Curriculum Vitae

Bernice Olivas
202 Andrews Hall
472-3191 (Work)
Lincoln NE 68588-0333
318-9926 (Personal)

402402bernice.olivas@huskers.unl.edu
BerniceOlivas.com

Education
PhD. Composition and Rhetoric, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Exp. May
2016)
Specializations: Critical Pedagogy, Composition Studies, and Identity Studies
Dissertation: Towards a Pedagogy of Identity: Exploring the
Implications of Identity Consciousness in the First-Year Writing
Classroom.
Committee: Dr. Robert Brooke (Chair), Dr. Stacey Waite, Dr. Fran Kaye,
Dr. James Garza
M.A., English with Concentration in Teaching, University of NebraskaLincoln, 2012
Thesis: Olivas, Bernice. "What I Mean when I Say Autism: Re-thinking
the Roles of Language and Literacy in Autism Discourse." Committee:
Dr. Robert Brooke (Chair), Dr. Frankie Condon, Dr. Debbie Minter, Dr.
Ellin Siegel.
B.A., English, emphasis in Creative Writing, Boise State University, 2010
Publications
Book Chapter
Teaching Native American Studies in Midwestern Suburbs: Place-Conscious
Education for Land-Grant Universities. Writing Suburban Citizenship:
Place-conscious Education and the Conundrum of Suburbia. Ed. Robert
Brooke. Syracuse: Syracuse UP, 2015. Print. 209-33.
Scholarly Articles
Politics of Identity in the Essay Tradition. Assay: A Journal of Nonfiction
Studies. 2.1 (2015): n. pag. Web.

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Doing It Here: Observing Young Scholars in Writing: Building a Legacy of

Writers Helping Writers. Young Scholars In Writing. Vol. 10 (2013): 1117. Web.
Cupping the Spark in Our Hands: Developing a Better Understanding of the
Research Question in Inquiry-Based Writing. Young Scholars In
Writing. Vol. 7 (2010): 6-18. Web.
Other Publications
House of Mirrors: Perception, Point of View and the Personal Essay.
Presidents Writing Awards Anthology. Boise State University 2009.
Print. 62-72.
Santiago. Metaphor. 28 (2009). Weber State University. Print. 130-138.

Writing a New Path. The Curious Writer. Ed. Bruce Ballenger. 3rd Ed. [City:]
Longman, 2010. Print.
-- Can You Walk Away? The Curious Writer. ED. Ballenger, Bruce 3rd
Edition Longman, 2010. Print.
Digital project
Olivas, Bernice. Resources for Teaching Native American Literature. Native
American Literature Institute: Teacher Resources. Nebraska Writing
Project, University of Nebraska, 2011. Web.
https://newp2011lit.wordpress.com.
Presentations
Invited Lectures
Identity-Consciousness in the Writing Classroom. Teaching Bravely:
Developing Global Consciousness and Inclusivity in the Classroom. Malaika
Foundation, Metropolitan Community College. Omaha, NE. Oct. 16, 2015.
Cupping the Spark in Our Hands: Developing a Better Understanding of the
Research Question in Inquiry-Based Writing. Lamar University, Lamar
TX Featured Speaker. Feb. 18, 2010.
Conference Presentations
Naming the Whole World a Borderland. Midwest FOCO Regional
Conference Latinas & Latinos in the Midwest: Past, Present, and Future,
KS, MO. October 23-25, 2014.
Trickster Tactics in the Contact Zone: Using Native American Rhetorics in
the Native American Literature Classroom. Mid-America American

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Studies Association Conference, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Feb.

28-March 2, 2014.
What I Mean when I Say Autism: Re-thinking the Roles of Language and
Literacy in Autism Discourse. College Composition and
Communication Conference, Las Vegas, NV. March 13-16, 2013.
The Morrill Acts, Literacy Discourse, and First Generation Students. Great
Plains Symposium: 1862-2012: The Making of the Great Plains, Lincoln
NE. March 28-30, 2012
Locating the place of Kairos in Place Conscious Teaching. Rhetoric Society
of America Conference, Philadelphia, PA. May 25-28, 2012.
Cupping the Spark in Our Hands: Developing a Better Understanding of the
Research Question in Inquiry-Based Writing. College Composition and
Communication Conference, Louisville, KY. March 17-20, 2010.
Teaching
University of Nebraska-Lincoln:
Courses for Sophomore & Junior:
Intro to Native American Literature (1 section)
Writing and Communities (1 sections)
Honors Thesis Advising (1 project)
Course for William H. Thompson Scholars (first-generation students):
Rhetoric and Argument (2 sections)
Rhetoric and Inquiry (2 sections)
Introduction to Literature (1 sections)
Courses for First Year Writing:
Rhetoric and Argument (2 section)
Rhetoric and Inquiry (1 section)
Special topics: Writing Studio for ELL writers (2 sections)
Introduction to Literature (1 section)
Courses Online:
Rhetoric and Argument (2 sections)
Rhetoric and Inquiry (2 sections)
Introduction to Literature (1 section)
Boise State University:
Courses for Boise State University McNair Scholars Program:
The McNair Scholars program is a TRIO program that supports juniors and
seniors who are First-generation students and/or from underrepresented

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backgrounds, from all disciplines, through the graduate school application

process. Writing tasks include any writing needed to support the students
claim that they are prepared for graduate school, including research,
conference proposals, statements of academic purpose, and IRB proposals.
First Year Cohort Writing Community
Second Year Cohort Writers Workshop
Summer Research Writing Seminar

Writing Consultation and Mentoring:

2012-13, 2015-16
Traditional University Writing Center (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
Community Outreach:
2012-13 Writing Lincoln Initiative (Lincoln, NE)
Lead organizer: Indian Center After School Writing
Participating Tutor: Malone Center
Fellowships and Awards
2010-12
Card Fellowship
Recruitment Fellowship
2015-16
Stuff Dissertation Fellowship
2011
Parents' Recognition Award
Service
Pedagogy Guest Panelist, English Department Graduate Teaching Assistant
Training:
2014 Socially Conscious Pedagogy
2014 Writing Project Trajectory
2013 Diversity and First-Year Writing
2012 Diversity and First-Year Writing
2014-2015 Rhetorical Society of America Student Chapter Treasurer
2012-2013 Rhetorical Society of America Student Chapter Co-President
Writing Workshop Development (University of Nebraska-Lincoln);
2010 William H. Thompson Reading Workshop (University of NebraskaLincoln);
This workshop served the WHT Scholars Learning community and focused on
developing effective reading and study habits. The WHT Scholars program
offers support for Incoming Nebraska Freshman who received the Susan T.
Buffett Scholarship. Many of these students are First Generation scholars.
2012 William H. Thompson Scholars Fundamentals of College Writing
(University of Nebraska-Lincoln);
This workshop served the WHT Scholars Learning community and focused on
developing effective reading and study habits. The WHT Scholars program
offers support for Incoming Nebraska Freshman who received the Susan T.
Buffett Scholarship. Many of these students are First Generation scholars.
2012 Nebraska Federation of Womens Clubs/General Federation of Womens
Clubs Girls Only Writing Workshop
2012-2015 Incoming T.A. One to One mentoring