Writing & Analysis

Policy research, judicial briefings, and newsroom reporting.

Academic Writing

Persuasive Research Essay

Phasing Out Political Parties in the United States: The Path Toward a Lasting Republic

Politics in the United States can no longer sustain faction. There are reasonable alternatives that give The People the voice our Founders envisioned without trampling on the constitution.

Persuasive Research Essay

Fact or Fiction: The Indoctrinated Collegiate

A brief exploration on claims of indoctrination in academics in the United States and a look into defining the term Indoctrination in the context of academics.

Geopolitical Analysis

AI Governance in the Global South

An analysis of the risks of deploying advanced AI in historically volatile regions, and the potential for empowering authoritarian regimes and cartels if safeguards are ignored.

Rhetorical Analysis

Analysis: They Say, I Say (Chapters 1-2)

A critical, satirical response to Graff and Birkenstein's prescribed academic writing templates, exploring the necessity of return statements and suspended belief.

Emerging Scholars Conference

Presentation Slides

Phasing Out Political Parties in the United States: The Path Towards a Lasting Republic

The slide deck companion and focused modern fixation on the topic of political parties used in my research essay, presented in a novel way.

Presentation Speech

Phasing Out Political Parties in the United States: The Path Towards a Lasting Republic

The written text companion and focused modern fixation on the topic of political parties used in my research essay, presented in a novel way.

Professional & Research Proposals

Policy Proposal

Parking Transparency, Equity, and Feasible Alternatives

At USU, rising parking permit costs function as a pay‑to‑work requirement, particularly for employees whose salaries are constrained by legislative oversight and already lag behind regional market rates. I propose some solutions for the problem.

High-Impact Student Communications

A curated selection of student and parent communications focusing on clarity, empathy, and administrative compliance.

1. Procedural Instructions: Federal Work-Study Allocation

Dear Student,

Congratulations! You are eligible for Federal Work-Study (FWS) funding for the 2026-2027 academic year. The FWS program helps open up job opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need.

FWS differs from other financial aid: it is paid directly to students as wages. Follow these steps to review your FWS award:

  • Log in to your Financial Aid overview through MyUSU.
  • Select the Award Year you need to review in the top right corner.
  • Click on the "Aid Offer" tab.
  • Scroll down to "Options to Pay Net Cost" to see your awarded FWS amount.

You are now eligible to apply for FWS positions through AGGIE Handshake. Log in, click "Jobs," then filter and select "Work-Study" to view available FWS jobs. You can also search and apply for non-FWS positions. If interviewed, tell the supervisor you are eligible for FWS funds, and they can contact our office with any questions.

Things to be aware of:

  • FWS funds do not pay out as a lump sum. You will be paid twice a month like any other student employee, and the funds will partially cover your paycheck.
  • FWS funds can be used for on-campus jobs or jobs paid for through USU only. We do not have enough funds to work with off-campus employers.
  • You must be enrolled in class during the semester(s) you are working. Your supervisor will work with you to ensure you are not scheduled to work during class time.

If you have any questions, please call (435) 797-0173 Ext. 2 with your A# and security phrase, or come into our office (TSC 106) with a photo ID.

Go Aggies!

2. Compliance Remediation: FAFSA Rejection Protocols

Hi Student,

We noticed that your FAFSA application has been rejected, and we want to help you get back on track so your financial aid can be processed. Unfortunately, USU cannot fix FAFSA rejections for you. You’ll need to log into studentaid.gov and make the necessary corrections yourself.

Why Was My FAFSA Rejected?
Common reasons include:

  • Missing student or parent signature.
  • Missing contributor consent and approval.
  • Incorrect Social Security Number or name mismatch.
  • Incomplete income or tax information.
  • Citizenship or marital status questions left blank.

Even if your FAFSA says “Processed,” it may still contain errors. Check your FAFSA Submission Summary for any “What You Must Do Next” messages.

How to Fix Your FAFSA

  1. Log in to your FAFSA account at studentaid.gov.
  2. Go to your Dashboard and select the FAFSA form marked “Action Required.”
  3. Click “Make a Correction” and follow the prompts to add signatures, provide consent, correct information, or update schools.
  4. Submit the corrected FAFSA. (If you're a dependent student, your parent must also sign electronically).

You will receive an updated email from studentaid.gov indicating they have processed your new FAFSA. Allow 3–5 business days for USU to receive the updated FAFSA.

