RESEARCH INTERESTS
Using qualitative methods to study family planning in rural United States
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, May 2020 – Colby College, Waterville, Maine
GPA: 3.7 Honors with a Distinction in the Major
Master of Arts in Sociology, May 2023 – Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
Pursuing PhD in Sociology, 2026 – Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
RESEARCH / DATA EXPERIENCE
Research Assistant for Chair of the Sociology Department, Waterville, ME,
2017-2020
● Gather data for the head of the sociology department’s research projects
and published works
● Review and edit works in progress for accuracy
Senior Honors Thesis Project, Franklin County, GA, 2020
● Interview young, low-income women in rural Georgia about their
motivations for family planning
● Work to facilitate public policy using completed project
Intern at Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, Athens, GA,
2018
● Create surveys to collect data on how to best serve the community
● Compile the data and produce attractive visuals
Coal Ash Independent Research Project, Carnesville, GA,
2017
● Apply to funds for kits to test well water near coal ash dumping site in rural
community
● Collect samples by going door-to-door and encouraging community action
Intern at The Providence Plan, Providence, RI,
2015
● Manipulate data for a non-profit organization dedicated to education
reform in underrepresented areas
● Consolidate user profiles and diagnosed issues using company-specific
software
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXPERIENCE
Intern at Sustain Mid Maine Coalition, Waterville, ME, 2016-2020
● Lead weekly meetings with the coordinator of the non-profit environmental
conservation organization
● Design posters and monthly newsletters for over 300 subscribers
Lead Volunteer at Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter, Waterville, ME, 2016-2020
● Facilitate community-building activities with families
● Supervise children of all ages and create weekly educational activities
Eco-Representative at Colby College, Waterville, ME, 2016-2020
● Conduct various campus wide events to promote food waste reduction
● Perform college-wide dorm challenges for 2,000 students each semester
to promote sustainability on campus
● Placed 2nd at the Food Innovation Challenge with a new program kNOw Waste to communicate individual food waste to students via smartphone
app
Leadership for Food Recovery Network Chapter at Colby College, Waterville, ME,
2016-2017
● Revitalized of Food Recovery Network Chapter at the college
● Created schedules for 40 students to pick up leftover food from 3 dining
halls and deliver the food to a local organization
Vice President of Colby QuestBridge Chapter, Waterville, ME, 2016-2017
● Reported needs of low-income student in the Questbridge Scholarship
group to college administration
● Planned monthly meeting and events
Phonathon at Colby College, Waterville, ME, 2017
● Interacted with Colby alumni in order to fundraise with a team, raising a
total of $95,960.82 in fiscal year 2017
PRESENTATIONS
- “The Ebb & Flow of Subgenre Formation: The Case of Progressive Rock
1965-2015,” cowriters: Tim Dowd, Roberson Beauvile, Hannah Chong, Surbhi
Shrivastava, and Allison Sullivan, Southern Sociological Society Conference,
2021. - “How Marital Status Affects Perceived Mobility,” Eastern Sociological Society
Conference, 2019 - “Politics and Perceived Mobility,” cowriter: Christel Kesler, International
Sociological Association Annual Meeting, 2019 - “The Hidden Module: Confronting Inequity, Decolonization, and Privilege in Two Diverse Short-term Study Abroad Programs in Uganda,” Council on International Educational Exchange, 2019
PUBLICATIONS
“The Obama Effect on Perceived Mobility.” Christel Kesler and Amber
Churchwell. June 2020. Societies 10(2):46.
HONORS / AWARDS
Special Recognition of Distinguished Scholarship, 2020
Dean’s List, 2017-2019
Lelia M. Forster Prize, 2017
Questbridge Scholar, 2016
Questbridge College Prep Scholar, 2015