Hometown: Milwaukee, WI

Current City: Washington, DC

Why did you choose McCourt? I ultimately choose McCourt because of its small class size for the MIDP program. It was very important to me that I be able to get to know my professors and cohort-mates. I wanted to be immersed in a community, not just attend lectures! McCourt also provided me with the most robust financial assistance package and had a strong reputation for teaching quantitative methods which I wanted as part of my professional development.

What professional/ work experience did you have prior to coming to McCourt? Prior to coming to McCourt I worked at Catholic Relief Services as part of their government relations team. We focused on advocating on international development and humanitarian issues to the United States Congress and Administration. Our team also assisted with grassroots legislative advocacy.

What has been the best part of your experience so far? The best part of my experience so far has been my cohort. I have developed friendships with amazing people who have supported me personally and professionally throughout my time at McCourt, and who have exposed me to a variety of perspectives and ideas about international development issues. I cannot express how much they have enhanced my experience and how grateful I am to them all for their friendship.

What internships have you had so far during your time at McCourt? During the summer between my first and second years at McCourt, I interned with the International Food Policy Research Institute in Nairobi, Kenya. I assisted with data analysis on the performance of drought tolerant seeds which were distributed to farmers as part of a picture-based insurance project.

Student organization involvement while at McCourt: McCourt Policy in Practice (MPiP)

Undergraduate University, degree, and major: Marquette University, Political Science; International Affairs

Hobbies/ Interests: My academic interests include agriculture, food security and climate change. In my free time, I enjoy cooking and baking, being active, and spending time with my friends and family.

Reach out to me about: You can talk to me about: advocacy, international development, agriculture, MPiP, and anything related to Wisconsin!