1

M.F.A. in Digital Arts, 2019

POSTsECONDARY Teaching Experience

Click on the course name to view the course description
Southern New Hampshire University
Sept 2021 - Present
Interdisciplinary Studies Adjunct Professor

IDS 403 - Technology & Society

This course explores the relationships among technology, the human condition, and the future through interdisciplinary lenses. Students analyze contemporary trends and the social and cultural implications of those advancements, and develop an awareness for the intersection between technological literacy, social responsibility, and interpersonal experiences.

• IDS 403 - Technology and Society
Online
University of Maryland Global Campus
Oct 2018 - Present
Adjunct Associate Professor

CMST 301 - Digital Media and Society

This course is a survey of technological advancements in the field of digital media and their impact. The objective is to explain how digital media has transformed the communication of ideas in society and to make responsible choices in the creation and consumption of digital media based on awareness of global, social, ethical, and legal contexts. Topics include social media, the visual display of information, ethics and privacy, participatory media, and the impact of digital media on culture.

• CMST 301 - Digital Media and Society

CMST 315 - Game Design I

A hands-on, project-based introduction to 3D video game design and programming fundamentals. The aim is to use an industry-standard 3D game engine to create a game from concept to final product.  Topics include 3D game engines, 3D game design, gameplay mechanics, sound effects, C# programming, project management, 3D physics and user interface design. 

• CMST 315 - Game Design I

CMST 325 Image Editing

An introduction to digital image editing using Adobe Photoshop. The aim is to identify established digital image editing tools, techniques, and best practices; create new images; and edit existing images. Topics include terminology, tools, theory, and processes from concept to completion. Discussion covers fundamental concepts and practical techniques, as well as ethical and legal issues. Emphasis is on applying these concepts and techniques to produce high-quality digital works for multiple platforms, including print, web, and other electronic media.

• CMST 325 Image Editing
Online
HYBRID
Goucher College
July 2019 - May 2021
Adjunct Digital Arts Faculty

DA 610 - Media on the Internet

This course will asks students to engage critically with the effect of the internet on art production and distribution. How has the internet changed art? This is a part-practical, part-theoretical course that will involve practicing HTML and CSS, while also gaining knowledge in internet art history. Through projects and artwork critiques, students evaluate the political, social, and artistic consequences of living through a global “always on” network, and examine how artists are reacting to it in both supportive and disruptive ways.

• DA 610 - Media on the Internet

DA 670 - Web Development

This course will develop students understanding of the technical components of web design and prepare them to develop interactive projects for the web. Students will learn the programming concepts that are used across all programming languages through client-side and server-side Javascript. Additional time will be spent gaining insight into web infrastructure as it is useful to the creative artist.

• DA 670 - Web Development

DA 500 - Intro to Web Development

This is a course that I developed for non-digital arts students.  In this course, students learn how to create a custom website using WordPress. They learn best practices in how to organize website content, how to add useful plugins in order to enhance that content, and how to manage the overall web design process each step of the way in order to complete a project in a timely manner. Students also learn basic design principles that will help in making their site easy to read, simple to navigate, look aesthetically pleasing, and get the intended message across clearly. No coding knowledge is needed and no prior experience in website development is necessary in order to take this course.

• DA 500 - Intro to Web Development
Online
Hampton University - Honors College
August 2018 - May 2019
Adjunct Professor

UNV 390 - Building a Personal Website

Students learn to develop personal websites  using the WordPress platform. Students learn the basics of using a CMS (content management system), and learn how to add useful plugins to enhance the content of their website. Students gain knowledge of basic design principles and how to choose the best fonts, colors, images and layouts to help them to stand out and effectively convey their chosen message.

• UNV 390 - Building a Personal Website
In-Person
Bryant & Stratton College
Oct 2018 - Present
Adjunct Communication Instructor

COMM 201 - Public Speaking & Rhetorical Persuasion

This is a multi-disciplinary course with the infusion of communication theory along with critical analyses of written and presented a speech to include a composition/ rhetoric / textual element from the English discipline.

• COMM 201 - Public Speaking & Rhetorical Persuasion

COMM 115 - Introduction to Information Literacy

Students study the evolution of information and the impact of technology on research, and learn how to access, evaluate, and synthesize acquired research. The research process and papers required of each student include inquiry into the history of each student’s chosen career along with assignments on how changes in technology have impacted the communication processes in the career field.

• COMM 115 - Introduction to Information Literacy
In-Person

OTHER Professional Experience

RJSmith Creative
Farmington, UT
September 2008 - Present
Principal Developer / Owner

Provides a variety of multimedia and marketing services to small businesses and nonprofits including web design, graphic design, print.

Heart & Soul Design Communications
Inglewood, CA
Jan 2008 - August 2008
Video Editor / Media Production Instructor

Provided video editing services for various video projects as needed. Instructed for an afterschool program in conjunction with Inglewood Unified School District, teaching video production skills to elementary, middle school, and adult school students.

New Village Charter School
Farmington, UT
July 2019 - May 2021
Multimedia Production Instructor

Developed and taught multimedia production courses to at-risk high school girls in the central Los Angeles area. Responsible for developing engaging curriculum and daily lesson plans. Students learned multimedia skills using professional visual communication and music production software such as Adobe Creative Suite and Pro Tools.

iD Tech Camps
Various Locations
June 2007 - July 2014
Site Director / Instructor

Seasonal summer position, responsible for motivating staff, planning activities, coordinating routine staff meetings, handling student/parental/staff concerns, overseeing set-up of labs, and fostering a fun environment in for students learning new technology in multimedia and gaming production at summer camps held at College of William & Mary, American University, and The Ohio State University. Instructed campers in digital video editing, web design, and video game creation.

Digital Media Proficiencies

Programming Languages

C#

Python

Javascript

HTML5

CSS

Media Production Software

Unity

Unreal Engine

Photoshop

XD

Premiere Pro

After Effects

Ableton Live

Pro Tools

Web Development

WordPress

Joomla!

Moodle

Canvas (Instructure)