Category: University News

Title: McCourt School Welcomes Inaugural Class of Scholars

McCourt School Welcomes Inaugural Class of Fellows

The McCourt School of Public Policy is pleased to announce the inaugural class of McCourt Scholars.

Master of Public Policy candidate Manning Kalish, a native of St. Louis, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Washington in Seattle in March 2005. At the end of his freshman year of college, Manning enlisted in the Army Reserve and was deployed to Iraq in Iraq in 2007. Since leaving the Army, Manning has worked as a substitute teacher in the Austin Independent School District in Austin, Texas. At Georgetown, Manning plans to study foreign policy development.

Tasmia Rahman is a Master of International Development Policy candidate born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Government and International Relations. Most recently, Tasmia worked at BRAC, an international development organization in Bangladesh. She plans to study the intersection of politics and development during her time at Georgetown.

Master of Public Policy candidate Megan Miraglia graduated from American University in 2011 with a dual Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and Interdisciplinary Studies in Communications, Economics, Law and Government. A native of Philadelphia, Megan has spent the past three years teaching at the Cesar Chavez Public Charter School in Washington, DC. In the summer of 2013, Megan served as an education policy fellow with the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, confirming her passion for public policy. She hopes to use her policy degree and teaching experience to enact education reforms to improve the lives of her students.

Alejandra Aponte is a 2010 graduate of Columbia University, with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science. She spent the last four years with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab as a Research Analyst and Regional Research Manager in Central and South America. Born in Quito, Ecuador, Alejandra plans to focus her studies on behavioral strategies that can be employed by education and health programs in Central America.

Leonel Prieto graduated as valedictorian from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in his hometown of Caracas, Venezuela. He has worked at Procter & Gamble and for the mayor of El Hatillo. He is dedicated to the NGO he cofounded, Embajadores Comunitarios, which provides education opportunities to more than 500 underprivileged students, including college scholarships to more than 10% of them. After his graduation from the McCourt School, Leonel hopes to work to rebuild the democratic foundations andinstitutional strength of Venezuela.

The McCourt Scholars program was made possible by a generous gift from Georgetown alumnus Frank McCourt (C ’75), allowing the School to recruit the most promising future policy makers and practitioners whose background, experience, and academic excellence qualify them for this prestigious award. Among the most generous fellowships available from any U.S. university, the program offers recipients full tuition, health insurance, and a living stipend during their time at Georgetown.