Buster G. Thompson graduated from Eckerd College with honors in creative writing and double minors in literature and political science. He has worked as a journalist intern, contributing writer, and staff writer for the Citrus County Chronicle since 2012 where he covers local politics, crime, and community events. Thompson also volunteered at wildlife parks and animal shelters. He participated in an environmental service trip to Nicaragua in 2014 where he learned about coffee farming and the country's relationship with the environment.

1. Buster G. Thompson
4194 West Bonanza Drive
Beverly Hills, FL 34465
bgthomps@eckerd. edu
LinkedIn Profile Link: w w w .linkedin.com/pub/buster -thompson/93/35b/270/
EDUCATION
Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL
Bachelor of Arts with Honors May, 2014
Major: Creative Writing GPA 3.77
Double Minor: Literature / Political Science
Eckerd College Men’s Rugby Team
EXPERIENCE
Citrus County Chronicle, Crystal River, FL May – August, 2012 & June – July, 2014 & August, 2014
 Journalist Intern, 2012
o Wrote articles about residents, businesses and events in Citrus County, Florida. Such
articles included stories about a historic courthouse and personal accounts of war heroes.
I also covered the county’s political races for commission, sheriff, and school board.
 Contributing Writer, 2014
o Continued to write articles for the Citrus County Chro nicle as a contributing writer to
general and investigative assignments. Such articles included localizing our Veteran Health
System in Florida that underwent a national a udit, following the construction of a
reclaimed-water pipeline in the City of Crystal River and returning to the story of an injured
U. S. Marine.
 Staff Writer, August, 2014 – Present
o Was hired as a fulltime reporter for the Citrus County Chronicle. Assigned coverage
includes the Crystal River City Council, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office and court system.
Topics included: Manatees and tourisms effects on a small community and high-profile
crime and court cases.
The Eckerd Review – Eckerd College’s Literary Magazine 2012 - 2014
o Editorial Assistant (2012-2013)
o Editorial Board Member (2013-2014)
 Worked in coordination with other stude nt staff members at Eckerd College's
literary magazine, The Eckerd Review. My positions included advertising a call for
submissions, reviewing submitted work from Eckerd students and alumni (text
and art), organizing the layout of the magazine, and distrib uting the magazine.
The Current – Eckerd College’s Student Newspaper November, 2013 - 2014
o Contributing Writer for Viewpoints
Wisconsin Badger Camp, Prairie du Chien, WI May – August, 2013
o Nature Activities Director
 Conducted various outdoor activities at a residential summer camp serving
individuals with mental, physical and/or behavioral disabilities. I managed a
Nature Center and a barn for ten weeks, where I planned and led activities
focused on camper interactions with animals , while also utilizing social and
developmental skills. Responsibilities also included personal and medical care of
the campers.

