Amanda Sweat (’12)
Policy Voice would like to recognize one of our many distinguished alums, Elizabeth Guernsey (’06), whose article on gun control is currently featured in the Hartford Courant.
Ms. Guernsey has achieved a laundry list of accomplishments that would make any Trinity graduate envious. A double major in Public Policy and Law and Economics, Elizabeth worked diligently throughout her college years and was subsequently able to acquire a highly competitive position at the Urban Institute in Washington, DC, a group of non-partisan analysts which “gathers data, conducts research, evaluates programs, offers technical assistance overseas, and educates Americans on social and economic issues.”
When asked how her Trinity education helped her gain this highly sought-after position, she recalls the former chair of the Economics department, Professor Gold, advising her “to focus on econometrics” within the major, a decision which familiarized Ms. Guernsey with data collection that would be vital to her later career. This, along with her work at the Trinity Center for Neighborhoods, gave her an edge over other potential candidates. As an employee of the Institute, Elizabeth worked under in the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center. As part of her work, she traveled to Chicago, where she interviewed public housing residents, and also to the New Orleans Housing Institute, where she participated in expert lectures on local housing issues.
After three years at the Institute, Ms. Guernsey was accepted into the NYU Wagner School of Public Service, where she is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Urban Planning and Policy. Her academics and prestigious experience at the Institute afforded her a Bohnett Fellowship, which allowed her to spend the summer in New York City working for a special advisor to Mayor Bloomberg.
At the Mayor’s office, Ms. Guernsey continued her work on Urban Policy issues, including a policy initiative focused on improving the life outcomes of young men of color in the city. The program focused especially on those who had been previously incarcerated. The policy initiative aimed to pinpoint (1) how the city was serving these young people, and (2) what initiatives it was taking to rebuild their lives after incarceration, namely in terms of family reunification and other common issues. The skills she exhibited during her summer experience led the Mayor’s office to ask her to return part-time during the school year. She currently works there three days a week, on top of her already rigorous courseload.
While partaking in these studies has been important in forming her current career goals, Guernsey says one of the most amazing things to observe is “how policy changes [within the mayor’s office].” She also says that “seeing how strategy is used to actually get things through, and learning how to manage personalities, expectations, and political realities is one of the most valuable things I’ve learned here.”
Guernsey’s gratitude for her Trinity education, the preparation gained from the Public Policy program, and the support from mentors like Professor Adrienne Fulco is evident. Although her ability to test out of lower level classes at NYU because of the classes she completed in the major was helpful, Elizabeth is most appreciative of the continued support. Five years after graduation, she “still relies on Professor Fulco as a mentor.” “Renny’s leadership of the [Public Policy and Law] program is fantastic. She remains committed to her students far past their graduation date. This continuing relationship has been invaluable.”
Elizabeth hopes to continue to work for Mayor Bloomberg and is considering a future career in “a think-tank with more of a single policy issue focus” and possibly a heavier focus on advocacy. “I’d like to become an expert in a policy area related to housing or youth, and be able to inform the policy debate surrounding those issues.”