Current position and employer: Researcher at Mathematica

Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA

Current City: Arlington, VA

Why did you choose McCourt? There is no better place to study public policy than Washington, DC, and McCourt has earned its reputation as the best area program for quantitative analysis. The faculty, opportunities for students to engage in research and clubs, and campus community are unbeatable.

What was the best part of your experience with McCourt? I loved the core academic experience of McCourt. The classes are taught by knowledgeable, experienced, and caring faculty, and fellow students are genuinely engaged in the material. I am so thankful for the education I received at McCourt, as I use the hard and soft skills I developed there every single day in my job as a research analyst.

What internships did you have during your time at McCourt? I worked as a research assistant at McCourt for two years, which helped to refine my qualitative and quantitative skills, preparing me for my eventual job in research. I also served as a fellow at the College Board. There, I completed an independent study on making assessments more accessible for English Language Learners, in addition to conducting state legislative policy scans on topics of interest to the College Board.

Student organization involvement while at McCourt:  I was most involved with the Georgetown Public Policy Review, where I served as a writer and managing editor. I highly recommend getting involved with GPPR-- it's an easy and fun way to polish and publish your work. I was also on the executive board of EduWonks, which provided opportunities to meet students and professors focused on education policy and give back to the local community.

Undergraduate university, degree, and major: University of Virginia, BA in Global Development Studies

What are your hobbies/ interests? Playing the guitar and singing (find me playing around the DC area or on Spotify), yoga, cycling, reading, videogames