Download a PDF of
Jeffrey Overstreet’s Curriculum Vitae (2015).

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Résumé: Updated May 2016

CORE QUALIFICATIONS

• Teaching — Taught high school, undergraduate, and graduate courses, teaching in the classroom and online. Taught full courses at Houston Baptist University (film, visual art, apologetics), Covenant College (fiction writing). Guest-lectured and led workshops at Vashon Island High School (art criticism); Seattle Pacific University (film criticism); and many other schools.
• Mentoring — Advised University Scholars honors students at Seattle Pacific University (screenwriting, fiction).
• Creative writing — Published four novels with Random House. Published a memoir about film criticism and faith with Regal Books (now Baker Books).
• Public speaking — Delivered lectures and presentations to small groups and large conferences (audiences of 500+) in schools and churches, at conferences and seminars. Gave readings of original work. Invited to the Netherlands to be a keynote speaker on faith and the arts at a Christian educators conference and to teach a criticism masterclass for Christian journalists there. Appeared as a regular guest on Dick Staub’s “The Kindlings Muse” podcast, and on popular radio programs and podcasts in America and abroad.
• Journalism — Wrote feature articles and interviews of visiting scholars for Seattle Pacific University’s Response magazine since 2003; promoted to Contributing Editor in 2010. Served as Christianity Today’s film columnist and critic 2001–2009. Wrote film reviews for Image 2008–2013. Film criticism recognized by The New Yorker, TIME, Pacific Northwest Magazine, and Matt Zoller Seitz (editor, RogerEbert.com).
• Critical thinking — By invitation, contributed articles and commentary on film, music, literature, and culture to a wide variety of periodicals, journals, and websites including Christianity Today, Books & Culture, Relevant Magazine, Comment, The Curator, The Other Journal, Christ and Pop Culture, and more.
• Editing — Worked from 2003 to the present as content editor and copy editor on communications projects for Seattle Pacific University. Projects included academic websites and catalog copy, student handbooks, annual reports, event posters. Worked from 1994 to 2003 as content and copy editor for the City of Seattle’s Department of Design, Construction and Land Use.
• Project management — Served as project lead on communications projects from concept development to design, to printing, and to delivery, typically overseeing 15–20 projects simultaneously.
• Publishing — Produced, wrote, and edited LookingCloser.org arts website from 2004 to the present.

EDUCATION

Master of Fine Arts: Creative Writing (Creative Nonfiction) — 2016

Seattle Pacific University — Seattle, WA

Bachelor of Arts: English (Creative Writing Emphasis) — 1996

Seattle Pacific University — Seattle, WA

University Scholars Program

Senior Project: The Myrddin Hunter — a novel, researched in Wales, England, and Ireland on the origins of stories about Merlin.

 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Instructor — Houston Baptist University, Houston, TX — 2016 (in process)

• Taught online graduate course on visual art, film, apologetics.
• Prepared syllabus; selected texts and films.
• Tracked and evaluated student journals; critiqued and graded papers.
• Moderated online discussion of class subjects.

Guest Teacher — Vashon Island High School, Vashon Island, WA — 2015

• Answered invitation to serve as a guest teacher at Vashon Island High School, leading journalism and science fiction classes on film discernment and criticism.
• Delivered lectures, led classroom activities and discussions.
• Read and critiqued film reviews written by students.
• Chose winners of a special award for the best student film reviews; published those reviews at LookingCloser.org in a special series—“Tomorrow’s Film Critics Today.”

Guest Lecturer — Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA — 2006–2015

• Delivered two guest lectures in “Youth Culture and Faith” course in 2015.
• Delivered guest lecture in “Youth Ministry” course in 2015.
• Frequent guest lectures in courses on writing and cultural engagement.

Writer-in-Residence

and Fiction Instructor — Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, GA — 2013

• Taught Autumn Semester fiction-writing course. Focused on the art of writing an opening chapter. Led exercises emphasizing the value of studying poetry and applying poetic techniques to prose.
• Lectured in class; critiqued student writing; corresponded with students long-distance (Seattle to Chattanooga); posted grades.
• Spoke on faith and art in chapel.
• Gave a reading from published original work.

Multi-disciplinary Art Instructor — Glen Workshop, Santa Fe, NM — 2013

• Led a seminar on contemplation and interpretation across various artistic disciplines (poetry, short stories, songwriting, visual art, cinema).

Film Seminar Instructor — Glen Workshop, Santa Fe, NM — 2010 & 2011

• Led film seminars on classics of contemplative cinema (2010) and films about artists and the creative process (2011).

Fiction Instructor — Laity Lodge Writers Retreat, Leakey, TX — 2011 & 2012

• Taught fiction-writing courses.
• Delivered lectures on the art of storytelling.
• Led group discussion and critique of student manuscripts.

