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Rebecca Head

I am currently a second semester graduate student at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. I hope to receive my master's in journalism with a specialization in magazine writing and design in December, 1996.

I received my undergraduate education at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, a small liberal arts college. My BA is in political science. I graduated in 1991.

After graduation, I spent three years in Washington, D.C. working on Capitol Hill. My first job was with the Transportation and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, which fell under jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee. My position was "Hearings Coordinator," meaning that I organized subcommittee hearings and bill mark ups, kept track of testimony, followed legislation, and served as liaison to Members of Congress, their staff, Administration staff, and special interests. The chairman of the subcommittee was Rep. Al Swift (D- Washington).

The job, although interesting and high profile, was mainly administrative and after a year I started looking for something more challenging. My next move was to the personal office of Rep. Thomas J. Manton (D-NY).

Here I was gradually assigned issues to work on and track. My first legislative assignments were education, science and technology, and agriculture. Since the congressman wasn't on any committees that handled these issues, I basically just followed them for floor votes by the full House.

After a few months, I was given the added responsibilities of judiciary, trade and transportation issues. These included some of his committee jurisdiction. I was able to work on NAFTA and crime issues.

In February 1994, I left Washington for good. My fiance got a job offer in St. Louis too good to refuse, so we picked up and moved to the mid-west.

I used the move as an opportunity to further my education. I knew that Missouri had an excellent journalism school, so I thought I would apply. I began in January, 1995, and I expect to complete the master's program by December 1996.

This summer I worked at Edison Brothers Stores Inc. on two corporate employee magazines. I also was married in July in my native Colorado.

Stories by Rebecca Head include: