Christopher R. Marsicano is a Ph.D. candidate studying higher education policy in the Department of Leadership, Policy, and Organizations at Vanderbilt University. He holds a Master of Public Policy from Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy, and an AB with Honors in Political Science from Davidson College. His research interests include higher education policy and finance, politics and public opinion as related to equity in higher education, and civic engagement. Christopher examines higher education institutions as political actors and the outcomes associated with their attempts to impact the political process. His dissertation focuses on higher education institution lobbyists and their activities in Washington, DC. Christopher hopes to earn a tenure-track assistant professor position in public policy, higher education, or public administration and expect to graduate in Spring 2018.