April Samaras
Westminster,CO
Summary
Assistant Professor of Communications, published professional and academic writer with strong analytical and reporting skills. Academic Advisor, recruiter and currently pursuing IFC Grief Coaching Certification. Have served on several both academic and non profit Advisory Boards: Mile High MFA and The Morgan Adams Foundation for Pediatric Cancer Research. Assistant Professor with over 10 years of teaching experience, successfully contributing to Communication curriculum development and delivery. Driven to contribute to program outcomes by facilitating engagement and supporting learning objectives.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant Professor, Program Coordinator
Regis University
01.2017 - Current
- Write curriculum and teach courses in the discipline area of communication, developing and designing curriculum plans to foster student learning, stimulate class discussions, and ensure student engagement
- Program Coordinator, UG and MA Communications (classes and evaluations upon request)- Generalist- teach all Communication, marketing and business classes in UG and MA programs
- Evaluate student performance through comprehensive assessments, based on Higher Learning Commission requirements identifying areas of improvement and providing targeted feedback for growth.
- Recruit, train, supervise and schedule affiliate faculty pool of 20
- Revise course objectives, course materials, instructional and assessment strategies for UG and MA Communication courses
- Enhance cross-disciplinary collaboration through active participation in departmental meetings and workshops.
- Collaborated with colleagues on curriculum revision, evaluation of course syllabi and lesson plans for COM 212 The Skilled Learner for both the Cornerstone and Virtual Inside Out Programs
- Promoted diversity and inclusion within the classroom through culturally responsive teaching practices and diverse reading materials. Have served 4 years on the Regis College Diversity Committee, 1 year on Manifest U. Additionally I have served on RUAC for 3 years in my time as Assistant Professor.
Adjunct Instructor
Front Range Community College
01.2013 - 01.2014
- Taught Interpersonal Communication, Public Speaking
Adjunct Instructor
Community College of Aurora
01.2013 - 01.2014
- Taught Interpersonal Communication, Introduction to Composition
Academic Advisor
Regis University
01.2012 - 01.2014
- Responsible for advising students concerning their academic plans and progress, academic schedule, choice of major, and other academic activities and career goals, to assist students in making decisions concerning personal educational goals leading to graduation
- Advised students individually and/or with groups regarding academic core and/or departmental requirements, appropriate class selection, academic policies and procedures, and campus resources
- Assisted students with identification of long term goals and career plans
- Worked to position students to meet requirements for graduation within appropriate periods of time while preparing them to meet future goals
- Advised special populations of students within scope of responsibility, such as new or transfer students, undeclared majors, minority groups, etc., assisting in exploration of academic programs, and focusing on academic direction, procedures, policies, and available resources
- Maintained advising records and confidential student evaluation records.
Enrollment Counselor
Regis University
01.2011 - 01.2012
- Responsible for qualifying prospects and applicants; reviewing applicant materials; assisting students through all steps of admission through first class registration; conducting information seminars, participating in education fairs and new student orientations; providing regular contact and follow-up services for community outreach
- I also developed relationships between Regis and wider community; give presentations to appropriate organizations to further marketing efforts of CPS Degree Programs; maintain complete records of activities and submits routine written reports to Assistant Director and/or Director as requested; and collaborate with CPS staff to help attain common goals through participation in meetings, project teams, training and planning activities.
Training and Development Coach, Recruiter
Northwestern Mutual Financial
06.2006 - 12.2010
- Responsible for identifying, screening and interviewing both College Interns and Full- time candidates (career changers) from attendance at college and career fairs
- Responsibilities included on line recruiting via phone interviews and managing schedules for both the Managing Partner, Financial Representatives and general staff
- As head recruiter for our District office at Denver Tech Center, was responsible for recruiting 8 full time financial representatives per year to grow office
- Responsibilities included acting as Activity Coach: Helped pioneer and implement a business coaching program for new financial representatives in their first six months in conjunction with the Corporate Office in Milwaukee Wisconsin
- RACE (Recording Activity Compared to Expectations) is now used companywide to help new representatives set daily monthly and yearly goals around production.
Consultant
Socrates Academy
02.2004 - 01.2005
- Working in conjunction with The Holy Trinity Greek Cathedral, and Charlotte Mecklenburg Public School System in North Carolina, to research policy, organize and hire both the staff and Principal, as well as organize the Board of Directors
- Socrates Academy opened in August of 2005 as a public Charter School implementing the Socratic Method of teaching and meeting standards of both the North Carolina Standard Course of Study as well as the National Greek Curriculum.
Teaching Assistant
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
01.1994 - 01.1995
- Collaborated on curriculum and exam development, met with students upon request, and graded all written work, including final exam papers.
- Assisted teachers with classroom management and document coordination to maintain positive learning environment.
- Managed classroom behavior effectively, creating a positive learning atmosphere conducive to academic success.
Education
Ph.D. - Human Communication Studies
University of Denver
Denver, CO08.2022
Master of Arts - Communication
Regis University
Denver, CO12.2014
Master of Arts - English
University of North Carolina At Charlotte
Charlotte, NC05.1995
Bachelor of Arts - English
University of North Carolina At Charlotte
Charlotte, NC05.1990
Skills
- Mentoring students
- Lecturing
- Classroom Management
- Faculty Collaboration
- Teaching Excellence
Affiliations
- National Communication Association
- Lambda Pi Eta
- National Society for Experiential Education
Awards
- Regis University Teaching and Learning with Technology Micro-grant (TLTM ) 2016-2017
- CCLS Leadership Award 2019, 2021
- CCLS Service Award 2020
Publications
- Samaras, A. (2022). Memorable Messages Received by Bereaved Parents: Using Attribution Theory to Understand Hurt and Compassion
- Co-authored: Spangle, M. L., & Samaras, A. (2013). Forgiveness: Healing old wounds. Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal, 2(2), 20-27.
- Willer, E. K., Krebs, E., Castaneda, N., & Samaras, A. (2021). Mad to the bone: learning outcomes of critical grief pedagogy. Communication Education, 70(1), 27-48.
Timeline
Assistant Professor, Program Coordinator
Regis University
01.2017 - Current
Adjunct Instructor
Front Range Community College
01.2013 - 01.2014
Adjunct Instructor
Community College of Aurora
01.2013 - 01.2014
Academic Advisor
Regis University
01.2012 - 01.2014
Enrollment Counselor
Regis University
01.2011 - 01.2012
Training and Development Coach, Recruiter
Northwestern Mutual Financial
06.2006 - 12.2010
Consultant
Socrates Academy
02.2004 - 01.2005
Teaching Assistant
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
01.1994 - 01.1995
Ph.D. - Human Communication Studies
University of Denver
Master of Arts - Communication
Regis University
Master of Arts - English
University of North Carolina At Charlotte
Bachelor of Arts - English
University of North Carolina At Charlotte