2. PUBLICATIONS AND PAPERS
 Numerous articles were published by the Citrus County Chronicle during the summer of 2012.
Stories were very diverse and covered a wide range of topics from Human Interest, Current
Affairs to Locally Relevant Historic Milestones and Events.
 Sample of publications from the Citrus County Chronicle and Eckerd College’s student newspaper,
The Current, are highlighted below. More articles from the Chronicle can be found at
http://www.chronicleonline.com/
“CRHS grad wounded in Afghanistan”
Published Monday, August 13, 2012.
Found Online At: http://www. chronicleonline. com/content/crhs -grad-wounded-afghanistan
Story about a U. S. Marine who lost both legs from an IED explosion while serving in Afghanistan.
A graduate from my high school, Cpl. Joshua White returned home to his family as a hero .
“Trip to disability camp helps student find meaning”
Published in Eckerd College’s newspaper, The Current on Nov. 17, 2013.
Found Online At: http://theonlinecurrent.com/trip-to-disability-camp-helps-student-find-meaning/
About my summer at the Wisconsin Badger Camp and how it affected me in the way I see an often-
overlooked segment of our society.
“Gainesville to await further VA audit reviews”
Published in the Citrus County Chronicle on Sunday, June 15, 2014.
Found Online At: http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/gainesville-await-further-va-audit-
reviews
Story about the North Florida/South Georgia Veteran Health System, an d their reactions to a
nationwide VA audit from veteran concerns.
“Pipeline plan on track”
Published in the Citrus County Chronicle on Monday, July 7, 2014.
Found Online At: http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/pipeline-plan-track
Story about the construction process of a reclaimed water pipeline in Citrus County, coordinated
by the City of Crystal River, the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the Florida
Department of Environmental Protection, and Duke Energy Florida, to utilize reclaimed water,
instead of groundwater, to cool the Duke Energy coal plant.
“Ready to swim free”
Published in the Citrus County C hronicle on Friday, Nov. 7, 2014.
Found Online At: http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/ready-swim-free
Story about a terminally-ill woman wishing to swim with Winter the Dolphin, the famous dolphin that survived
and thrived after losing her tail.
“League OK with coaches’ arrests”
Published in the Citrus County Chronicle on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015.
Found Online At: http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/league-ok-coaches%E2%80%99-arrests
Story about the arrests of two local youth-footballcoaches on drug-trafficking charges. League officials
defended coaches’ continued roles on the field and in study sessions.
“Teens guilty”
Published in the Citrus County Chronicle on Saturday, Aug. 6 2016.
Found Online At: http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/teens-guilty
Story about a jury finding 18-year-olds Bryan Robinson and Tyzick Wall guilty of charges in connection to the
murder and armed robbery of 54-year-old Stephen Gorney, who was found April 2015 decomposing inside his
hot tub behind his CrystalRiver home. Wall was later sentenced to 40 years in prison, Robinson was sentenced
to life in prison.
“The story of a spring”
Published in the Citrus County Chronicle on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2017.
Found Online At: http://www.chronicleonline.com/content/story-spring

3. Sunday project about the history of Three Sisters Springs, a fresh-water spring group in CrystalRiver, Florida,
where hundreds of manatees and tourists gather each winter season.
SERVICE
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park, Homosassa, FL Summers 2006 – 2011 & 2014
 Volunteer – Approx. 300 Hours
o Maintained, cleaned and f ed animals living at a Florida state wildlife park in Homosassa.
These animals were native species of Florida, including the Florida panther, black bear,
and the manatee. I had first-hand experience, directly interacting with Florida’s most wild
creatures.
Friends of Strays, St. Petersburg, FL Fall 2013
 Volunteer – 40 Hours
o Spent weekends working at a no-kill animal shelter, where dogs and cats are housed for
rehabilitation. This local organization advocates the education o f pet owners on the
importance of various medical procedures such as spaying and neutering, to the dangers
of declawing. I cleaned cages and fed stray cats recuperating from illness, abuse or
surgery, in hopes of increasing their chances of adoption.
INTERNATIONAL
Service Learning in Nicaragua January, 2014
 With our trips coordinated from Managua, our class traveled along the North and Southwest coasts
of Nicaragua.
 Participated in an Environmental Service trip to Nicaragua for two weeks in January. This trip
focused on recognizing and understanding the relationship between the local culture and the
country’s environment.
 Learned about the economic and environmental r esults of coffee, one Nicaragua’s highest exports,
at its highest production site in Matagalpa.
o Worked at Vicente Padilla’s organic coffee farm, and experienced the benefits of producing
better quality and sustainable coffee.
o Studied the impact of a developing country’s lifestyle on the environment: The effects of
abundant littering and overfishing in the salt water mangroves of Poneloya Las Ponitas,
sea turtle poaching at Reserva la Flor, and devastation caused by tourists at Laguna de
Apoyo.
o We had the honor of listening to the stories of soldiers from the FSLN (Sandinista National
Liberation Front) revolution, fighting against President Anastasio Somoza.
HONORS
 Florida Bright Futures Scholarship 2010-2014
 Dean’s List 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014
 National Society of Leadership and Success Inductee 2013-2014
 Eckerd Trustee Scholarship 2010-2014
 Citrus County Chronicle’s Employee of the Month March, 2015
 Citrus County Chronicle’s Employee of the Year 2015
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Windows and Mac operating Systems
Microsoft Office Products: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Social Media Websites: Facebook