Mark Butzow

Experience

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  Journal Star

  Jan 1989 - Jan 2004

  Copy Editor and Page Designer, Reporter

  1992-2004 -- Edited news and feature stories and composed headlines using proprietary front-end system from Harris. Processed AP photos using Photoshop. Designed pages with a combination of Xpress; a proprietary system from Harris; and InDesign.1989-1992 -- General assignment reporting, part time (was full-time instructor at Bradley Univ. these three years).

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  Bradley University

  Jan 1989 - Jan 2004

  Instructor, Communication

  Full-time "contract faculty" three years (Aug 1989 - May 1992) in Bradley Univ. Department of Communication, teaching Media Writing, News Reporting, Broadcast News Reporting, Advanced Television Production, and Public Speaking. I continued as part-time adjunct instructor at BU next dozen years (1992-2004), teaching Copy Editing/Page Design and Media Writing courses. Between 2000-2004, I also taught Public Speaking several semesters for Illinois Central College.

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  Western Illinois University

  Aug 2004 - Aug 2010

  Assistant Professor of Journalism

  Tenure-track faculty member in Department of English & Journalism. I taught Editing and Page Design; Intro to Mass Communication; Ethics in Journalism; Problems in Contemporary Mass Communications; Campaigns and Media; News Reporting I; and Reporting II.Highlights from my scholarly production: * Article (on challenges of providing multimedia skill set in small journalism programs) published in SPJ's "Quill." Aug 2009* Peer-reviewed article (on appellate court's Hosty ruling regarding college newspaper censorship) published in College Media Review. Aug 2008* Presented “Writing for the Web: Web Writing Blows Chucks.” CMA/ACP, Oct 2009* Presented "Hosty Ruling's Reign of Terror not even a Sprinkle so far." CMA/ACP, Oct 2007* Presented “You Want Me to Teach Ethics?” at CMA/ACP National College Media Convention, Oct 2009.* Presented “From Classroom to Convergence: What Employers in Smaller Markets Need from Our Graduates.” BEA national convention, Apr 2006* Presented “Convergence is in the cards, so cover your bets.” SPJ National Convention, Oct 2005 * Selected for "Convergence for College Educators" seminar, Poynter Institute, 2005* Member, Journalism Education Committee, Society of Professional Journalists, 2008-2010 I also was active in faculty self-governance work (department and college committees and other avenues for service to university, industry and community). Show less

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  The Journal Gazette

  Aug 2010 - May 2013

  Wire Editor, Slot Editor, Copy Editor

  I edited stories and composed headlines (via CCI front-end system) on universal copy desk, which handles local news, wire news, business stories, sports stories, feature stories -- everything but obits and editorials. As wire editor, I presented strong world & national stories as candidates for 1A in budget meetings and then planned the inside wire pages and edited those stories. As slot editor, I read through stories already edited by more junior copy editors, double-checking their work and approving or improving on their headlines. Show less

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  MidCountry Media, Inc.

  Oct 2013 - Jul 2017

  Associate Editor, Reporter/Photographer, Paginator

  I served as Associate Editor of two large trade newspapers -- AntiqueWeek and Farm World. These are weekly publications that serve targeted readers in the central and eastern parts of the United States. In my role, I edited other writers' stories; wrote stories; took photos; and, using InDesign, designed and paginated newspaper pages..

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  CNHI - Indiana Design Center

  Sept 2017 - Jun 2020

  Page Designer

  CNHI (Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.) has regional design hubs to handle the design and electronic layout ("pagination") of the pages for many of its daily and weekly papers. The Indiana design center, based in Anderson, designed/assembled the pages for nine dailies and nine non-dailies before the spring coronavirus shutdowns of many businesses. The advertising losses caused many papers to fold and many others to publish fewer days, which affected our workload terribly. I was furloughed June 15, 2020, with little prospect of being recalled. Using InDesign and cloud-based sharing of files to/from the cities involved, I've built pages for the daily papers, non-daily papers, several quarterly or annual magazines produced by the papers. The Content Management Systems I have used are SkyQue (later NewsEdit Pro) and TownNews Total CMS (BLOX). Show less

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  Mark My Words Editing & Writing

  Jul 2018 - now

  Freelance communications specialist d/b/a Mark My Words Editing & Writing

  Need assistance with a writing effort? Let me spot those inevitable errors before you turn it in. Or hire me to do the writing for you. Experienced editor/writer/designer/educator available to help meet your goals. This service offers Content/Copy Editing, News/Feature Writing in the Indy area and remotely.

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  Maximus

  Aug 2020 - Feb 2022

  Customer Care Professional

  In this job with Navient (Aug 2020 to Dec 2021) and Maximus (Dec 2021 to Feb 2022), I served in a call center environment helping student loan borrowers navigate the process of making progress on their student loan balances.

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  Western Governors University

  Feb 2022 - now

  Enrollment Counselor, Teachers College

  Western Governors University is an online, competency-based, non-profit university designed to create student success in the real world.