I'm a recent graduate of Pepperdine University, where I earned my B.A. in History this spring. My coursework centered on the American Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the Reconstruction era and its Civil Rights legislation, and I completed advanced seminars in historical methodology and historiography (HIST 200, 204, 405, and 428). My senior thesis was grounded in primary-source archival research and was written in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style. That experience means I'm...
I'm a recent graduate of Pepperdine University, where I earned my B.A. in History this spring. My coursework centered on the American Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the Reconstruction era and its Civil Rights legislation, and I completed advanced seminars in historical methodology and historiography (HIST 200, 204, 405, and 428). My senior thesis was grounded in primary-source archival research and was written in accordance with the Chicago Manual of Style. That experience means I'm comfortable guiding students through everything from a five-paragraph APUSH DBQ to a college-level research paper with full footnotes and bibliography. This fall, I'll begin a Master's in Alternative Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine's Straus Institute, and I currently hold the Straus Conflict Management Certificate, which has sharpened my ability to listen carefully, ask precise questions, and meet students where they are.
My tutoring approach is built around the same skill that drives strong historical writing: turning a tangle of facts into a clear, defensible argument. With younger students preparing for AP US History, I focus on building a usable mental timeline first, then layering in causes, consequences, and historiographical debates on top so they can write thesis-driven essays under time pressure. With older or more advanced students, I work through primary sources together — letters, speeches, treaties, court opinions — and teach them how to read against the grain, weigh evidence, and cite responsibly. I tailor every session to the student's goals, whether that's a specific exam, a paper deadline, or genuine curiosity about a period. I'm patient, organized, and genuinely excited to share this material — Civil War and Reconstruction history is what I love most, and I want my students to leave each session feeling sharper and more confident than when they arrived.
