Mercedes is Master’s candidate in the Women’s History Program at Sarah Lawrence College. Her research primarily focuses on the interplay between gender and sports marketing and economics. Her thesis is an interdisciplinary investigation of the causes of pay inequity in professional sports, in particular basketball. Mercedes is a proud alumnus of Louisiana State University, where she graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in English Literature, and is a (post-season) SEC loyalist. Mercedes can be reached at mtownsend@gm.slc.edu.