Amanda Arp is a PhD student in the Rhetoric and Professional Communication program of the English Department. Her current primary focus is on developing improved pedagogical approaches through research on metacognition, composition and Team-Based Learning. At present, Amanda is examining a connection between speech and writing by comparing metacognitive reflection in speech to metacognitive reflection in composition through analyzing metacognitive reflections of students from a speech course at Iowa State. Additionally, she is furthering research on Team-Based Learning by examining transcripts and surveys from students in teams from a speech course at Iowa State. During her time as a PhD student and as a Presidential Scholar, Amanda also plans to pursue additional research interests in narrative, visual rhetoric, gaming theory, fat studies and creativity. Amanda’s experiences as a student, a writing coach, a writer and a speech teacher inspire her to research, present, and publish on these topics and will continue to fuel her growth as a scholar and educator.