The Boren Awards are a research scholarship created by the National Security Education Program that aims to strengthen national security through cultural and linguistic exchange. As a Boren Scholar, I studied advanced-level Russian while also studying political, economic and security issues in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia.

-Performed open-source research to assess the viability of companies for acquisition. Personally identified 2 Midwestern businesses which advanced to negotiation/closing stage.-Built financial models of companies targeted for acquisition, using best practices to estimate EBITDA. -Assisted with the due diligence process; performed administrative tasks as needed.-Authored reports to investors concerning firm's progress in locating a viable acquisition in the Midwest.-Maintained CRM database of sellers, brokers and investors daily.

-Utilized public records to identify real estate properties under tax lien in Illinois. Recorded findings in company database using Microsoft Access.-Assisted teams of realtors to determine if purchase of property via tax deed sale was feasible. Performed administrative tasks as needed.-Utilized Google Maps, as well as legal maps published by counties, to create maps showing location of properties under lien. Used Google Street View to annotate maps with instructions how to access the property (e.g. if property was not free-standing structure, indicate the apartment number, the floor, and the legal point of entry).-Created visual aids using Tableau and Microsoft Excel to indicate relevant factors in various neighborhoods, e.g. crime rate, population growth, etc.-Audited colleagues' maps for quality and veracity.

UK Trade & Investment is the business development wing of the British government, which offers market entry services to British firms overseas. As an intern, I researched businesses in the Washington, DC area capable of expanding to the UK and inquired about said businesses' plans to expand into the international sector. I also made first contact with potential American clients on behalf of British firms looking to develop a customer base in the United States. I also maintained entries in UKTI's contact database. Sectors I worked in included energy, defense/aerospace, B2B services and creative media. This position required high proficiency in SaaS/CRM applications, as well as strong ability to perform open-source research on client contacts.

As an intern for the congressional campaign of Dan Seals, I was responsible for conducting donor research on individuals and PACs the campaign was trying to target. I also publicized the campaign using social media and direct outreach (e.g. cold-calling). Finally, I represented the campaign during a conference with Truman fellow Lt. Col Jason Dempsey to determine voting behavior among military personnel leading up to the 2010 midterm election. This latter responsibility required strong communication skills, as I was required to present my findings in the form of a PowerPoint presentation to the campaign fellows after the conference. Strong research skills and interpersonal skills were essential in this position.