We’re here to support you every step of the way. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions.

Warm regards,

3. Policy Enforcement: Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Hi Student,

We hope you're doing well. We’re following up to remind you that your federal student aid is currently on hold due to not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements or you may be nearing (or have exceeded) the maximum number of credits allowed for your current program.

We understand that academic challenges can happen for many reasons, and we want to support you in exploring options to regain your aid.

Appealing Your Federal Aid Suspension
If you haven’t yet submitted an appeal, you can still do so by replying to this email before the appeal deadline for your current semester. Submitting your request early gives your Federal Aid Counselor time to work with you on your appeal and ensures you have options if your appeal is not approved.

In your reply, please answer the following questions to help us understand your situation:

  • Was there an accident, illness, death of a relative, or other special circumstance that affected your GPA or ability to complete courses?
  • Does your program require more credits than usual, involve multiple majors or degrees, or include credits from a previous major or program that no longer apply?
  • Have you experienced delays due to transfer/AP/concurrent enrollment credits, submitted an appeal but need more time, or faced personal challenges that prevented earlier graduation?
  • What has changed since then that will help you succeed moving forward and meet GPA and Pace requirements?

We’re here to help you navigate this process and get back on track. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Warm regards,

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Phasing Out Political Parties in the United States

The Path Toward a Lasting Republic

The Core Problem: The current two-party system relies on systemic factionalism, which incentivizes ideological gridlock and actively suppresses the development of pragmatic, objective legislation. This artificial division fractures the electorate and prioritizes party loyalty over the implementation of transparent, merit-based policies designed to serve the entirety of the constitutional republic.

Methodology/Analysis: This research utilized a constitutional and historical framework, grounding its analysis in the Framers' original warnings against the dangers of political factions. By applying dialectic reasoning and comparative political analysis, the study evaluated the operational inefficiencies of the current partisan duopoly and contrasted them with functional, non-partisan structural alternatives.

Proposed Structural Reforms:

  • Electoral Disintermediation: Phasing out party-controlled primaries and partisan ballot gatekeeping to establish a strictly non-partisan, merit-based electoral architecture.
  • Evidence-Based Legislative Frameworks: Transitioning legislative debate from ideological posturing to dialectic reasoning, utilizing structured information systems to establish factual precedent before drafting policy.
  • Independent Accountability Structures: Implementing oversight mechanisms governed by strict Public Trust Charters to ensure that policy decisions are permanently anchored to objective reality rather than factional interests.
Download Full Manuscript

Fact or Fiction: The Indoctrinated Collegiate

The Core Problem: There is a fine line between definitions for indoctrination. Defining what indoctrination is first, then looking for its occurrence lends credibility to the fears of parents and politicians throughout history, but only just. It is hard to measure, and it exists, but perhaps not in the way people assume.

Methodology/Analysis: I used a historical analysis of news and academia from about the 1920’s on. I looked at what the so-called temperature on the subject was through history, and whom the accusers were, and the evidence, if any.

Proposed Structural Reforms:

  • Define what indoctrination looks like. As of yet, it is very different depending on who you talk to.
  • Weigh the term against what The People want.
  • Call for changes to the freedom to teach. While important, it is not so when it comes to basic subjects. Teaching English and Math should not be opportunities to sway one’s beliefs.
  • Every student in America should be able to get the same basic education, while leaving the freedom to teach to specialization. This mitigates risk of indoctrination, while increasing academic performance among those seeking the bare minimum.
Download Full Manuscript

AI Governance in the Global South

The Core Problem: The rapid deployment of advanced Artificial Intelligence by Public Benefit Corporations (such as GENIA) in historically volatile regions like Latin America poses severe risks. Without strict regulatory safeguards, releasing AI capabilities into areas with established power imbalances could inadvertently empower drug cartels and authoritarian regimes, exacerbating inequality rather than alleviating poverty.

Geopolitical Analysis: Latin America has experienced economic, political, and social volatility for over a century, heavily influenced by illicit drug trades in Mexico and Colombia, and authoritarian rule in nations like Venezuela and Cuba. Because a Public Benefit Corporation must still balance shareholder interests, the potential for adversaries or bad actors to gain a stake in these technologies—or utilize "love-bombing" tactics to create dependencies—is an acute threat to both regional stability and U.S. border security.

