Acknowledgements

This capstone would not have been possible without the support of my family, friends, and my incredible professors at American University. First and foremost, I want to give my unwavering admiration to my advisor, Dr. Juliet Bellow, for her guidance, inspiration, and support throughout these past two years, specifically during this project’s research and writing process. Her mentorship has been invaluable to me. I am also thankful to Dr. Joanne Allen and Dr. Ying-Chen Peng for their insight and advice as my project developed.

I am deeply thankful for my cohort peers who have continuously supported and encouraged each other throughout this challenging and rewarding process. I specifically want to thank Marie-Claire Kent for her friendship, constant advice, and for consistently lifting me up during some of the most trying times over the past two years. I could not imagine starting and ending this journey without you by my side. I also want to thank Virginia Apperson, Isabel Iem, Amy Kruse, and Hannah Spears– words cannot express my gratitude for your friendship and encouragement that has been with me since day one.

Finally, I want to thank my family and friends for their love and support. Thank you to Brooke, Marina, Nicole, and Sarah for listening to me talk about this passion of mine for hours on end. Mom, thank you for always being a phone call away and for your words of affirmation when I needed them the most. Lastly, my unending gratitude and appreciation goes to my dad. Dad, I will never be able to find the words to express just how much your everlasting love and support have meant to me. Thank you for giving me the confidence to pursue my academic goals and dreams and for always believing in me, especially when I didn’t believe in myself. I would not be here without you, and I promise to continue making you as proud of me as I am of you.

Thank you.