PhD Student helping other students succeed in & out of class!

Travis W.

Career Development

I have 10 years' hospitality experience on the Las Vegas Strip, including 5 years' leadership experience in luxury resorts in Las Vegas (JW Marriott, Resorts World Las Vegas, ARIA Resort and Casino, Bellagio Resort and Casino). As a training manager, I am the first point of contact for training, internal communications, and learning and development. I designed and manage a food and beverage stream within a property-wide internship program in collaboration with the University of Nevada Las Vegas, providing students with hands-on industry experience. I create policies, procedures, training programs, and team member handbooks to align with operational objectives. I immerse myself in company culture through Corporate Social Responsibility and community engagement: At Resorts World, I served as the F&B Representative on the Safety & Wellness Committee (2024-2025); Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council Member (2022 – 2025); and Community Ambassador (2022 – 2025). I am also a member of the Public Education Foundation Scholarship Review Board (2023-present). I am a mentor as part of the University of Nevada Las Vegas College of Hospitality and the Nevada Hotel and Lodging Association. I designed a customized program to provide my mentees with guidance and hands-on experience through shadow opportunities, networking, and professional development.

Essay Writing

I am a PhD candidate in International Human Rights Law. I hold a BA in Women's Studies; a MA in Human Rights, Globalization and Justice; and a LLM in International Law. I help students with their writing by discussing the specified prompt or brainstorming topics of interest. Then, we pre-write by drafting an outline. I encourage students to define and narrow the scope of the essay and then begin writing using the outline as an editable guide. I also assist with improving voice, clarity, and organisation of arguments. Finally, I assist with proofreading and editing and make suggested changes. After our sessions, students feel encouraged to improve their writing without losing their autonomy or voice. My degrees required essay-based coursework, including a praxis project, dissertation, or thesis. I was awarded the Patrick Thornberry Prize for Best MA Dissertation. I have authored and co-authored peer reviewed legal articles, which were published in the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy; Queensland University of Technology Law Review; and The Student Law Review. I conduct one-to-one tutorials on legal writing, and I have assisted with writing parliamentary submissions.

Interview Prep

I have 5 years leadership experience in luxury resorts in Las Vegas. As a training manager, I coordinate leadership meetings, training classes, and internal communications. I support and participate in recruitment, hiring, and venue openings. I designed and manage a food and beverage stream within a property-wide internship program in collaboration with the University of Nevada Las Vegas, providing students with hands-on industry experience. I create policies, procedures, training programs, and team member handbooks to align with operational objectives.

Legal Writing

I am a PhD student in Law and I hold a MA and LLM in International Human Rights Law. I have authored and co-authored peer reviewed legal articles, which were published in the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy; Queensland University of Technology Law Review; and The Student Law Review. I have also written articles that present legal arguments for non-legal audiences, which were published in the Rationalist Society of Australia, The Conversation, and Australian Rationalist. In Australia, I conducted one-to-one tutorials on legal writing with an international student. I was also a member of Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (LGBTI Subcommittee) and assisted with writing parliamentary submissions. In the UK, as a Research Assistant, I edited and formatted academic legal articles for peer review publication.

Public Speaking

My public speaking experience includes manuscript and extemporaneous styles with visual aids for audiences of 10-50 people. I help students build their confidence through structured preparation and practice in a supportive environment. After identifying topics that interest them, we practice pre-writing and create visual aids. I encourage students to create notes or a speech and then we frequently practice the presentation, focusing on confidence, appearance, voice, speed, eye contact, and movement. I have presented human rights legal research at international conferences such as the Law and Society Association of Australia and New Zealand and the Australasian Law Teachers Association Annual Conference. Notably, I delivered a keynote on my PhD research at the University of Adelaide. My presentations also include topics in sociology and women’s studies at leading universities in the USA, UK, Canada, and Portugal. As a panellist, I’ve addressed legal approaches to consent and bodily autonomy through moderated Q&As. Additionally, I have presented at conferences for non-profit organizations including the Australian Humanist Convention, Intact America, and the Darbon Institute. As a leader in the hospitality industry, I have also given presentations to Corporate Social Responsibility Committees and commencement speech to a Company’s graduation celebration for an internship program.

Thesis Writing

I am a PhD candidate in International Human Rights Law (University of Adelaide, Australia). I hold a BA in Women's Studies (University of Nevada Las Vegas) and during this program, I completed a praxis essay, which was published. My graduate qualifications include a MA in Human Rights, Globalization and Justice (Keele University, UK) and a LLM in International Law (University of Birmingham, UK). In 2013, I was awarded the Patrick Thornberry Prize for Best Dissertation at Keele University.