Samantha Steimle
MPP/PhD in Psychology '24
Hometown: Newtown, CT
Current City: Washington, DC
Why did you choose McCourt? I chose McCourt because I really wanted a program that would blend my interest in producing research designed to help low-income families with having that research reach the populations for whom it is intended. Very few programs in the country offer and encourage such an applied research paradigm, and there are even fewer programs that offer students a dual degree program in public policy and psychology, so I am grateful to both McCourt and the Psychology Department for having a niche that fits my career interests so well.
What was the best part of your experience? The best part of my experience was the breadth of knowledge I was able to acquire in such a short time at McCourt. My peers, professors, and the nature of living in DC all immensely expanded my understanding of public policy and the many ways to inform it, and I was constantly enlivened by the ideas and knowledge I was surrounded by at McCourt.
Undergraduate University, degree, and major: Fordham University, B.S. in Psychology
Hobbies/ Interests: Playing volleyball, doing yoga, going hiking