Contact

jameswilliford AT gmail DOT com

Education

Georgetown University, Washington, DC – Master of Arts in English, 2011

GPA: 4.0
Awarded “distinction” for performance on thesis oral examination
Thesis: “The Adultery of Delicate Objects,” a study of medieval art, objecthood, and ekphrasis
Focus on twelfth-century French poetry, theological semiotics, and postmodern psychoanalytic theory

University of Maryland, College Park, MD – Bachelor of Arts in English, 2008

Freelance Writer/Editor, Washington, DC, 2009-Present

Regularly write, revise, and edit features, event coverage, and profiles for print- and web-based media clients, including the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Revolution Center
Conduct in-depth research interviews with experts from a variety of fields, ranging from African history to neuroscience
Proofread, copyedit, and line edit existing content for small business clients

Editorial Assistant, National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington, DC, 2009-2011

Authored feature and department articles for Humanities magazine, a bimonthly review with a readership of 10,000 and distributed to the President, Congress, and state humanities councils
Proofread and copyedited galleys and proofs of Humanities issues, NEH Annual Reports to the President, programming and departmental brochures, and other Endowment publications
Prepared NEH chairman to conduct a published interview with an international humanities scholar
Fact-checked scholar-authored Humanities articles and other NEH publications
Assisted designer with magazine layout, typesetting, and proof-stage corrections
Conducted on-site press checks of magazine proofs
Managed image research, procurement, and permissions for magazine
Helped to update and maintain Humanities magazine online content
Wrote and copyedited state humanities council activity reports for distribution to Congress

Teacher’s Assistant, Robert Frost Middle School, Rockville, MD, 2008-2009

Assisted with ESOL instruction of sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students, including lessons in grammar, composition, vocabulary, pronunciation, and study skills
Reinforced lecture material in one-on-one and small-group tutoring sessions
Administered tests and quizzes

Research Intern, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC, 2006

Wrote and edited biographical texts for inclusion in the museum’s online database, Clara: Database of Women Artists
Generated authority research on historic and contemporary women artists
Helped to develop and deliver a presentation on NMWA Library and Research Center projects and activities to national and international museum committees
Collated Research Center archive materials to current Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules