“Working on J-PAL’s Evidence to Scale team taught me about the importance of using evidence-based education programs in school and has sparked my interest in education funding and decision-making.”
Hannah Kandt, Human Services Major
Co-op Term: Fall 2019
Position: Policy and Research Co-op
Employer: The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab North America (J-PAL) in Cambridge, Massachusetts
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) supports research, policy outreach, and training initiatives to reduce poverty by influencing public policy. As a Policy and Research Co-op, Hannah Kandt worked with smaller teams to update and record research data for current initiatives and focus on the organization’s media presence. She was even given the opportunity to write an op-ed piece for the company, regarding the new federal legislation on improving access to and the completion of postsecondary education. Kandt felt prepared to combine her knowledge in social policy and her experience at J-PAL to form a compelling argument for her audience.
Kandt learned she was passionate for education policy and wishes to work at an organization battling educational inequality in the United States. She has also recognized a preference for team-based projects, feeling supported by the co-workers and supervisors that helped guide her through projects and confusion. Kandt knows that her projects at J-PAL have improved her understanding of social policy topics and motivated her to further research education funding initiatives and programs.
Learn more about Hannah’s co-op experience in her reflection project.
Hannah Kandt and her coworkers dress up as the J-PAL logo.
