Teaching Experience

MPP Capstone Supervision

2025

Kalysta Holder (MPP/MSW)

Jenalyn Joiner (MPP/MSW)

Morgan Prochaska (MPP/MSW)

Kat Vess (MPP)

2024

Hannah Marie Heismann (MPP/MSW): "Advancing Care Models for Older Adults: Overcoming Barriers to Aging in Place"

Will Scott (MPP): "US Opioid Epidemic: A Comparative Policy Analysis"

Advising, RAs, and Letters of Recommendation

Policy Memo, Thesis Advising, and Independent Studies

I am able to supervise a limited number of policy memos and undergraduate/graduate theses each year. If you are interested in asking me to advise such a project, you must schedule a meeting with me to discuss your project and goals. Please come to these meetings prepared with an idea of what you'd like to study, relevant deadlines and outputs, etc.

I am also able to supervise one independent study student per quarter. If you are interested in receiving academic credits for such a research project, you must email me in advance of the quarter to discuss the project you'd like to work on. In general, I try to limit independent study projects to co-authored work where you can gain experience writing a piece for an academic audience. As a result, such projects should generally fit into my broader research agenda so that I can best advise and support you. Please also review my website/recent publications to see if my work is a match for your interests/experience. 

It is your responsibility to make sure your project meets criteria for course credit/degree completion/deadlines/etc. 

Research Assistantships

I have very limited funding each year to take on RAs. If you are interested in gaining experience as an RA, please either a) email me to schedule a meeting to discuss your goals or b) respond to an open job search I have posted in the last month. Please also review my website/recent publications to see if my work is a match for your interests/experience.

Because my research agenda is interdisciplinary, I take on students with varied backgrounds and skill sets. However, I am almost always searching for RAs with strong quantitative and coding skills. This means familiarity with programs like Stata, R, Python, and SPSS, and a willingness to learn new programs. 

RAs, advisees, and independent study students should adhere to strong communication with me as a supervisor/mentor. This means replying to emails within a week at most. Quarters move incredibly fast, and anything longer than that will risk you falling too far behind.

Letters of Recommendation

Students seeking a letter of recommendation (for graduate school, scholarships, jobs, internships, etc.) must contact me at least three weeks in advance of any deadline. I will ask you to fill out a form that gives me the necessary information to write you the best letter I can.

I can only write a letter if I know you well, and not all requests will be granted. In general, I must have at least two quarters of experience with you (either as a student, advisee, or RA) in order to feel comfortable writing a letter. Students should have received a strong grade (A- or higher) in my courses. I make exceptions if, for example, your midterm showing was difficult but you improved over the course of the quarter. In such cases, you should have come to office hours frequently, participated in class, and demonstrated an openness to receiving feedback.

If you have questions, email me or stop by my office hours. If you have not received a response, email me after a week. Please do not take lack of response as an answer/negative sign--it is likely that I'm just inundated with email. 

Resources for Students

Software/Coding

All students are able to download needed software from DU Information Technology, including Stata, MATLAB, and the Microsoft Word Office suite. 

Writing

Purdue Owl has an excellent and transparent APA Formatting and Style Guide.

The DU  Writing Center is available for walk-ins and appointments throughout the year. I strongly recommend scheduling appointments to go over written work, including course term papers, with a writing tutor. You can even set up a writing mentorship with a tutor you meet weekly or biweekly for longer term papers, theses, and research projects.

The Hemingway App provides immediate feedback on writing aimed at improving readability.

For details on how to paraphrase while appropriately citing sources, see https://integrity.mit.edu/handbook/academic-writing/avoiding-plagiarism-paraphrasing.

Mental Health

If you are struggling, there are many, many local services available to help. I am more than happy to help you identify and contact resources. As an instructor, I am a mandated reporter, but I can put you in touch with confidential services. I've listed contact information for a few local support services below.

The DU Health & Counseling Center provides counseling and psychiatric services to students free of charge. 

The DU Center for Advocacy, Prevention, and Empowerment offers support services for student survivor/victims of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. These services can be accessed during business hours at 303-871-3853, and there is a 24/7 counselor on-call at 303-871-2205.

Victims of domestic violence in the Denver area can also reach out several local organizations, including SafeHouse Denver and Gateway Domestic Violence Services. Several of these organizations operate 24/7 emergency shelters, run support groups, provide legal services, and can assist in safety planning. The national 24-hour crisis line, which can help you find a local program, is 800-799-7233..