Maria Lovett, PhD

got2lovett@gmail.com | 217.649.1103 | 777 NE 62nd Street Apt. C416 Miami, FL

33138
education |
• PhD: Educational Policy Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign(2007)
• MA: Media Studies, The New School University (2001)
• BA: Communication Arts, Villanova University (1992)
• School for International Training, Melbourne, Australia (semester abroad,
1991)
teaching experience | higher education
• Visiting Assistant Professor, Florida International University (January 2008-present). Hold
a joint appointment with the College of Education and The Center for Urban Education and
Innovation. Responsibilities include teaching undergraduate and graduate students in curriculum
and instruction and research methods; integrating technology into existing courses, designing
interdisciplinary curriculum; producing research projects that employ the Video Action Research
and Pedagogy methods; and working with The Center, The Algebra Project and Miami Dade
public school youth in developing media projects about the issues most vital to their lives.

courses |
• Course creator, Curriculum Designer + Instructor: Writing with Video, University of
Illinois—Urbana-Champaign (2005- 2007). Writing with Video explores video as a rhetorical
narrative medium. This innovative, inter-disciplinary, Advanced Composition course created with a
colleague from Art + Design now meets requirements for undergraduate students in three areas:
advanced composition, comparative studies in Western cultures and general Arts and
Humanities. I began the project with a pilot course taught in the summer of 2005 for six students,
today it serves over 300 across campus. See
http://www.apple.com/education/profiles/uiuc/?sr=hotnews.

• Teaching assistant: Philosophy of Middle School, University of Illinois—Urbana-

Champaign (summer 2006, summer 2007). Responsibilities included leading a weekly topical
discussion session for 25 students, evaluating coursework, assisting with lesson plans for this 90
student lecture, and giving a two hour lecture on issues of representation across the
intersectional lenses of race, gender, class and sexuality. Department of Educational Policy
Studies.

• Teaching/research assistant: Popular Visual Culture, Concordia University—Montreal, QC

(Spring 2004). Responsibilities included preparing and assisting with lesson plans, popular and
visual culture research and preparing and presenting lectures.

teaching experience | youth + community

• Don Moyer Boys and Girls Club (Champaign, IL, 2005-2006). Media educator for youth ages
11 to 17. Worked weekly with groups of girls to produce their own media productions.
• Home-Hi, middle school for girls (Champaign, IL fall 2004). Initiated a weekly media and arts
based inquiry project for middle school girls. Girls created their own magazines and video
productions commenting on and speaking back to popular texts.
• Cote de Negis Black Cultural Association – Teen Leadership program (Montreal, spring
2003). Designed and implemented hybrid media arts pedagogy and research project for youth
ages 14-22. Youth produced a series of videos, photographs, creative writing and organized a
community event to spread awareness about youth concerns.
• Art Start (New York City, 1997-2003). Taught media and art production, to youth living in
homeless shelters in Manhattan.
• AmeriCorps, Youth Leadership Coordinator (Seattle, 1995-1996). Responsibilities included
working with homeless teens and facilitating young adults in developing their own community
service projects. On-site program coordinator with the Neutral Zone an anti-gang initiative.
1
Coordinated Youth Speak Out a community based art, photography and creative writing show for
homeless, runaway and throwaway youth to share their point of view with the University District
community in Seattle.

• Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, DC (1992-1994). Program director and
outreach coordinator serving youth ages 6 to 18. Responsibilities including designing and
implementing programs and curriculum, community outreach and engagement, overseeing staff,
grant writing.

• Boys and Girls Club of Metropolitan Denver (Bolder, CO 1992). Summer program and camp
director, outreach coordinator. Responsibilities included over seeing staff, developing and
implementing curriculum to serve underserved youth ages 6 to 16 living in Denver.

• R.W. Brown Community Center (Philadelphia, 1991-1992). Education coordinator. Developed

after-school program for elementary and middle school students. Taught media production and
arts-based education to youth.

professional experience | media production experience

• Independent/freelance production (1995 – present). Producer/director, editor, camera for feature
and short documentaries, music and promotional videos, video installations (see filmography).

• Red Hot Organization (New York City, 1996-2003). Producer, director, editor for this not-for profit
AIDS benefit organization that utilizes popular culture to spread awareness and raise funds to
support the fight against the global AIDS pandemic. Selected productions including: Encounters
with AIDS in Africa: Red Hot + Riot, Onda Sonora, Red Hot + Rhapsody: A tribute to George
Gershwin, aired on MTV and MTV International and have been distributed internationally to
spread HIV/AIDS awareness (see filmography).

• Funny Garbage Inc. (New York City, 1997-2003). Producer, editor, videographer for this digital
new media, design and broadcast company. Selected productions include: website producer for
www.stopglobalaids.com and www.redhotafrica.org; videographer/director/editor for The Artful
Truth: a healthy propaganda arts project sponsored by the Wolfsonian Art Museum and the
Florida anti-Tobacco Program; editor for Optic Nerve a compilation of the work of artist and
activist, David Wojnarowicz; associate producer for Imaging America: Icons of 20th Century
American Art.

• Arts & Entertainment Network (New York City, 1998-1999). Post-production coordinator for the
History Channel.

• Video Action Fund (Washington, DC 1995-1996). Producer/director, media arts educator.

Developed For Real a media arts project for underserved Washington, DC youth to research and
produce their own media productions using creative writing, photography and video. Coordinated
projects with community service agencies such as the Latin American Youth Center and the
Children’s Trust Neighborhood Initiative. Award winning productions included: ¿Que Pasa?, If you
only knew…, and the PSA Unchain Your Brain.

References & Filmography available upon request.