Honors Advising
The honors thesis is paradoxically both an act of indulgence and an act of generosity — a rare invitation to explore something of deep personal interest, and to give that exploration back to the world in the form of knowledge.
I believe in fostering meaningful inquiry at a student's own pace, with gentle support, good questions, and the conviction that the student already has what they need — they just need the space to find it.
My Advising Philosophy
Most coursework exercises the same cognitive muscles — absorbing frameworks, applying them, demonstrating mastery. The thesis is something different. It asks students to think in ways that don't have a rubric, to sit with ambiguity, to develop a question worth asking before they can begin to answer it.
My role isn't to direct that process — it's to create the conditions for it. I ask good questions, but students come up with the answers. I may suggest structures, but students organize their content. I may point toward theories or industry cases, but students develop the insights. The thinking belongs to them.
This philosophy flows directly from how I teach. I believe learning happens when students are met where they are and then gently pushed past that point — not by being told what to think, but by being given better questions to think with.
The thesis is the fullest expression of that belief. It is a time to explore and practice thinking — unhurried, personal, and genuinely yours.
"The thesis is both indulgent and generous — a chance to explore something of deep personal interest, and to give that exploration back as knowledge."
On the purpose of undergraduate research
Working With Me
I won't hand you a thesis. I'll help you find yours. Our early conversations will be more Socratic than instructive — the goal is to surface what you're genuinely curious about, then build from there.
I provide frameworks and recommended structures, but you decide how your work is organized. The architecture of a thesis should reflect how its author thinks — not a template someone else handed them.
Good research takes time. I don't rush the thinking, and I don't expect linear progress. What I do expect is genuine engagement and a willingness to sit with hard questions until they open up.
Planning Tool
The Honors Thesis Planning Guide is an interactive tool designed to help students at any stage of the process — from choosing a track to building a timeline — think through the shape of their project before our first meeting.
Open the Planning GuideDesigned for Walton College Honors students in marketing
Get In Touch
I advise a small number of honors thesis students each year in areas related to consumer behavior, marketing strategy, sustainable consumption, and purpose-driven business. If your interests intersect with these areas — or if you're not sure yet and want to talk it through — I'd love to hear from you.
The best first step is to explore the planning guide above, then reach out with a sense of what you're curious about. You don't need a fully formed idea — just genuine curiosity and a willingness to do the work.
Let's find your question together.
Get in Touch