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Graduate Archer Fellowship Program Alumni Profiles


Ashley Thibodeau
Andrene Castro
Summer 2016 Archer Fellow
Internship: White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans

Education
The University of Texas at Austin
Ph.D. Educational Policy and Planning; expected 2019

University of South Florida
B.S. English Education, B.A. Africana Studies; May 2005



“I was able to leverage my role as an Archer Fellow to intern at the White House Initiative on Education Excellence for African Americans as well as produce and engage with research to inform policies.  Ultimately, my internship experience bridged my research interests with policy initiatives for African American educational issues and allowed me to gain a unique insight into federal-level policy making."

 Q & A with Andrene

What has been your general career path?
Education – I worked as a teacher, school leader, and instructor.
 
How has being an Archer Fellow influenced your professional path and goals?
One of my main goals was to get some clarity about my professional pathway working in academia or directly in policy making and I am grateful that I was able to get the insight I needed to continue my graduate studies.
 
What do you value the most about your experience as an Archer Fellow?
There are so many valuable experiences and learning opportunities I gained as an Archer Fellow.  One of the things I value most is the access to various organizations and opportunities the Archer Center provided.  I was able to leverage my role as an Archer Fellow to intern at the White House Initiative on Education Excellence for African Americans as well as produce and engage with research to inform policies.  Ultimately, my internship experience bridged my research interests with policy initiatives for African American educational issues and allowed me to gain a unique insight into federal-level policy making.
 
What was the most important thing you learned as an Archer Fellow?
While the policy process is complex, I learned that policy decisions are made through everyday relationships and the day-to-day interactions between various people, ideas, and organizations.  And I appreciated the Archer Center's commitment to integrating a host of  networking opportunities, guests, and policymakers who offered these insights about the intricacies of policy making in D.C.
 
What do you value the most about being an Archer Alumna?
As an Archer Alumna, I feel most proud about the work we commit to within the community.  Raising money, awareness, and sharing our time to helping others is an aspect of being an Archer Alumna that fulfills the Archer Center's mission of giving back.  In addition, I value the strong network other Archer Fellow graduates have formed to create a vibrant, giving, and welcoming alumni community.
 
What is your favorite memory from the program?
While there are many great memories, my favorite memory while in the program was attending the United State of Women Summit and learning  from, listening to, and meeting with a diverse and talented group of women from around the world. I was inspired by their leadership and tireless work in various fields such as education, health development, and economic opportunity. Of course,  a highlight of the Summitt was Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey conspiring to take over the world!
 
Do you have advice for prospective students?
This experience will only be as useful as one makes it. I encourage future Archer Fellows to be clear and communicate with Archer Center staff about their expectations. Having several end goals will guide fellows to make use of the Archer Center's networks, the learning experiences, as well as the internship process within D.C.
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  • Home
  • About
    • Archer Staff
    • Archer Faculty
    • Founding
    • Namesake
  • Programs
    • Archer Fellowship Program >
      • Academics
      • Application Process >
        • Application Guidelines
        • Interviewing >
          • Preparation
          • Practice
          • Presentation
          • Panel Interview Tips
      • Archer Fellow Alumni Ambassadors
      • Campus Coordinators
      • Current Fellows
      • Funding your Fellowship
      • Information Sessions
      • Internships
    • Graduate Archer Fellowship Program >
      • Academics
      • Application Process >
        • Application Guidelines
      • Campus Coordinators
      • Current Fellows
      • Funding your Fellowship
      • Graduate Archer Fellow Alumni Ambassadors
      • Information Sessions
  • Alumni
    • Alumni Profiles >
      • Archer Fellow Alumni Profiles
      • Graduate Archer Fellow Alumni Profiles
    • Archer Fellow Alumni Association
    • Get Involved
    • Previous Fellows
  • Support
    • Advisory Board
    • Archer Center Endowments and Funds
    • Corporate Partners
    • Friends of the Archer Center Trust
    • Make a Donation
  • Contact
  • Fellow Resources
    • Onboarding Process
    • Internship Postings
    • Internship Resources
    • Living in Washington, DC