John Garrett Clawson
305 Tottenham Ct.
Bossier City, LA 71111
(318) 840-8639
johngarrettclawson@gmail.com
EDUCATION
Louisiana State University (LSU), Baton Rouge, LA
Roger Hagfield Ogden LSU Honors College
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
2405 Brightside Dr., Unit 62
Baton Rouge, LA 70820
May 2016
GPA: 4.0
Louisiana Service & Leadership (LASAL) Program, Baton Rouge, LA
January 2013 – present
 Honors College cohort that focuses on poverty and coastal wetland loss in Louisiana
 Emphasizes challenging academic coursework and community involvement
Honors Thesis
August 2015 - present
 Working Title: “Level of Governance and Academic Performance of Louisiana Charter Schools”
 Faculty Advisor: Dr. Belinda Davis
ASPIRE Research Program, Baton Rouge, LA
August 2014-April 2015
 Conducted research surrounding the adoption of universal preschool legislation, public opinion of a
hypothetical program, and the willingness of Louisianans to fund such a program
 After completion of research design, data collection and analysis, presented findings at Northwestern
Political Science Association conference in April 2015
Related Coursework: Fundamental Statistics in Sociology (graduate level), Approaches to Studying Social Science
(graduate level), Sociology of Education, Public Policymaking, Poverty in the United States, Politics of Poverty, Monetary
Policy & Banking, Macroeconomics, U.S. Government, Election Communication Analysis
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, LA
August 2015-present
Policy Intern
 Assist staff with ongoing research projects, including a forthcoming report on virtual education
 Compile information on legislators and other officials to produce annual Guide to the Legislature
 Coordinate with developers to produce a new PAR mobile application and state budget simulator
Southern Education Foundation, Baton Rouge, LA
May 2015-July 2015
Policy Intern at Georgia Budget and Policy Institute
 One of 11 national fellows chosen by the Southern Education Foundation
 Conducted research on school choice programs and teacher compensation models and prepared
literature review for senior analysts
 Attended Education Reform Commission meetings and prepared notes for staff
 Drafted policy brief detailing fiscal implications, academic impacts, and accessibility of school vouchers
and education savings accounts
 Created final presentation for SEF staff and fellows on privatization in Georgia
Louisiana Budget Project, Baton Rouge, LA
January 2015-May 2015
Policy Intern
 Wrote blog postings on topics including health and tax policy
 Assisted with policy analysis, writing, and editing reports and other projects
 Managed and analyzed data sets
 Monitored legislative priorities of the Louisiana Budget Project
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Bipartisan Policy Center, Washington, DC
May 2014-August 2014
Director of Policy at Common Sense Action
 Drafted, researched, and prepared voter guide material for over 25 Common Sense Action chapters
 Prepared materials and assignments for and facilitated weekly policy meetings
 Contributed to weekly meetings with Bipartisan Policy Center staff members
 Participated in long-term planning brainstorms and prepared development materials
 Produced op-ed revisions, policy material, and other various documents
Louisiana State Senate, Baton Rouge, LA
March 2014-May 2014
Senate Aide
 Performed routine office duties for State Senator Amedee
 Attended weekly committee meetings and provided the senator with necessary paperwork
 Assisted the senator during floor votes by retrieving bill texts and interacting with other legislators
Mayor’s Office, Shreveport, LA
May 2013 – August 2013
City Intern
 Collaborated with SPORTRAN office to document additional stops needed
 Conducted research on passenger information systems and passenger count systems
 Volunteered at local job fair to inform public of SPORTRAN job opportunities
 Engaged local residents and architects to enhance planning of new bus terminal
 Developed Google Transit file to help bring SPORTRAN’s digital routes online
Harvard University Institute of Politics, Boston, MA
March 2013
National Campaign Consortium Participant
 Selected as one of two student participants from LSU
 Participated in breakout sessions with students from around the United States
 Discussed deliberative democracy, voter engagement, and political communication techniques
 Evaluated different campus scenarios and crafted solutions to various communication concerns
Senator David Vitter, Baton Rouge, LA
January 2013 – May 2013
Constituent Communications Intern
 Completed routine tasks for staffers
 Listened to constituents’ concerns from across the state and documented them for review
 Accommodated constituents by referring them to appropriate staffers and experts to resolve issues
HONORS
 Chancellor’s Honor Roll
o 4.0 GPA (each semester since Fall 2012)
 Tiger Athletic Foundation Honors College Award for Promising National Scholars
o $500 award given to 1st and 2nd year Honors College students with a GPA of 3.75 or higher who
show promise for an exceptional academic career at LSU (including leadership and service
experiences) and the likelihood of being competitive for prestigious national scholarships
 Truman Scholarship LSU nominee
 Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) Plus Honors Award recipient
o State-awarded tuition/fee scholarship with additional stipend
 Academic Scholars Resident Award
o Financial award for student with ACT score of 30-32 and 3.0 GPA.
