Rachel Swindle
MPP '20
Current positions and employers: Research Fellow at Georgetown's Center on Health Insurance Reforms at the Health Policy Institute
Hometown: Champaign, IL
Current city: Washington, DC
Why did you choose McCourt? I chose McCourt primarily for the professors and the location. The ability to intern on the Senate Finance Committee, the ACLU, and the World Bank all during my first year at McCourt has been a critical component of applying my degree to the real world. Most other degree programs give you access to DC institutions only during one summer, whereas at Georgetown you can potentially complete five different internships. I have also enjoyed learning from top practitioners in the fields of health, labor, and economic policy. Many of these professors were key parts of their respective agencies and their knowledge is invaluable in the study of public policy.
What was the best part of your experience? It's difficult to choose one thing, so I will instead narrow it down to three: the friends and connections I've made, the leadership experience, and the quantitative training.
What internships did you have during your time at McCourt?
- ACLU - National Political Advocacy Team
- Senate Finance Committee - [then ranking member, now chairman] Senator Wyden's tax team at the SFC
- World Bank Group - Development Impact Evaluation (DIME)
- McCourt School Teaching Assistant, Quant I and II
Student organization involvement while at McCourt:
- Board member at WiPPI (Women in Public Policy Initiative)
- GradGov Senator representing McCourt's full time MPP students
Undergraduate Degree and University: Political Science and Linguistics. New York University.
Hobbies/ Interests: hiking, reading, cooking, jigsaw puzzles.