Hometown: Orlando, FL
Current City: Arlington, VA
Why did you choose McCourt? I chose McCourt because I intend to work in federal policy, and I thought there was no better place to study than in the heart of where federal policy is made, debated, implemented, and evaluated. I also knew the professors, staff, and opportunities at Georgetown could not be beat. Alongside geographical draw, I also sought a program with a heavy focus on quantitative analysis for policy, and I knew McCourt could provide that.
What professional/ work experience did you have prior to coming to McCourt? I entered McCourt straight out of my undergrad, however, have previous research and community engagement experience. Research I have been involved in include (1) the relationship between partisanship and welfare policy decisions on the state level and (2) redistricting and election administration / voting rights. I also believe community engagement is valuable and necessary for policy practitioners and I spent time interning at a child advocacy center as well as working with local non profits in the city where I completed my undergrad.; What has been the best part of your experience so far? Alongside the incredible experiences and opportunities I have gained inside of the classroom, I have really valued my ability to connect with peers. Inside of the classroom, I have gained strong technical skills that I know will be valuable in future roles and have adopted new and unique ways of thinking. There have also been incredible opportunities provided such as attending conferences and watching guests speak at the university. I really value McCourt’s emphasis on community building and feel that I have met great friends who I spend time with not only working together on assignments, but also exploring DC and new experiences.
What has been the best part of your experience so far? Alongside the incredible experiences and opportunities I have gained inside of the classroom, I have really valued my ability to connect with peers. Inside of the classroom, I have gained strong technical skills that I know will be valuable in future roles and have adopted new and unique ways of thinking. There have also been incredible opportunities provided such as attending conferences and watching guests speak at the university. I really value McCourt’s emphasis on community building and feel that I have met great friends who I spend time with not only working together on assignments, but also exploring DC and new experiences.
What internships have you had so far during your time at McCourt? During the Spring semester of my first year, I worked as a research intern at Issue One, a cross partisan democracy organization. During my internship, I engaged in research on election administration and other crucial democracy issues. I have since accepted a full-time position at Issue One and began working as a Research Associate in the Fall semester of my second year. Additionally, during the Summer between my 1st and 2nd years at McCourt, I interned at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities as a research intern on the State Fiscal Policy team and focused on tax and budget developments, with a particular focus on low-income communities and building equitable economies. Currently, alongside the work I do as a Research Associate for Issue One, I am also a fellow on the data science team at Decision Desk HQ, where I assist with election forecasting and race calls.
Student organization involvement while at McCourt: Policy Innovation Lab (PIL) studying guaranteed basic income programs and the Georgetown Public Policy Review (GPPR) on the Data Visualization team.
Undergraduate University, degree, and major: University of Florida, B.A. in Political Science & B.S. Family, Youth, and Community Sciences
Hobbies/ Interests: My specific policy interests are surrounding welfare policy as well as elections. I am interested in TANF, SNAP, and GBI programs, as well as voting rights and redistricting. Outside of my academic interests, I am an avid concert goer and lover of music, reading, Korean food, the NYT Daily Crossword, coffee, NPR Hidden Brain, and curating very specific Spotify playlists.
Reach out to me about: Moving to DC, starting right after undergrad.