Megan is a sixth-year PhD student in the Department of Economics at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Her dissertation research in the field of public economics studies how households respond to tax and transfer programs like Medicaid.
Megan is a PhD Plus intern at the Center for Survey Research (CSR), a unit of Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia through Summer and Fall of 2019, and Spring of 2020 under the mentorship of Kara Fitzgibbon and Thomas M. Guterbock, Directors of CSR.
What is your post-PhD career aspiration?
I want to continue doing research on policy issues.
How would you summarize your PhD Plus internship?
I applied for the PhD Plus internship to get work experience outside of teaching, and to guide my decision about whether to seek academic or non-academic employment after graduate school. I have contributed to projects with the Center for Survey Research and the Center for Economic and Policy Studies at the Weldon Cooper Center.
What professional skills did you develop during your internship?
With the Center for Survey Research, I have developed a more interdisciplinary approach to analysis by working with people outside of my degree program. I have also gained experience in writing reports and communicating the results of an analysis to less technical audiences.
How has this internship assisted your career preparation?
My PhD Plus internship helped me think about how the skills I've developed as a graduate student can be applied to jobs outside of academia.
What advice would you give peers on utilizing PhD Plus internships for career development?
I think a beneficial aspect of the PhD Plus internship is that you can gain experience working in more interdisciplinary work environments, which is frequently not the case within academic departments.
ABOUT PHD PLUS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
PhD Plus provides students with the opportunity to pursue an internship with a University office or an external partner. The intent of these internships is to engage and develop students’ professional competencies beyond those typically addressed within their academic training. Our goal is to provide students with substantive exposure to activities that will render them more distinct and versatile on the academic job market while also broadening their career options.