For more information, see my LinkedIn profile.

EDUCATION
Master of Education – Human Development and Psychology                                                               
Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA
 
Bachelor of Arts – Psychology                                                                                                              
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT                                                                                                  
Danish Institute for Study Abroad, Copenhagen, Denmark                                                      
 
HONORS AND AWARDS
Ralph W. Tyler Award, for outstanding and distinguished research and publication, CEIA, 2019
Outstanding First-Year Student Advocate Award Nominee, University of Cincinnati, 2019
Rising Star Award, for excellence in leadership and service, YWCA Cincinnati, 2016
Creative Writing Grant, Wesleyan Writers Conference, 2016
Student Affairs Performance Award, for innovative leadership, University of Cincinnati, 2015
HGSE Impact Award, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2012
HGSE Merit-Based Grant for Ed.M., Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2012
 
TEACHING AND ADVISING
Assistant Professor / Educator – University of Cincinnati, Ohio                                                     
2018—Present

• Collaborated with 3 faculty to expand curricular career options and provide internship pathways for more than 11,000 arts and sciences students; increased enrollment by more than 500 in the first year
• Appointed course lead to ensure smooth expansion of an innovative career course designed to support undecided students in declaring a major and developing career plans; trained 3 adjunct instructors
• Created 3 new career education courses, obtained committee approval and taught successful pilot semesters

 
Career Coach / Adjunct Professor – University of Cincinnati, Ohio                                                    
2014—2018

• As a result of a divisional merger, worked on a team of 2 career coaches to provide service to approximately 30,000 students: overhauled referral and scheduling system, built new Peer Advisor program, and developed scalable digital resources
• Selected for “Student Affairs Performance Award,” for divisional leadership and innovation
• Hired, trained and managed 4 half-time Graduate Assistants to provide engineering students with a transformational mock interview experience; approximately 700 interviews completed per semester
• Managed a large and varied coaching population, including students in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering

 
Career Advisor – Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT                                                                     
2013—2014

• Provided confidential, one-on-one career counseling: worked with students from various liberal arts disciplines to identify values, talents and aspirations; advised on major selection, networking, conducting full-time job and internship searches and graduate school selection and timing
• Participated in first annual Connect@Wes speed-networking event as ‘expert reviewer’

 
 
AmeriCorps Fellow – Public Allies, San Francisco, CA                                                                       
2010—2011
10-month fellowship designed to prepare young professionals for leadership roles in the social sector

• Completed more than 30 professional development classes on counseling, leadership and organizational management, diversity and inclusion, and facilitation
• Coached and taught “at-risk” youth through 32 hour-per-week non-profit field placement
• Designed and facilitated an 8-session original workshop series for 40 allies

 
Teaching Assistant – Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT                                                                   
Fall 2009

• Supported teaching of psychology major gateway course Foundations of Contemporary Psychology
• Led weekly student sections, held office hours, and graded exams and essays

 
WRITING AND RESEARCH
Associate Editor – Experience Magazine
2018—Present

• Experience Magazine features academic and practitioner submissions that cover best practices, field trends, how-to-articles and other topics in the field of experiential learning and career education
• Provide developmental and line editing to 4 authors per issue

 
Writer/Editor/Novelist – Freelance                                                                                              
2014—Present

• Developing 3-part young adult series in the fantasy genre
• Facilitate writing group for local writers pursuing novel-length work in any genre
• Accept relevant writing and editing projects based on fit

 
Co-Principal Investigator – School of Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Ohio                      
2015—2018

• Collaborated with two professors of counseling to examine the impact of curricular intervention on undergraduate career decision-making; study covered 2 academic terms
• Simultaneously taught course, managed research assistants and collected and analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data

 
Writer – National Association of Colleges and Employers Blog                                               
2015—2017

• Research innovative thinkers, predict industry trends and contribute original monthly articles on relevant topics within the evolving field of career development
• Featured on Switchboardhq.com for empowering students to take early career risks

 
Curriculum Developer – Cogita Education Initiatives, Cambridge, MA                                              
Spring 2013

• Designed “global citizenship” curriculum to clarify academic interests and build global awareness
• Piloted curriculum with 21 middle and high school students from the U.S., China, and South Korea

 
Research Assistant, Psychology and Law Lab – Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT                     
Spring 2010

• Investigated the role of children’s cartoons in creating and sustaining juror bias
• Reviewed and coded more than 200 hours of video footage for implications about the identities of criminals

 
Research Assistant, Psychometrics Lab – Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
Spring 2008

• Developed psychometric measures of ethical reasoning, social intelligence and “tacit” knowledge in teaching: wrote and reviewed test items, coded responses and analyzed data
• Performed in-depth literature review of existing measures of personality and emotional intelligence

 
PUBLICATIONS
Academic Papers
Buford, M. & Nester, H. (2019, May). The Plight of Undecided Students. The NACE Journal.
Buford, M., Tang, M. & Coaston S. (2018, Fall). Examining Effectiveness of Curricular Intervention on Career Decision-Making. Experience Magazine. [Received Ralph W. Tyler Award]
Nester, H. & Buford, M. (2018, Spring). Multipotentiality: Finding A Career Path that Reflects Who You Truly Are. Experience Magazine.
 
