Undergraduate Student at the University of Delaware
Education
In my experience as an undergraduate student at the University of Delaware, I discovered my path in life in the classroom. I came in as a first-year student with no declared major, but sure that I wanted to help people, I just didn’t know how to make this a career. Growing up in New Hampshire, I was exposed to politics through the 4th of July Parade in my town every year. Every four years, the parade would be filled with hopeful candidates, eager to get their campaign ideas out and secure votes. These experiences introduced me to what politicians were, and what the role of the federal government and state government was in communities. Over time, my interest shifted from a general interest in politics, to a deeper desire to wanting to help people. It wasn’t until I came to the University of Delaware that I discovered the way to best pursue this interest was through becoming a Public Policy Major.
The fall semester of my first year I took a class on Women and Violence, where I learned about gender-based violence and the role the criminal justice system and federal policies played in maintaining and sustaining these experiences. This class opened my eyes to the way individuals' experiences are shaped by their identities, and the way these experiences can begin to be reformed through new policies. In my future academic explorations, I was driven to take classes that touched on various identities, communities, and historical events to further my understanding of the way different people within the U.S. and globally experienced their lives.
Women's Studies Minor
My minor in Women’s Studies has allowed me to learn about both policy and law from an interdisciplinary perspective that acknowledges the critical consideration of gender in all academic pursuits. Along with this, the minor has introduced me to the concept of intersectionality, the theoretical framework that describes the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group. These overlapping identities create interdependent systems of discrimination and disadvantage, and this knowledge has shifted the way I view what an effective policy solution is; one with an intersectional based policy framework.
Legal Studies Minor
My minor in Legal Studies has introduced me to the ways in which legal institutions and law are intertwined with policy, crucial to my understanding of how policy and the law can work together, but can also be at odds with one another. Furthermore, through gaining a better understanding of the American legal system and American Law, I have an increased ability to create policy solutions that consider the way laws may impede the policy implementation and adaption process
Relevant Coursework
Crafting Public Policy
Fall 2018
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This class explored how public policy operates from agenda-setting to policy implementation. Through this course, I learned about the policy-making process, which established my foundational knowledge for the major going forward. This information was applied by completing. semester-long project in a team tasked with researching how to combat police brutality. By evaluating why current policies were ineffective, our team was able to develop policy alternatives to the problem.
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Public Policy Analysis
Spring 2019
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The purpose of this course was to introduce the basic principles and concepts of public policy analysis. The course included a semester-long project where I worked on analyzing education outcomes in Wilmington, Delaware public schools compared to private and charter schools. We determined that students in public schools graduated at a significantly lower rate than their peers who were not in public schools, and developed potential policy solutions that would adequately address this problem.
Contemporary Issues in a Global Society
Fall 2019
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This course examined current issues in urban affairs, public policy, and public administration. Every week, presentations were given by various policymakers, policy researchers, and scholars to discuss the policy issue their work was primarily focused on. As a result of this class, I have a better understanding on the roles that public administration, policy analysis, and policy research play in a global society
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Media, Citizenship, and Public Policy
Spring 2018
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This course examined the ways media can influence public policy and the ways American media has the ability to influence the agenda of our government. Throughout the semester, we analyzed the relationship between media framing and its impact on public opinion. To apply this information, we each picked a topic and collected news coverage on the topic to show the ways the media is critical in setting the agenda of policy.
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Gender and Politics
Fall 2020
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The purpose of this course was to introduce the basic principles and concepts of public policy analysis. The course included a semester-long project where I worked on analyzing education outcomes in Wilmington, Delaware public schools compared to private and charter schools. We determined that students in public schools graduated at a significantly lower rate than their peers who were not in public schools, and developed potential policy solutions that would adequately address this problem.
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Power, Inequality, and Social Policy
Spring 2020
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Studied the development of the American welfare state and current debates about its performance and future. The course examined the current debates and contemporary issues involved in social welfare policies. As a result of Covid-19, the course shifted to analyzing the ways historical inequities in social welfare policies have exacerbated the experiences of marginalized communities as a result of the pandemic
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Project Samples
Project #1
Project #2
Project #3
For my class on Social Welfare Policy in the U.S., I wrote a policy memo on promoting equitable access to health care in response to COVID-19. As employer-based health care is the largest source of health care for nonelderly Americans, unemployment resulting from Covid-19 has caused as many as 43 million Americans to lose their employer-based health insurance. This policy offers an analysis of why health insurance alternatives are ineffective and offers solutions for policy adjustments moving forward. This memo allowed me to research the ways individuals with varying race, gender, and socioeconomic status were being disproportionately impacted by Covid-19.
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For my class on Contemporary Issues in a Global Society, I compared two guest lectures views on the policy framework for health in the U.S.; health care vs. public health. This paper analyzes the differences between the two lenses of health in consideration of the current state of health within the United States. In response to these current responses, the effectiveness of the policies and suggestions for improvements in the future will be addressed in order to further the conversation on health.
For my class on Public Policy Analysis, I worked in a team to create a Policy Memo that offered solutions to improve Delaware public schools. The public education system in Delaware is inadequate compared to the rest of the nation, with graduation rates as low as 65% in Newark High School in 2017, compared to the national average of 84.6% across the same period. Low graduation rates reduce Delaware students’ chances of success, and this memo offers solutions to increase these graduation rates