In September:

The last
watermelons fight
for space
with new
pumpkins. And
the buildings
fall; teaching
nations
the difference between
shock
and awe.

Resume of John Edgar Mihelic (J. Edgar Mihelic)

John Edgar Mihelic
Avers Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60632 jedgar.mihelic (at) gmail.com

OBJECTIVE

Career-track position allowing for utilization of demonstrated communication, customer service, and problem-solving skills demonstrated by years of increasingly responsible and diverse employment.

PROFILE

Motivated, personable professional with diverse educational experience. Demonstrated ability to learn a multitude of different skill sets and apply based on perceived and directed need.
Versatile -- able to maintain calm and composure under pressure. Poised and competent with ability to easily perform multiple tasks quickly and efficiently. Thrive in deadline-driven environments. Excellent consensus-building skills.

SKILLS SUMMARY
• Speaking effectively
• Delegating with respect
• Written correspondence
• Providing appropriate feedback
• General office skills
• Developing rapport
• Gathering information
• Solving problems
• Managing conflict
• Setting and meeting deadlines
• Accepting responsibility
• Project management

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Communication: Reports/Presentations/Technology
• Prepare diversified lesson plans tailored to individual classes' aptitudes and abilities
• Author professional correspondence to students, parents and faculty
• Rapidly learn and master varied computer programs; primarily in the Microsoft family of software
• Tailor presentations to technological circumstances, from lecturers to interactive media.
• Communicate difficult concepts at varying levels of discourse to facilitate understanding.
• Research contextual data from various sources of information.

Customer Service/Problem Solving
• Build rapport based on a strong first impression and finding the common ground with clients.
• Determine need through intelligent investigative questioning of the client.
• Provide mediation between clients and colleagues in disagreements.

Detail Mastery & Organization
• Manage all day-to-day operations of both a classroom and a restaurant:
-- Scheduling the shift coverage and class schedule.
-- Maintaining discipline of both employees and students.
-- Finances: inventory, invoicing, ordering, counting money, reconciling store's revenue
-- Responsible and accountable for actions within the hierarchy of the store and school.
-- Trusted to complete tasks while enjoying relative autonomy.


PROFESSIONAL HISTORY


Open Books Chicago–Chicago, IL
Volunteer Work, Current

Esquire Temporary Services –Chicago, IL
Law School Test Proctor, Current

Advantage Chevrolet – Hodgkins, IL
Sales & Leasing Consultant, 2008

Saint Rita of Cascia High School–Chicago, IL
Chemistry Teacher; Assistant Track Coach, 2007-08

Kansas State University English Department -Manhattan, KS
English Instructor; Writing Center Tutor, 2005-07

Whiskey Creek Steakhouse -Manhattan. KS
Line Cook, 2006-07

The Manhattan Mercury -Manhattan, KS
Staff Writer, 2006


Casa D’Amici Italian Restaurant -Morgantown, WV
Cook; Shift Manager, 2002-05

West Virginia University Department of Chemistry -Morgantown, WV
Teaching Assistant, 2001-02

The Daily Athenaeum-Morgantown, WV
Staff Writer, 2003

Quizno’s Subs-Morgantown, WV
Assistant Manager, 2001

Burger King – Clarksburg, WV
Fry Cook, 1997-98

Harrison County Department of Parks and Recreation – Clarksburg, WV
Park Supervisor, 1998

Harrison County Department of Education- Clarksburg WV
Middle School Tutor, 1997



EDUCATION


KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY-- Manhattan, KS
Graduate Study in English, 2005-2007
• GPA: 3.30


WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY – Morgantown, WV
Bachelor of Arts in English, 2004
• GPA: 3.65; Magna Cum Laude
• Concentration in Creative Writing
• University Honors Scholar

Preying on those who can least afford it: On Broke, USA: From Pawnshops to Poverty, Inc.How the Working Poor Became Big Business

In the last thirty years, real wages for the majority of America have either remained stagnant or even fallen when tracked against inflation. Some parts of the economy have grown their costs at a much faster pace than the usual consumer good: education, health care, housing. If you were to chart a graph, you could easily see the growing chasm between what the status quo was and where the people really are.

This growing chasm is part of what drove the recent economic calamity. Borrowing of all sorts was at unstable highs, and each personal liquidity crisis snowballed onto the next one. The majority of the destruction is, I hope, at this point finished. What we have now to do is imagine a way to recovery.

_Broke, USA_ is not about the recovery, nor is it necessarily about the collapse. What it is about is the industries that grew and profited from the growing inequity: rent-to-own, check cashing, pawnshops, payday loans, money transfers, pre-paid credit cards, subprime loans. Each of these industries has their defenders, whom usually are also the ones making the profits. Rivlin presents a rather even hand in examining both sides of the issue, talking to both the moguls of the industries and the consumer advocates fighting against the industries.

With the even hand though, he still comes out on the side of reform and restriction. Many of these industries represent the free market at its worst, preying on those who can least afford it, and then telling their victims they should be grateful for the attention. The debt trap is real and scary and a direct effect not of greed necessarily on the part of the victims, but perpetuated by a rapacious system.

I read this book quickly and enjoyed it. I enjoyed it not because it was a nice story to hear, but because Rivlin is a fantastic storyteller.