Articles
Buford, M. (2019, Spring). An Interview with Emilie Wapnick, Author of How to Be Everything. Experience Magazine.
Buford, M. (2019, April). Are You an Idealist? How Intuitive Feelers Approach Their Careers. Truity. [35,000 visitors per week]
Buford, M. (2019, February). What Is Your Myers-Briggs Type? Is there a “Typical” Multipotentialite?  Puttylike. [Article was shared more than 650 times in 96 hours]
Buford, M. (2016, February). Finding A Career that Reflects All of Who We Are. National Association of Colleges and Employers Blog.
Buford, M. (2016, May). On Being Lost. National Association of Colleges and Employers Blog.
Buford, M. (2015, December). Encourage Students to Tolerate Uncertainty and to Take Risks. National Association of Colleges and Employers Blog.
Buford, M. (2015, July). Developing Career Goals Holistically. National Association of Colleges and Employers Blog.
Buford, M. (2015, April). Is Career Counseling for Everyone? National Association of Colleges and Employers Blog.
 
Poetry
“Expectations.” Mojo! Online Journal, Hidden Charm Press. Spring/Summer 2019.
 
COURSES
Professional Development 1170: Career Readiness for the Liberal Arts (1 credit hour)                 
This course is designed to support students in the College of Arts and Sciences who have identified strengths and transferrable skills related to their programs of study, and need to sharpen career focus and develop insight into their professional trajectory. [Developed and Successfully Piloted]

Professional Development 4070: Thriving After Graduation (1 credit hour)           
This course is designed to prepare students for personal and professional success leading up to and following graduation from their undergraduate degree program. [Developed and Successfully Piloted]
 
Professional Development 1070: Exploring Professional Pathways (3 credit hours)                                  
This course will sharpen career focus and advance student insight into professional trajectories through robust exploration of career options and corresponding majors. [Course Lead]
 
Counseling 3001: Career Decision-Making (3 credit hours)                         
This course explores careers and majors through a variety of resources, activities and assignments, including personality and skill assessment, exposure to networking resources, and guest speakers.
 
SELECTED COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS AND SERVICE
ELCE Associate Provost Search Committee, 2017                                                                               
ELCE E-Textbook Committee, University of Cincinnati, 2016—Present                                                                 
ELCE Equity & Inclusion Committee, University of Cincinnati, 2016—Present
Student Affairs Assessment Council, University of Cincinnati, 2014—2016
Program Advisory Board, Public Allies San Francisco, 2011—2015
Regional Admissions Ambassador, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2013—2014
Multicultural Advisory Council, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2012—2013
Career Services Advisory Board, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2012—2013
 
SELECTED PANELS AND PRESENTATIONS
Experience Magazine: Blurring Boundaries for the Common Good. Melanie Buford, Michael Sharp, Heather Nester and Paula Harper. Ohio River Valley Service Learning Conference. February 2019.
Assessing Skills & Interests. Melanie Buford. UC Graduate School Conference. March 2018.
Multipotentialite: Making Sense of Multiple Career Interests. Melanie Buford & Heather Nester. University of Cincinnati Advising Conference. September 2017.
Myers-Briggs Typology and Leadership. Melanie Buford. Public Allies Leadership Development Series. Cincinnati, Ohio. January 2016.
Psychological Assessment for Career Selection. Melanie Buford. First Degree Transition Program, Cincinnati Youth Collaborative. July 2015.
The Next Step in a Lifetime of Service. Melanie Buford, Anna Callahan, Jennifer Cryer, Hanif Houston, Raquel Lucente, and Kai Shatteen. Bay Area JusticeCorps Panel Presentation. San Francisco, California. January 2012.
Critical Reflection: Developing Media Literacy. Melanie Buford, Renee Bracey Sherman, Jasmine Dow, David Carlisle, and Denise Smith. Youth Voices United for Change Leadership Conference. De Anza College – Cupertino, California. November 2010.
 
SKILLS
Computer – Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Publisher; Adobe Illustrator, Constant Contact, Prezi, and Mavenlink; Stata, Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce.com and Neon CRM
Certification – Myers-Briggs Type Indicator; Strong Interest Inventory; StrengthsFinder 2.0 (in progress), YWCA Board Certified