My full name is Thomas Craig Anderson, Jr., but I prefer to be called "Craig". I am originally from South Carolina and currently live in Nashville, Tennessee with my partner, Nickelle, and our cat, Caroline. I am an avid sports fan, state and national park enthusiast, love visiting craft breweries and enjoy making conversation with people everywhere I go. I am unsure about my future as an academic or journalist, but I am confident that I am at my best when communicating with others. I am a team-oriented worker and thrive as a collaborator within an environment where open dialogue is encouraged. If you have a unique and/or complex problem, I will eagerly provide creative solutions or alternative options for resolution. For a more detailed life synopsis, continue reading:

 

I was born and raised in Hartsville, South Carolina until I left for North Dakota to attend the University of Jamestown (formerly Jamestown College) in 2009. I was a scholarship punter and kicker for the football team - Go Jimmies! I quickly found a passion for journalism and videography for the on-campus tv and paper news outlets. I left school after fall semester 2012 to pursue a kicking career with professional coach Doug Blevins but injured my leg while training in the spring of 2013. I re-enrolled in school and graduated a year later.

 

By October 2014, I had a job with WSPA news in Spartanburg, South Carolina working as an assignment editor and web content producer. We won "station of the year" for the state in 2015, awarded by the SC Broadcaster's Association. I enrolled in the University of South Carolina's School of Journalism Master's program in 2016 and continued to work full-time at WSPA while completing the program. Two years later, I was accepted at Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism Ph.D. program, beginning my program Fall 2018. Because of my acceptance, I had to leave WSPA July 2018. I completed my M.A. in Journalism from the University of South Carolina during the first semester at Arizona State. 

 

In 2020, due to the pandemic, I moved to Nashville, Tennessee and have continued to participate in the Ph.D. program remotely. I was hired as an adjunct professor for Middle Tennessee State University Fall 2020 and just completed my second full year of teaching. Learning to teach college students throughout the pandemic was challenging. We had to adjust to remote/hybrid learning, and it is a unique experience to lecture to mostly empty classrooms and blank Zoom screens. I still found the experience rewarding and will continue to have a passion for education.

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Overcoming sports-related injuries and mental obstacles as a lifelong ADHD sufferer, I am resilient and steadfast. I want to achieve  success as a valuable contributor to a team that understands how to operate as a healthy collective. If your company feels the same way, I look forward to a dynamic partnership as your next employee.