Strategic Recommendations:

  • Demand absolute assurances regarding data privacy and safeguards against adversaries before AI products transition from beta to live deployment.
  • Require formal pacts and concessions to ensure AI development is utilized to strengthen democratic institutions and regional defense, rather than consolidating authoritarian power.
  • The United States must actively engage with LATAM initiatives to provide secure alliances, preventing adversarial nations from establishing technological footholds in the Global South.
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Analysis: They Say, I Say (Chapters 1-2)

Context: A critical response and rhetorical analysis of the foundational academic writing text They Say, I Say by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, specifically examining the authors' rigid insistence on return statements and the suspension of personal belief.

Chapter 1 Analysis: Graff and Birkenstein argue that "return sentences" are vital to maintaining a sense of mission and urgency in academic prose. However, this analysis challenges the assumption that all academic writing is inherently urgent. For shorter summaries, establishing a clear thesis without repetitive callbacks is often sufficient, questioning the universal necessity of the authors' prescribed templates.

Chapter 2 Analysis: The text asserts that writers must "temporarily suspend one’s own convictions" to achieve balance and avoid bias. Utilizing a satirical tone, this analysis playfully resists the idea of abandoning personal rectitude, comparing the requirement to the zero-sum politics of Capitol Hill. Ultimately, the piece concedes that while rigid impartiality can feel stifling, striving for balance is fundamentally necessary to maintain credibility with the reader.

Download Full Analysis

Presentation Slides

Emerging Scholars Conference - Spring 2025

The visual slide deck companion utilized during the presentation of my primary research at the Emerging Scholars Conference. It provides a focused, modern fixation on the topic of political parties, presenting the structural frameworks in an accessible, highly visual format.

Download Slide Deck

Presentation Speech

Emerging Scholars Conference - Spring 2025

The written text companion and structural script utilized alongside my visual presentation at the Emerging Scholars Conference. This serves as a condensed, oratorical translation of the full 23-page academic manuscript.

Download Speech Transcript

Policy Proposal: Strategic Enrollment Management

Parking Transparency, Equity, and Feasible Alternatives

Executive Summary

Utah State University is located in a geographically constrained area where space near campus is limited. However, Logan overall remains a car-dependent city, and nearly all local employers provide free employee parking.

At USU, rising parking permit costs function as a pay‑to‑work requirement, particularly for employees whose salaries are constrained by legislative oversight and already lag behind regional market rates. Maintenance issues (potholes, surface deterioration, inconsistent snow/ice removal) further undermine the credibility of annual rate increases.

Key Issues

1. Transparency Gaps: Employees lack access to foundational financial information, including parking revenue, operating costs, debt schedules, and planned maintenance. Without clear data, employees cannot trust rate-setting decisions.

2. Disproportionate Financial and Time Burdens: Bus routes often add 45–60 minutes to an employee’s day. For many staff, especially working parents or employees pursuing degrees, this is not a feasible alternative. No employee should have to consider using student loans simply to afford parking required for their job.

3. Inadequate Maintenance: Rate increases continue despite unrepaired potholes, deferred structural upkeep, and inconsistent winter maintenance. Employees do not observe reinvestment proportional to rising costs.

Recommendations

  1. Publish an Annual Financial Report: Include revenue, debt service timelines, maintenance budgets, and reserves. Outcome: Builds trust and supports data-driven rate-setting.
  2. Implement a Sliding-Scale (Salary-Based) Pricing Structure: Similar to income-based medical premiums, this aligns parking costs with the ability to pay and mirrors equity practices used elsewhere in USU’s benefit system.
  3. Establish Maintenance Standards and Public Reporting: Implement service-level expectations such as pothole repair timelines and annual structural inspections.
  4. Develop Off‑Site Employee Parking with Shuttle Service: Evaluate purchasing satellite lots outside the congestion zone and utilizing the Aggie Shuttle to transport employees at reduced or no cost.
  5. Strengthen Employee Representation: Add employee seats to parking advisory committees and require committee review and public rationale for any rate increase.

Requested Actions

  • Release 3–5 years of Parking & Transportation financial data.
  • Freeze further rate increases until maintenance standards are met.
  • Convene a task force to evaluate off-site lots and shuttle feasibility.
  • Develop a salary-based pricing model and present options within 60–90 days.

The current parking model places a disproportionate financial and time burden on employees. Transparency, equitable pricing, and realistic alternatives are essential for USU to uphold fairness, support retention, and maintain its commitment to employees.

Download Full Proposal