Emerson J.

Emerson J.

Knight-Hennessy Scholar | Essay and Interview Pro | First-Gen

Stanford University Logo

Studied at Stanford University

Hoover Institution Logo

Works at Hoover Institution

Available Saturday at 6:00 PM UTC

Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.

Emerson's Coaching Offerings

Custom hourly · $115/hr

Get help with Letters of Recommendation, Essays, and .

Emerson also coaches for Master’s Programs and College. View all.

Emerson’s Prestigious Scholarships & Fellowships Qualifications

Coaches professionally

I've been on both sides of the scholarship process—as an applicant and as someone who's won some of the most competitive awards out there. I'm a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship recipient (U.S. Department of State), a Viceroy's Decree Scholarship recipient (U.S. Department of Defense), and, most recently, a Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University. I've also applied to and reached final-round interviews for several other major fellowships, so I know exactly what it takes to stand out. What I learned: these scholarships aren't just looking for perfect GPAs or impressive résumés. They want to see who you actually are, aka your story, your values, and what drives you. Whether you're aiming for the top graduate fellowships in the world or just your home department's annual award, I can help you craft a narrative that's deeply personal but also speaks directly to what selection committees want to see. It's about finding that balance between staying authentic and meeting their expectations. Whether you're trying to figure out which fellowships to apply for, navigate confusing timelines, brainstorm your essays, or polish your application, I'm here for all of it. I'll help you with everything from fellowship selection and strategic planning to application review and editing. My goal is to help you put together submissions that don't just check boxes; they tell your story in a way that sticks with readers. Let's get you that scholarship!

Emerson can help with:

Letters of Recommendation

Essays

Personal Statement

Application Strategy

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Editing

Research

Interview Prep

Resume Review

Emerson also coaches for Master’s Programs and College. View all.

About Emerson

As a first-generation, lower-income student, I know what it's like to go into the college admissions process blind. Without help, it is scary, discouraging, and most of all, tiresome. I don't believe it has to be this way, and that's why, having reached (what I hope is) the tail end of my application woes, I try my hardest to give back to students during the application process through dedicated, tailored coaching. My qualifications include my own success through various application cycles (including being admitted to 20+ universities as a prospective undergraduate, as well as all of the master's degree programs I applied to as a prospective graduate, attending both Northeastern University and Stanford University on full-ride scholarships, and being a US Department of State Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholar, a US Department of Defense VICEROY DECREE Scholar, a Knight-Hennessy Scholar, and a National Science Graduate Research Fellowship Honorable Mention in the field of Communication) as well as the success of those I've already coached, including their admission to programs at schools like the University of California, San Diego, the University of California, Los Angeles, and Columbia University and the numerous funding opportunities they've recieved, from department level grants at their respective universities to prestigeous fellowships like Knight-Hennessy and more. I focus my coaching on those applying to programs similar to those I've attended or applied to and received offers from. Those include: - Bachelor's programs in the social sciences, with a particular focus in politics, in philosophy, and in history, - Master's programs in the social sciences, with a particular focus in international relations, in technology policy, and in history, - PhD programs in communication and sociology, - and fellowship programs like Knight-Hennessy, Gilman, and more. My coaching style is highly tailored to each student. Together, we'll go through your goals, timeline, and constraints, and figure out the best path forward to wade through the weeds and get you to the best possible outcome. My strengths are essay ideation, development, and review, and interview preparation, though I have experience with the entire process from thinking of where to apply to deciding where to go.

Work Experience

Hoover Institution Logo

Research Associate

Hoover Institution

June 2025 - Present

Technology Policy Accelerator

Cyber Threat Alliance Logo

Sr. Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst

Cyber Threat Alliance

February 2025 - June 2025

U.S. Department of State Logo

Political and Economic Officer

U.S. Department of State

May 2023 - February 2025

United States Army Reserve Logo

Civil Affairs

United States Army Reserve

September 2020 - January 2025

Honorably discharged.

HUMAN Logo

Partnerships Manager

HUMAN

June 2021 - May 2023

Education

Stanford University Logo

Stanford University

Master of Arts, History and Philosophy of Science and Technology

2025 - 2027

Advised by Dr. Thomas Mullaney

Stanford University Logo

Stanford University

Master of Arts, International Policy

2023 - 2025

Advised by Marietje Schaake

Northeastern University Logo

Northeastern University

Bachelor of Science, Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

2019 - 2023

Summa Cum Laude

Northeastern University Logo

Northeastern University

Bachelor of Arts, History

2019 - 2023

Summa Cum Laude

Emerson J.

Emerson J.

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