Summer of the Monkeys

I leave September 24 to go to Ukraine for Peace Corps. I'm going to teach secondary English education, and i couldn't be more excited right now.

Now that my thesis is finished, I have three things i plan to do until it's time to leave: party, ride my bike, and watch baseball. The rest of the summer is going to be celebration of life with my closest friends and family. Let's get it started with some bubbly tonight!

From my thesis - Broke at the Buffet: Food Insecurity in America

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my sincere thanks to my major professor, Dr. Spencer Wood, for his assistance and guidance throughout my studies at Kansas State University. I am endlessly grateful for Dr. Wood’s advice, which helped guide me to this topic and proved indispensable to its completion.

I would like to thank the other members of my advisory committee, Dr. Gerad Middendorf and Dr. László Kulcsár whose feedback and support was invaluable.

Thanks to my fellow graduate students, the faculty, and the staff at Kansas State University for their support and encouragement. A special thanks to Ryan and Andy Button for welcoming me into their home, feeding me (preventing food insecurity), and giving me advice about surviving graduate school and completing this project.

Lastly, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my family, my brothers, and my friends for answering the phone to talk sports or politics when Kansas was a little too far away from home. Your love, support, and patience are critical to my success. A last thanks to Tylor Sherman and Sarah Donley for proof reading more than one academic paper for me during my time as a student.

Dedication

My work is dedicated to:

Aunt Mary and Uncle Jay,

You are the source of strength and stability that allowed me to find my way. I am eternally grateful for all of your guidance and love.

Elizabeth,

In our most difficult times, you were the reason I kept going.

Laura Jane,

For letting me be the string to the most beautiful balloon.