Burn Your Draft

Burn Your Draft

“Burn Your Draft” is a podcast exploring the year-long senior thesis experience at Reed College, an independent liberal arts and sciences college in Portland, Oregon. Each episode showcases a senior or recent graduate and interviews them about their thesis: what is it, why did they do it, and what comes next. This podcast is a joint production of Reed students, staff, and alumni, and was made possible by a gift from Seth Paskin '90. New episodes released every other week during the academic year. Episodes may contain explicit language and may deal with sensitive topics. The views, information, or opinions expressed on this podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Reed College.

  1. #82: Adapting to New Majors and New Models with Alyssa Gorkin '24, Psychology

    May 18

    #82: Adapting to New Majors and New Models with Alyssa Gorkin '24, Psychology

    While Alyssa came to Reed planning to study economics and eventually go to law school, she ended up writing a psychology thesis on social anxiety, drinking motives, and alcohol use in gender-diverse communities. In this episode, Alyssa shares about her experience discovering clinical psychology at Reed and taking on a complex statistical analysis project that, despite her best efforts, didn’t always cooperate with her intentions. Tune in to hear Alyssa reflect on how she learned to let go of preconceived notions of the “senior thesis,” how she has been continuing her psychology research post-grad, and how her senior year taught her to occasionally step away from the computer and touch grass. Reed community members can read Alyssa's thesis, "So What We Get Drunk: Social Anxiety, Drinking Motives, and Drinking Outcomes in an Emerging Adult Gender Diverse Community Sample," online in the Electronic Thesis Archive: https://rdc.reed.edu/i/bc3e756c-0b48-445d-807e-49da1a2372cf This is the last episode that our student producer, Ace Lackey '27, will produce for the podcast. We're sad to reach this end, but excited for Ace to start their senior year next year, and who knows, maybe they'll be back to do a mini-episode for us while they're working on their thesis. Explore more interviews with Reed College alumni on our website: reed.edu/burnyourdraft

    33 min
  2. #81: Memorials and Cultural Memory with Emilie Kelly '25, Anthropology

    May 6

    #81: Memorials and Cultural Memory with Emilie Kelly '25, Anthropology

    Ace sits down with Emilie Kelly '25 to discuss Berlin’s war memorial Neue Wache, or New Guardhouse, the centerpiece of Emilie’s anthropology thesis. Following a semester abroad in Berlin, Emilie became fascinated by the cultural rituals surrounding war memorials, and how these memorials––and the administrations that govern them––play an important role in constructing our collective memory. Tune in to hear Emilie and Ace explore the complex relationship between history and memorialization, from past regimes to the rise of authoritarianism around the world today. In addition, Emilie reflects on how her archival research, ethnographic fieldwork, and cohort-style thesis experience at Reed came together in her thesis––a project which, as she and Ace put it, “doesn’t need to be perfect; it just needs to be done.” Emilie's thesis, "Changing of the Guards/Changing of the House: Nationalism and Memory at Berlin's Neue Wache," can be found in the Reed library Thesis Tower. Her thesis adviser notes that her thesis was only the second one in anthropology and in the college to include a chapter/section expressed in graphic art. Emilie was also a 2022 President's Summer Fellow at Reed, which supported a project which she called the Grand Trans-American Cornhole Quest. You can learn more about her project and watch the movie that she produced from it on the Reed Magazine website: https://www.reed.edu/reed-magazine/articles/2023/emilie-kelly-cross-country-cornhole.html Learn about Emilie's current projects on her website, Viewfinder Comics, or on Instagram. Website: https://viewfindercomics.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viewfindercomics/ Explore more interviews with Reed College alumni on our website: reed.edu/burnyourdraft

    31 min
  3. #80: Discovering Strychnine in the Lab and in the Archive with Lucas Forshee '25, Chemistry

    Apr 20

    #80: Discovering Strychnine in the Lab and in the Archive with Lucas Forshee '25, Chemistry

    Ace chats with Lucas Forshee about his thesis on the molecule strychnine, which, despite being poisonous, was used as a stimulant for athletes in the 1904 Olympics. Lucas shares a bit about the chemical composition of strychnine, why it's such a complicated molecule, and why it's so fascinating to researchers. But Lucas's research didn't just take place in the chemistry lab: a big part of his project was developing a written history of strychnine. Tune in to hear Lucas reflect on synthesizing the humanities and science in his thesis, and how this process gave him a renewed love for writing and a desire to return to graduate school (eventually). Reed community members can read Lucas's thesis, “Strychnine: History and Synthesis,” online in the Electronic Thesis Archive: https://rdc.reed.edu/i/00b5c42f-1072-4f7e-a728-ff6cff259858 Explore more interviews with Reed College alumni on our website: reed.edu/burnyourdraft

    22 min
  4. #79: Bleakness and Hope in McCarthy’s Blood Meridian with Caleb Stanco '25, English

    Apr 8

    #79: Bleakness and Hope in McCarthy’s Blood Meridian with Caleb Stanco '25, English

    In this episode, we hear from Caleb about the central theme of violence in McCarthy’s 1985 novel Blood Meridian and its relevance to modern times. Responding to the grimness of McCarthy’s book, set in the 19th-century American southwest, Caleb explores questions such as: What is the significance of violence in society, and how can we resist its inevitability? How can we make meaning, as readers, to respond effectively to violence in our society today? Tune in to hear about Caleb’s process of literary analysis, how his background in Religious Studies showed up unexpectedly in his thesis, and how he found glimmers of hope amidst the bleakness of McCarthy’s novel and, at times, the modern world. Reed community members can read Caleb's thesis, "American Theodicy: Blood Meridian and the Problem of Violence," online in the Electronic Thesis Archive: https://rdc.reed.edu/i/42884796-d3d8-4b5e-aab3-542156edbb28 Explore more interviews with Reed College alumni on our website: reed.edu/burnyourdraft

