Work
Research Papers
Sometimes Words Promote Healing After a Tragedy
Fall 2017
This is the first research paper I wrote as a college student. The assignment was extremely open ended; Professor Llewellyn, my FYS 100 professor, instructed us to write a five- to ten-paragraph essay on some aspect of the materials covered in the class up to that point in the semester. Struggling with developing and presenting profound ideas, my paper ended up only being six paragraphs. I elected to compare Ronald Regan’s “Space Shuttle Tragedy Address” with Nikki Giovanni’s “We are Virginia Tech” memorial speech. I individually discussed the two tragedies that prompted each speech, and then I argued that Regan’s ability, compared to Giovanni’s, to talk beyond the catastrophic moment created a stronger positive American legacy. I referenced each orators’ use of empathy and their decisions to specifically address their audience about the best way to move forward. After presenting evidence from both speeches, I concluded that Regan’s address, whose vision has been successfully carried out by many successful NASA missions, created a stronger American legacy.
Lessons Learned From a Nonprofit: Dissecting a Nonprofit Workplace and Professional
Environment
Spring 2020
The research paper is another literary genre that I have begun to master. In my independent study, I combined my conversations and outside research with Professor Pauca while I blended my learning as I worked over fifteen hours a week at CCE, which allowed me to gain a more holistic perspective of what working in the nonprofit sector entailed. Each week, I investigated several topics by reading relevant studies and published research articles. Then, once a week, Professor Pauca and I discussed my findings as well as how they connected to my work and experiences at The Center for Creative Economy. In my paper, I wrote about small nonprofit organization structures, fundraising efforts, and additional challenges due to COVID-19. Additionally, I discussed my own thoughts and several recommendations that I would have for nonprofit organizations that were based in research and discussions with individuals in the for-profit sector.