Martha S. Held

**** *. ****** **., #***

Bloomington, IN 47404

812-***-****

abgkxz@r.postjobfree.com

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/martha-held/48/799/98a

www.beknown.com/Martha-Held

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Expert in linguistic studies and translation with focus on Near Eastern and

South Asian languages and cultures

- Bridges both cultural and generational gaps through language and

listening

- Develops cross-cultural insights that result in a creative approach to

problem solving

- Targets an individual's needs for a customized path to the right

resources and opportunities

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Cross Cultural Communications/Translation/Interpretation:

French/Spanish/Pashto/Arabic

- Leading English as a Second Language class for native Thai speakers:

teaching beginning recitation and literacy in a self-designed course

tailored to the students' present levels and requisite goals

- Currently providing Spanish/English interpretation for host-client

families during Habitat for Humanity effort

- Nominated by the Brown University Dean of Students to the prestigious

Building Understanding Across Differences program as an internal

ambassador to promote and spark inter-cultural interaction and

understanding within the Brown community

- Works in progress

- Independent book project including poems translated from Pashto,

Arabic, Sorani Kurdish, Azerbaijani into English

- Proposing for publication "Between Dream and Realization:

Unconscious Realms that Fostered Conflict in Lebanon" in both

English and French

Teaching: Curriculum Development/Delivery

- Designed and delivered customized ESL curriculum for Bahasa Indonesian

student

- Developed and delivered phonetics-oriented French course for business

travelers

- Created custom SAT curriculum that not only provided content learning

but also addressed test-taking anxiety and challenges of ADD. Used a

holistic curricular approach to put student's efforts in the context

of longer-term educational and career goals.

-

Program Development: Content/Writing/Marketing

- Proposed and successfully launched first University Kurmanji Kurdish

language course in North America. In promoting course enrollment to

prospective students, linked employment possibilities to language

studies.

- Coordinated program marketing and admissions advising process for

University department, resulting in largest incoming graduate class to

date.

- Developed marketing concept and copy for new French language course

that increased language class enrollment.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Habitat for Humanity

present

Providing Spanish/English interpretation services for clients

|Martha Held Language and Tutoring |2/2010-present |

|SAT Prep Tutor, ESL Tutoring, Translation | |

|City of Bloomington Dept. of Parks and Recreation |1/2011-03/2011 |

|French Language Instructor | |

|VITAL ESL Program, Monroe County Public Library |1/2011- 05/2012 |

|English as a Second Language Tutor | |

|Indiana University Department of Near Eastern Languages and |9/2005- 05/2006 |

|Cultures | |

|Graduate Assistant in charge of overseeing the international| |

|and domestic | |

|application process to NELC | |

|Habitat for Humanity of Greater Providence, RI |5/2004-08/2004 |

|Spanish/English Interpreter | |

|Brown University Building Understanding Across Differences |2003-2004 |

|Program | |

|Internal Student Ambassador | |

EDUCATION

Indiana University

M.A., Arabic Language and Linguistics, December 2009

Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures

Courses: Advanced Arabic, Advanced Pashto, Iraqi Arabic, Kurmanji Kurdish,

Persian Farsi, Azerbaijani

Brown University

A.B., French Language, May 2005

Courses: Spanish for Social Service, Advanced French, Arabic, Immunology

AWARDS AND HONORS

More than $265,000 in academic scholarships received, including the

following:

- U.S. Dept. of Education Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship

Awards

Four scholarships received for Kurdish, Arabic and Azerbaijani

Language Studies

- Indiana University, Graduate Assistantship Awarded in exchange for

full tuition

- Brown University, Alan J. and Doris C. Freedman Merit Scholarships

Full tuition, merit-based scholarship received for studies at Brown

University

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Languages: English, Spanish, Pashto, Arabic (MSA and Iraqi), and French;

Persian Farsi, Azerbaijani, and Kurdish.

Microsoft Office Suite

INTERESTS

Fencing, camping, writing, music

Contact this candidate