    23 min
  5. #78: A Horticultural Approach to Restorative Justice with Rhiannon Weakley '24, Psychology

    Mar 26

    #78: A Horticultural Approach to Restorative Justice with Rhiannon Weakley '24, Psychology

    In today's episode, we hear from Rhiannon about restorative justice, therapeutic horticulture, and how their intersection can present alternatives to the carceral justice system for young adults. Rhiannon shares about the experience of working in a gardening program at the juvenile justice complex in Northeast Portland and how this experience profoundly changed Rhiannon's life. Tune in to hear more about how gardening can cultivate belonging, community, and confidence for young people, as well as how this research might lead to long-term policy changes in the future. Reed community members can read Rhiannon's thesis, "Planting the Seeds of Belonging: Restorative Justice and Therapeutic Horticulture with Justice-Involved Youths," online in the Electronic Thesis Archive: https://rdc.reed.edu/i/fef74232-cf77-4903-9ae0-d9aa96c4fc9b Explore more interviews with Reed College alumni on our website: reed.edu/burnyourdraft

    32 min
  6. #77: Student Movements in Lebanon with Lucas Allam '25, History

    Feb 28

    #77: Student Movements in Lebanon with Lucas Allam '25, History

    In this episode, Lucas joins our host and producer Ace to explore the history of student protests in 20th-century Lebanon. Together, they unpack why these movements can only be fully understood through the lens of class politics and the social forces that shaped them. Tune in for a wide-ranging conversation on the inseparability of class from broader struggles such as the Palestinian movement, Arab nationalism, and resistance to tuition hikes, as well as the challenge of adapting a thesis in the wake of major global political events. Lucas also shares practical insights on organizing research notes, navigating archival work, and how a thesis can evolve beyond Reed—his now taking shape as a book. Reed community members can read Lucas's thesis, “Class in the Maelstrom: Class Conflict and Nationalism on the Lebanese Campus from the Six-Day War to the Civil War (1967–1975)” online in the Electronic Thesis Archive: https://rdc.reed.edu/i/6e86546d-8cb9-4433-a2a7-80d485fe7361 Explore more interviews with Reed College alumni on our website: reed.edu/burnyourdraft

    20 min
  7. #76: What Makes a Good Birth? with Liz Organ '24, Anthropology

    Feb 6

    #76: What Makes a Good Birth? with Liz Organ '24, Anthropology

    The idea for Liz Organ's thesis, "The Makings of a Good Birth," emerged from a moment of doubt about career paths and a deep frustration with how often women are ignored in the birthing process. What began as a casual discovery of the differences between doulas and midwives, and whether this could be a potential career path, turned into an interview-based anthropology project examining how birth is experienced, remembered, and shaped by culture, history, and power. Drawing on conversations with nine people, the thesis traces the evolution of American birthing culture, and explores different anthropological birth care models and individuals' personal experience with the medical system. In this episode, Liz also reflects on the challenges of researching a highly specialized topic without a dedicated advisor in medical anthropology, and on learning to let interviews guide the research. Tune in for reflections on centering people's stories, the rewards of interviewing family and friends, and why education, autonomy, and support are ultimately essential to a good birth. Reed community members can read Liz's thesis, “The Makings of a Good Birth” online in the Electronic Thesis Archive: https://rdc.reed.edu/i/b7703bac-4430-4f18-8dd1-81c531de2836 Explore more interviews with Reed College alumni on our website: reed.edu/burnyourdraft

    32 min
  8. #75: Aquaculture Adaptations with Hannah Goodman ’24, Sociology

    12/11/2025

    #75: Aquaculture Adaptations with Hannah Goodman ’24, Sociology

    In this episode, we hear from Hannah, a sociology major whose thesis journey crossed disciplines but always circled back to climate change. Her project draws on eighteen interviews with oyster farmers working along Maine's coastline—one of the fastest-warming in the world. Starting with a question about gender divides between different fishing methods, Hannah found herself pulled toward climate justice and the ways aquaculture communities adapt through strong networks, shared knowledge, and community-driven problem-solving. Tune in for insights into interdisciplinary research, the behind-the-scenes of an interview-heavy project, the tangible impacts a Reed thesis can have, and of course what Hannah really thinks about oysters. Reed community members can read Hannah's thesis, “Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in Maine Oyster Aquaculture” online in the Electronic Thesis Archive: https://rdc.reed.edu/i/9e08adc0-f53b-489e-bd35-12cb21d7dae1 Explore more interviews with Reed College alumni on our website: reed.edu/burnyourdraft

    31 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

“Burn Your Draft” is a podcast exploring the year-long senior thesis experience at Reed College, an independent liberal arts and sciences college in Portland, Oregon. Each episode showcases a senior or recent graduate and interviews them about their thesis: what is it, why did they do it, and what comes next. This podcast is a joint production of Reed students, staff, and alumni, and was made possible by a gift from Seth Paskin '90. New episodes released every other week during the academic year. Episodes may contain explicit language and may deal with sensitive topics. The views, information, or opinions expressed on this podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Reed College.

Information

  • Creator
    Burn Your Draft
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    88
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Burn Your Draft

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