Working as a freelance writer while pursuing my master's degree allowed me to seek volunteer projects to help shore up the gaps in my education. Projects such as designing a program evaluation tool, small business counseling, and working in rural southeast Missouri with USDA RD and MU Extension programs have been invaluable to my education.
The culmination of my experiences both in my professional career and my education have given rise to the desire to approach poverty in an interdisciplinary fashion; a fashion that attempts to unwind poverty by increasing access to community assets such as affordable housing, transportation, job centers, and quality education.