Resume and Publications

PUBLICATIONS

Books:

City of Hey Baby. (Finishing Line Press).  Fall 2020.

Poboy Contraband: From Diagnosis Back to Life.  (Catalyst Press.)  June, 2012.

The Spirit of Grand Coteau.  (captions and introduction).  (ULL Press).  November,

            2012.

Turning Up the Volume.  Xavier University Press. 2010.

Poems:

“Dancing at Tipitina’s After the Flood,” “Fifty Days after Hurricane Katrina on Dumaine

Street,” “Comfort Post-Katrina,” Hurricanes: Katrina & Rita at 20. Black Bayou Press. Fall, 2025.

            “Fainting,” Bateau Ivre, A Journal of Performance, Literature and Art. May, 2016.

            “Tattoos and Birthmarks,” Green Briar Review. Fall 2013: Issue 1.4.  3^rd prize in              

Federico Garcia Lorca Poetry Prize. (Judge: Sean Thomas Dougherty.)  December 2014.

            “Catalpa Tree,” This Road,” “French Quarter, New Orleans,” Dancing at Tipitina’s.”

                        Vision/Verse, Yellow Flag Press. Spring, 2013.

            “Dancing at Tipitina’s After the Flood,” Swamp Lily Review. Issue 2, No.  2, 2012.

“HIV Survey,” HEArt (Human Equity Through Art), Spring, 2002.“

Confessions of a Carnivore,” The Beat of the Forum: 1971–2001 New Orleans Poetry

            Forum Calendar.

“Fainting,” The Bridge: A Journal of Fiction and Poetry. Spring, 1998.

“A Woman Tries on Shoes,” From the Bend in the River: Anthology of New                      

            Orleans Poetry, Spring, 1998.

“Ndoli Sees the President,” Buffalo Bones, December, 1996.

“A Cat Mourns,” Immortelles: Poems About Life and Death by New Southern Writers, January, 1995.

“Awa Speaks,” Xavier Review, Fall 1993.

“Sabine the Cook Warns Me,” Painted Hills Review, April, 1991.

Essays:

“Reflections on the Creative Writing Program at Xavier University.” New Voices 2017— 

2018.  Xavier Press.

AMid-City Rock’n’ Bowl,@ New Orleans: What Can’t Be Lost. (University of Louisiana at

            Lafayette) Summer, 2010.

“Water,” Drunken Boat, Vol. 9.  Winter, 2007.

“Creole House,” Drunken Boat, Vol. 9.  Winter, 2007.

 “My Movie,” 52%.  The Womyn’s Centre, Ottawa, Ontario.  Spring, 2002.

“Intimacy,” ACORN.  Spring, 2002.

“Mormons and Dogs,” Red Brick Review.  Spring, 2002.

“Blood, Milk and Millet,” The Unsavvy Traveler.  Fall, 2001.

“Giving out Change,” Journal of College Writing.  Fall, 2001.

“Rearranging the Furniture,” Prism International, Spring, 2001.

“Boa Constrictor,” The Xavier Review, Spring, 2000.

“An Essay that Wanders Like Water,” Grain. Summer, 1997.

“A White Night in Africa,” Prism International.  Spring 1995.

“Munju,” The Naked Anthropologist: Tales from Around the World. (Wadsworth Press) 1992.

“Broken Dishes,” 1991 Quarterly. Winter/Spring 1991.

RESUME

PATRICE MELNICK

P.O. Box 210 ¨ Grand Coteau, LA 70541 ¨ (337) 254-9695 ¨ trecie2@hotmail.com

MUSEUM DIRECTOR

Over twenty-five years of experience in public programming with emphasis on audience development, outreach and education. Adept with public relations via print and broadcast media, and social media. Basic graphic design skills. Familiar with Microsoft Office, Word Perfect, In-Design, Microsoft Publisher and other computer programs.  Accomplished grant writer. Able to communicate in French.

professional experience

Director, Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center 2021–present

• Plan exhibits
• Plan activities of humanities and art
• Coordinate tourism efforts
• Write grants

Opelousas Water Department, 2017—2021

• take customer water bill payments
• enter taxes and other data

Adjunct Online Instructor, 2005—2021 (as needed by UNO) University of New Orleans   New Orleans

• Teach graduate online Literary Nonfiction Graduate Workshop
• Teach sporadically, serve on graduate committees

Opelousas Tourism, 2013—2017       Opelousas, LA  

• Greet visitors in English and French
• Coordinate Music & Market concert series
• PR & Social media
• Grant writing

Community Chronicles 2015—2024    Carencro, LA

Freelance Writer

• write monthly museum column

Executive Director/founder, 2010 to 2017   The Festival of Words Cultural Arts Collective   

Grand Coteau, LA  

Founded and oversaw the Festival of Words Cultural Arts Collective, a literary arts nonprofit.  Coordinated programming for bi-monthly events. Coordinated programming for annual Festival of Words. Wrote grants, press releases, designed brochures and other promotional materials.  Managed website, facebook page and created bi-monthly online newsletter

• authored or co-authored, on average, three successful grants per year, October, 2007 – 2017
• coordinated monthly programming that included: visual, folklore, literature, music and film
• Coordinated annual event that included: creative writing workshops in public schools and community centers; readings; open mics; “drive-by poetry,” youth poetry contest and oral history
• partnered with St. Landry Schools, the Thensted Outreach Center, Nunu’s, St. Landry Tourism and the Center for Louisiana Studies, ULL.

Co-Owner, 2005– 2013       Casa Azul Gifts     Grand Coteau, LA  

Handled buying, customer service, sales, public relations and all aspects of the business.

• Shop served as Tourist Information for Grand Coteau
• Built customer loyalty through positive interactions
• Used social media to build customer base

Education Coordinator, 2007 to 2010       Frederick L’Ecole Des Arts   Arnaudville, LA

• Coordinated community arts education program for all ages.
• scheduled teaching artists for lessons and classes in visual arts performing and literary arts
• Wrote press releases and other media materials
• Wrote and received local, state and regional grants

Assistant Professor, 1992 to 2006                    Xavier University        New Orleans, LA

Taught Creative Writing, English and Literature

• founded the Creative Writing Minor (1^st in nation at an HBCU)
• founded monthly literary arts reading with open mics
• founded student literary journal New Voices

Sales Person, 1990 – 1992                                Pelican Publishing Company                 Gretna, LA

Journal Editor/PR  1988—1990                      University of Alaska, Permafrost           Fairbanks

English Teacher 1985—1987                           Peace Corps                              Central African Republic

educatioN

• 1990 – The University of Alaska, M.F.A. – Creative Writing, Fairbanks, AK
• 1985 – the United States Peace Corps, culture, lang. and pedagogy, Bangassou, Central African Republic
• 1985 – University of Texas , B.A. – English, Austin, TX

HONORS/AWARDS

• 2019 named as one of the Louisianians of the Year by Louisiana Life Magazine
• 2018, Outstanding Educator, Lafayette Parish Democratic party
• 2015 — Oliver-Sigur Humanitarian Award from The Louisiana Council on Human Relations
• 2013 — Public Programming award from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities

PUBLICATIONS

• City of Hey Baby. (Finishing Line Press). Forthcoming Fall 2020.
• Poboy Contraband: From Diagnosis Back to Life.  (Catalyst Press.)  June, 2012.
• The Spirit of Grand Coteau. (captions and introduction).  (ULL Press).  November, 2012.
• Turning Up the Volume.  Xavier University Press. 2010.