 

PUBLIC SPEAKING EXPERIENCE 

Presented lectures on art, faith, cinema and creative writing at a variety of conferences and workshops, including the following:

• Calvin College Festival of Faith and Writing, Grand Rapids, MI — 2016, 2008
• Houston Baptist University Writers Conference — 2015
• Hutchmoot arts retreat, Nashville, TN — 2015
• Seattle Pacific University’s Day of Common Learning — 2015, 2012, 2008, 2005
• Fuller Seminary’s (trans)Formation Worship and Arts Conference, Seattle, WA — 2014
• Hutchmoot arts retreat, Nashville, TN — 2013
• Lee University, Cleveland, TN — 2013
• The Glen Workshop, Santa Fe, NM — 2013, 2011, 2010
• The Kindlings WinterFest, Orcas Island, WA — 2012
• Northwest Christian Writers Renewal conferences —2012, 2007, 2005
• Lantern Community Church, Calgary, AB — 2012
• Gove Hill Writers Retreat fiction workshop, Gove Hill, VT — 2012
• Wild Goose Festival, Portland, OR — 2012
• Judson University’s Imago Film Festival, Chicago, IL — 2011
• Jubilee conference for Christian colleges, Pittsburgh, PA — 2011
• Valley Christian High School, San Jose, CA — 2011
• The G.K. Chesterton Society gatherings, Seattle, WA — 2011, 2007
• Third Place Books (book release events), Seattle, WA — 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007
• International Arts Movement Encounter events, New York, NY — 2011, 2010
• Reel Spirituality, Los Angeles, CA — 2011
• Bellevue Christian High School faculty seminar, Bellevue, WA — 2010
• Leo University, Tampa, FL — 2010
• College Women’s Association of Spokane luncheon, Spokane, WA — 2010
• Masterclass EO, Evangelical Television Studio, The Netherlands — 2009
• Christian Educators Symposium, Ede, The Netherlands — 2009
• Trinity Arts Conference, Dallas, TX — 2009
• Northwestern College, Orange City, IA — 2008
• NWCSI/CTABC Teachers Convention, Lynden, WA —2007
• Biola Media Conference, Los Angeles, CA — 2007

 

WRITING AND EDITING EXPERIENCE

• Contributing Editor — Seattle Pacific University — 2007–Present

Promoted from Staff Writer to Contributing Editor for Response, a multi-award-winning university magazine. Wrote feature articles and supplementary articles. Interviewed special guests (David Brooks, Eugene Peterson, Dana Gioia, Vali Nasr). Shaped issue-specific themes and composition. Served on magazine’s web team. Wrote online exclusives. Copyedited and critiqued full issues before publication. Wrote ongoing Response OnScreen film review feature.

• Freelance Columnist and Critic — Christianity Today Magazine — 2001-09

Contributed almost 300 installments of weekly “Film Forum” column, as well as frequent film reviews and articles on art, faith, and culture. Interviewed filmmakers, actors, writers, and musicians (including cast and crew of The Lord of the Rings and Firefly, and artists including Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, Alejandro Innaritu, Rachel Weisz, Charlie Kaufman, and many more).

• Website Editor and Co-Founder — 2009

Co-founded, edited, and contributed to Filmwell, a collaborative blog for film scholars that was honored among the Top 100 Film Studies Blogs by the Online Degrees Hub, in 2009. Blog became part of The Other Journal by request.

 

COMMUNICATIONS EXPERIENCE

• Communications Specialist — Seattle Pacific University — 2003–Present

Managed communication projects (project conception, brainstorming writing, content editing and copy editing, working with graphic designers and printers, coordination of printing and delivery) for many academic and departmental clients, including Student Academic Services, Student Financial Services, the Library, and special assignments for the President’s Office. Produced brochures, posters, postcards, annual reports, online information. Served as project lead on event promotion, event hosting, fundraising campaigns, alumni events. Contributed articles to Response magazine. Served on social media team, posting on Facebook, Twitter, and the university website. Edited copy for advertising, print (magazines, brochures, postcards), the website, academic catalog text, and more. 

• Community Relations Specialist — City of Seattle — 1998–2003

Designed, wrote, and edited internal and external communications documents for the Department of Design, Construction, and Land Use, in print and online, including newsletters, annual reports, and Mayor’s projects (for Mayor Greg Nickels and Mayor Paul Schell). Promoted from Permit Technician based on quality of volunteer contributions to department communications.

 

PUBLICATIONS

Novels

• Auralia’s Colors (WaterBrook Press, 2007)
• Cyndere’s Midnight (WaterBrook Press, 2008)
• Raven’s Ladder (WaterBrook Press, 2010)
• The Ale Boy’s Feast (WaterBrook Press, 2011)

These novels have also been translated for Dutch and French editions.

Nonfiction

• Through a Screen Darkly: Looking Closer at Beauty, Truth and Evil in the Movies (Regal, 2007). This memoir has been translated for a Dutch edition.

Chapters in Collections:

• The Habit of Seeing (Wipf and Stock, arriving Autumn 2016)
• The Molehill, V. 2 (Rabbit Room Press, 2013)
• Danny Boyle: Interviews (University of Mississippi Press, 2010) Editor: Brent Dunham
• Faith and Pop Culture: Christianity Today Study Series (Thomas Nelson, 2009)

 

AWARDS

• Spiritus Award — for writing about religion and cinema — 2007

Presented at City of the Angels Film Festival by a steering committee from Fuller Theological Seminary and Azusa Pacific University.

• Christy Award Finalist — for Auralia’s Colors — 2007

Honored in two categories: “First Novel” and “Fantasy.”

• Evangelical Press Award — for Christianity Today film review — 2006

Honored for review of Sophie Scholl: The Final Days.