Author Profile

Shannon Watkins

Shannon Watkins joined the Martin Center in March 2017. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in Spanish and Linguistics from the University of California, Los Angeles. She has also studied at the University of Carlos III in Madrid, Spain.

Her articles have appeared in Townhall, the Washington Examiner, the Daily Caller, Rare Politics, and the Carolina Journal.

In her free time, Watkins enjoys reading philosophy, history, and classic literature.

Articles by Shannon Watkins


Can Higher Ed Revive Rural North Carolina?

Many rural counties in the United States—including those in North Carolina—are on life support. They are struggling with shrinking and aging populations, shuttered businesses, disappearing job bases, and a general…


A College Grows on Black Mountain

One of higher education’s perplexing questions is why, in a nation as diverse geographically, demographically, and philosophically as the United States, do most colleges and universities seem so much alike?…



A Monumental Question

Today’s radical left has embarked on a quest to purge college campuses of their controversial histories. These “social justice warriors” not only believe themselves licensed to tear down statues—they view…



Man in the Middle

Community colleges are the unheralded linchpins at the center of state educational systems. They get less funding than K-12 schools and universities, but are expected to correct the failures of…


The Chairman of the Board Speaks

The winds of change have blown through the University of North Carolina System’s Board of Governors in recent years. In a state historically dominated by the Democratic Party, the board…



Higher Ed Reform Hits Prime Time

The movement to reform higher education is finally entering prime time. Although major news outlets have previously aired interviews and television segments about various aspects of higher education, the coverage…