Kelly Patton

Research for CST 515: Privacy and Technology| Freedom of Speech| Social Issues

My current career and educational goals are to complete the Master of Arts in Contemporary Communications in hopes of opening the door to other professional opportunities as well as to be eligible to teach Communications at least at the Community College level. My educational background is a mixture in both higher education and communications as I have a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication {concentration radio and television} as well as a Masters of Science in College Student Development and Counseling.

My professional experiences have been predominantly in education, particularly higher education at all levels, four-year institutions, community college, and career college. I have served as Coordinator of both Counseling/Student Services and Faculty in different colleges, as well as the Assistant Director/Dean, even Acting Director/Dean when necessary. I have taught courses both face-to-face and online in a multitude of subjects to a variety of student populations including high school students, GED students, college students, inmates in a correctional facility and community-based programs. I have provided counseling and advising services, study skills workshops and training as well as professional tutoring to college students. In addition to these I have worked in the health care industry in medical records and reception for hospitals, clinics and private practice. I have been fortunate to be able to combine a lot of these experiences, for instance in my previous job at a community college I began there as the counselor for a government funded program for the Health Career Opportunities Program, which served to get traditionally underrepresented students into the allied health professions, and still currently teach an Introduction to Health Care course for incoming allied health and nursing students to prepare them for college and academic success in these programs.

• Reading is the one interest I have had since childhood, and has always brought me comfort as it allows me to escape whatever is going on in life for at least a little while. My favorites types of books are mystery and historical dramas/mysteries.
• Word Puzzles, particularly crosswords is kind of a family hobby, as I picked it up from my grandmother[now 90 and still doing them] and now my parents like doing them too so when we are together we do a group one or on planes a competition (unfortunately it is usually me against my parents).
• Knitting is a hobby I started about 5 years ago unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity lately to practice or improve, but really would like to continue someday soon (I need to finish my son's blanket I started while pregnant before he leaves home :)

I am currently employed part-time for two institutions. For Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) as adjunct faculty, and for the College of Notre Dame of Maryland (NDM) as an advisor/program coordinator at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center (SMHEC). The two programs at SMHEC I work with are the Masters in Management and the Masters in Contemporary Communication.

For information on either college or SMHEC use the following links.

Northern Virginia Community College
The College of Notre Dame of Maryland
Southern Maryland Higher Education Center (SMHEC)

For information on the Management program and/or Contemporary Communications program offered by NDM at SMHEC

Email Me