So many people, through contributions to my life as well as endurance and encouragement throughout this journey, have contributed directly and indirectly and made this project possible.

To the family and friends I ignored for four months while road-tripping through 24 states to write this, thank you for your love, patience, understanding, and couches.

To my teachers who instilled a love of writing, thank you for years of red ink and encouragement: Sister Mary Katherine Gallagher, Estelle McCarthy, Lorinne McKnight, Dolores Cummings, Millie Bizzini, Patty Ely, Jo Berry, Liana Hachiya, Audrey Musson, Dana Trevethan, Cheri Rowton, Annette Simmons, and Dr. Robyn Bell.

To the mentors whose words continue to guide me, thank you for your leadership and friendship: Dr. Cathy Schuman, Dr. Barton Palmer, Dr. Kiko Gladsjo, Dr. Mina Chang, Dean Kauffman, Rich Nagy, Jim Martin, and Jeff Stillman.

To my SAS spirit guides, thank you not only for challenging the limits of the semicolon but also for sharing your successes and failures with the world: Dr. Gerhard Svolba, Art Carpenter, Kirk Paul Lafler, Susan Slaughter, Lora Delwiche, Peter Eberhardt, Ron Cody, Charlie Shipp, and Thomas Billings.

To SAS, thank you for distributing the SAS University Edition and for providing additional software free of charge, without which this project would have been impossible.

Finally, thank you to John Wiley & Sons, Inc. for support and patience throughout this endeavor.