 Chancellor’s Aide
o Award for academically high-achieving students to work with a professor or department
 National Society of Collegiate Scholars
 Phi Kappa Phi member
 Elise and Charles Kaufman Scholarship
o $1,000 scholarship awarded to outstanding College of Humanities & Social Sciences student
 Herbert Huey McElveen Scholarship
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o $1,000 scholarship awarded to outstanding College of Humanities & Social Sciences student
Walter Hitesman Scholarship recipient
o $500 scholarship awarded to outstanding Political Communications student
James J. Bolner Sr. and Dudley Rochelle Carter Scholarship
o $1,000 scholarship awarded to outstanding College of Humanities & Social Sciences student
Leadership Institute Youth Leadership School Top Graduate
o Weekend of intensive lectures outlining various campaign tactics and political dialogue
o Culminated in a comprehensive final exam
o Awarded Top Graduate distinction in September 2013
ACTIVITIES
 Ogden Honors College Advocates
o Member (August ’12 – present)
 Serve as ambassador for the Honors College by recruiting and advising incoming
freshmen
o Spring Invitational Co-Chair (April ’14- May ’15)
 Coordinated orientation and fundraising activities
 Baptist Collegiate Ministry (August ’12 – present)
o Community Ministry Coordinator (March ’14 – present)
 Collaborate with other ministries on campus to organize events around Baton Rouge,
including monthly Breakfast Under the Bridge events with homeless community
 Contact organizations and mobilize BCM teams to tutor, conduct cheerleading camps,
and participate in other local activities
o Atlanta Mission Trip (March ’14)
 Completed manual labor at several local churches and conducted a week-long camp
for students in a disadvantaged urban area
o NYC Bowery Mission Trip (Dec ’14 and Dec ’15)
 Lived in Bowery Mission in downtown Manhattan for one week each year
 Performed daily tasks such as cooking/cleaning in kitchen, sorting donations, and
coordinating mobile food banks with mission staff
 Assisted with daily church services at mission
 Honors College Welcome Week (August ’12 – August ‘15)
o Participant (August ’12)
 Engaged in group activities to acclimate myself to Baton Rouge and the community
o Welcome Leader (August ’13, August ’14, and August ’15)
 Prepared presentations and led group activities for incoming freshmen
 Volunteer LSU (August ’12 – present)
o Community Bound Participant (August ’12)
 Volunteered at under-resourced public schools in the Baton Rouge community through
painting, cleaning, and performing other tasks needed by school administrators
o Community Bound Team Leader (August ’13, August ’14, August ’15)
 Coordinated Community Bound volunteers and facilitated reflection exercises following
service
 Freshman Leadership Council (August ’12-’13)
o Comprised of college freshmen aspiring to become change agents on campus
o Organized and participated in service event during which volunteers picked up debris around
LSU lakes
 Volunteers in Public Schools (January ’13 – May ’13)
o Read weekly with underperforming second-grader at under-resourced elementary school
o Prepared worksheet exercises and lessons to help student develop reading comprehension skills
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