Thomas Zimmerman is a Ph.D. candidate in the Higher Education program at Rutgers University. A first-generation college graduate, Thomas has internalized the transformative impact of higher education, and is excited to contribute to research in higher education to further student success. His research interests include higher education policy with a focus on state funding for higher education, higher education law, and student success. His work ranges from quantitative analyses of student enrollment and outcomes data to qualitative studies investigating individual and systemic barriers to student enrollment, persistence, and degree completion. His background includes over a decade of professional experience in positions in the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, Financial Aid at New York University and the University of Kansas, International Student Services at the University of Kansas, and the Dean's Office for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University.