RESUME

JESSICA HARPER

Easton, Maryland / Cell: 443-239-1556 / Email: jharper@stardem.com

PRESENT EXPERIENCE:
The Star Democrat Newspaper in Easton, Md., September 2012 to present
Special Sections Editor

  • Copy-editing stories for the newspaper’s supplements, including Chesapeake360, Chesapeake Brides, Chesapeake HomeStyles, and Chesapeake Healthy Lifestyles.
  • Providing photographic content for the supplements.
  • Scouting contributors (local business owners and writers) for the supplements.
  • Managing the @ChesLife360 Twitter account, a social media mechanism instrumental in recruiting contributors for the different supplements.

PAST EXPERIENCE:
U.S. News & World Report in Washington, D.C., February 2012 to August 2012
Careers Intern

  • Editing blog posts from Careers contributors.
  • Recruiting high profile blogging talent for the U.S. News Careers blog.
  • Weekly reporting on Careers topics like the importance of job-sponsored health benefits and the 10 Most Expensive Cities for Workers; one of the latest was recently picked up by the Chicago Tribune.
  • Editing articles, using Adobe InCopy.
  • Compiling “BestJobs” list destination photos for the Careers page.
  • Writing and editing “BestJobs” profiles (including healthcare and business) for usnews.com.
  • Updating/Managing the @USNewsCareers Twitter feed and hosting live chats. Co-hosted a recent “BestJobs” chat with ManpowerGroup communications specialist Mark Jelfs.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Princeton, NJ, May 2011 to August 2011
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Intern Communications Intern

  • Worked out of Princeton University’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory where I wrote biographies and compiled Q&As for the lab’s continuing ”Meet our Scientists” series–short features that showcase the many talents, contributions and interests of GFDL’s physical scientists, climatologists, meteorologists and oceanographers; also interviewed mid and senior-level scientists and wrote a feature about GFDL’s contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
  • Profiled Hollings Scholar Arielle Alpert, an Earth and Planetary Sciences major at John Hopkins University, who worked with two mid-level scientists on a hurricane research project (2011).

University of Maryland’s Capital News Service at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., January 2011 to April 2011
Health Reporter

  • Reported on health-related hearings and press conferences held on Capitol Hill.
  • Attended and covered the State of the Union Address with colleagues from the CNS Bureau.
  • Interviewed analysts, congressmen and senators for stories focused on various health topics, including health care reform, medical malpractice, hospital rate assessment and their impact on Maryland.
  • Used AP Style.
  • Filed on deadline.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Silver Spring, Md., May 2010 to August 2010
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research Communications Intern

  • Interviewed and profiled GFDL Fulbright scholar Nikos Hatzianastasiou and his evaluation of the lab’s aerosol models for OAR News.
  • Wrote a feature on NOAA scientists’ involvement with regional science fair competitions.

 Howard University’s The Hilltop in Washington, D.C., June 2009 to April 2010
Freelancer

  • Reported on press conferences, fund raisers, exhibit openings and town halls for the Metro section.

Street Sense in Washington, D.C. , June 2009 to July 2009 
Freelancer

  • I wrote two feature stories concerning Washington, D.C.’s homeless population.

AmeriCorps in Annapolis, Md., January 2005 to January 2006
Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA)

  • Led teen leadership workshop Kids As Problem Solvers (KAPS) at the Volunteer Center for Anne Arundel County.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Silver Spring, Md., May 2004 to December 2004
National Weather Service Communications Intern

  • Interviewed and profiled nearly a dozen National Weather Service recipients of NOAA Administrator’s Awards for the online newsletter NWS Focus, including physical scientist Bill Knight, who led the redesign and implementation of a tsunami detection center in Palmer, Alaska.

Department of the Interior, June 2002 to January 2003
Bureau of Land Management in Washington, D.C.
Public Affairs Intern

  • Edited BLM Washington’s weekly report.
  • Assisted then BLM Legislative Analyst Michael T. Reynolds with researching, reviewing, writing, and reporting on proposed legislation involving the Endangered Species Act.

EDUCATION:
University of Maryland, College Park, Master of Journalism, May 2011
Bowie State University, Bachelor of Arts, English/Creative Writing, May 2004, magna cum laude
College of Notre Dame, pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from 2000 to 2001, dean’s list
Elizabeth Seton Catholic Girls School, May 2000, high school diploma
St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic School, graduated May 1996

COMPUTER/DIGITAL SKILLS:
Proficient in Microsoft Word and Power Point, Content Management Systems (CMS) including Sitellite 5 CMS, Adobe InCopy CS4,TeamBase, Sharepoint, Adobe Photoshop, WordPress, and basic Internet navigation; familiarity with Microsoft Excel, Computer Assisted Reporting (CAR), flip cameras, iPhoto, Sound slides, and Final Cut video editing.