Outstanding PAM seniors 2012
These graduating students were selected by the department as Outstanding PAM Seniors because of their exceptional academic performance, recognition of their character and achievements both on and off campus, their demonstrated leadership, and contributions they have made to the department and campus community during their time with us. We congratulate all of them for their accomplishments and wish them well in their future careers.
Past list: 2011
Rebecca graduated in 2008 from Breck School in Minneapolis, MN. At Cornell University she is majoring in Policy Analysis and Management and is concentrating on healthcare, nutrition, and consumer policy.
During her time at Cornell, Becca studied abroad in London, England, at the London School of Economics and she worked as a legislative intern in Washington, DC, for Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.
In her spare time Becca enjoys skiing, playing tennis, and running. Her other hobbies include cooking and traveling.
After graduation Becca plans to pursue a career in politics and public policy. This summer she will be interning at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington D.C., where she will be researching economic policy and focusing on US fiscal policy.
Awards: Dean’s list.
Jennifer graduated from Horace Mann high school.
Jennifer is president of Rent the Runway at Cornell, which is dedicated to making fashion affordable, accessible, and fun, and to enriching student participants with an entrepreneurial leadership experience. She is also the Secretary for the Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity and belongs to the Kappa Kappa Gamma Social Sorority.
In her spare time Jennifer enjoys water sports, skiing and traveling.
After graduation, Jennifer is headed towards Goldman Sachs’ Investment Banking Division.
Awards: Dean’s list.
Christine graduated from Wayzata High School. In addition to the PAM major, she is completing a minor in Real Estate. She studied abroad in Budapest for a semester during her junior year.
Christine was the head teaching assistant for PAM 2300, a teaching assistant for HADM 2250 and a Human Ecology Ambassador. She was also a member of the first-place winning team that competed in the Cornell International Real Estate Case Competition. Christine was active in her sorority Alpha Chi Omega and served as the Vice President of Recruitment.
After graduation Christine will be joining JP Morgan as an analyst in CMBS Origination.
Awards: Dean’s List, Robinson Award for Academic Achievement, Kappa Omicron Nu, Order of Omega.
Rebecca graduated from Cherry Hill High School East. In addition to the PAM major she is completing a Global Health minor. Rebecca is a TA for Introduction to Global Health and has served as a research assistant for Professor Lovenheim, studying the effects of demographics and locale on purchasing behaviors and nutritional habits.
Rebecca traveled to Kitwe, Zambia, in 2010 to provide health education to school children in grades 1-7. She studied Global Health and Development Policy in Geneva, Switzerland, and is currently conducting research comparing the Swiss and (new) US health care systems. She enjoys hanging out with her “little sister” through a Dewitt Middle School Mentoring Program. She also enjoys reading, watching CNN and debating politics, going to the beach with her family, kayaking, hiking, and participating in any sport that involves an adrenaline rush!
Rebecca intends to pursue a dual JD/MPH degree.
Awards: Dean’s List, Elsie Van Buren Rice Public Speaking Competition 2012 - First Place, Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society, Golden Key International Honors Society
Rhea graduated from the United Nations International School. Besides focusing on her PAM major, Rhea is minoring in both Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies and Law & Society.
Rhea has been on the Advisory Board for the Cornell Women’s Resource Center, worked with the LGBT RC & Asian and Asian American Center. She is the Co-Founder and Facilitator of Feminism: Food for Thought. Rhea also directed the 2012 production of The Vagina Monologues here at Cornell.
In her spare time, she likes watching the misadventures of Republican primary candidates, getting lost in non-English speaking countries, and practicing yoga.
Next year, Rhea will be pursuing her Master of Public Policy degree at the University of Oxford.
Awards: Alice and Constance E. Cook Award, Golden Key International Honor Society, Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society, Dean’s List.
Olivia graduated from Hastings High School in Westchester, NY. Within PAM she concentrated in social policy and completed a senior honors thesis entitled "Associations Between Child Care Subsidies and Family Well-Being."
Olivia has served as a research assistant in Professor Avery’s undergraduate research lab since her freshman year, working on projects related to direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising and pharmaceutical consumption behaviors. In addition, she was both a consultant and project manager with Cornell’s Social Business Consulting Group, a student-run organization that provides free consulting services to non-profits and social enterprises around the world. Most recently, she served on the Human Ecology Dean’s Advisory Council, helping to advance student participation in service within the college.
Upon graduation, Olivia will be moving to Washington, D.C., to work as a Research Assistant at the Urban Institute’s Center on Labor, Human Services and Population.
Awards: PAM Honors; Dean’s List; 2011 Southern Demographic Association Best Undergraduate Paper Award; Triple Helix Policy Essay Contest, 2nd place; Iscol Family Program for Leadership Development in Public Service scholarship; Alpha Chi Omega Denslow Scholarship.
Jon graduated from Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, NY. As a PAM undergraduate, he was a lab manager for the PAM Undergraduate Research Laboratory. He has developed an interest in corporate governance policy and conducted an independent study investigating the relationship between firm size and executive compensation levels.
Jon has been involved with a variety of organizations on campus during his time at Cornell, serving as treasurer for PAMO and as membership director for the College Democrats of New York. He also served as president of Seal and Serpent and was an active member of the Tri-Council University and Community Relations Committee. In his free time, Jon enjoys playing piano and guitar, running, and dreaming of warm weather.
Upon graduation, Jon will be joining the Financial Markets Division of Charles River Associates in New York City.
Awards: Dean’s List, Seal and Serpent Scholarship.
Kim graduated from Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, MD. Within PAM, Kim focused on education and social policy.
Kim has been a Teaching Assistant for PAM 2300 since spring ‘09, a Senior Information Specialist with Campus Information and Visitor Relations since her freshman year, and VP of New Member Education, Alpha Chi Omega. She is also an Human Ecology Ambassador, and belongs to Alpha Chi Omega. Kim studied abroad in Prague during the spring of her junior year. In her spare time she likes to read, travel and learn about issues in education reform.
Kim will be an elementary teacher with Teach For America in Baltimore for two years, after which she will head for law school at Yale.
Awards: Deans List, Meinig Family Cornell National Scholar, Kappa Omicron Nu, Cornell Club of Washington Scholarship Recipient.
Rachel graduated from Scarsdale High School in Westchester, NY, and is graduating with a concentration in health policy. She has spent summers gaining hands on experience in patient care as well as health administration through internships in hospitals and physician practice.
After graduation, she will remain at Cornell to complete a Masters in Health Administration in the Sloan Program five year BS/MHA degree option. She will be working at Beecher Carlson’s healthcare consulting practice in Boston during the summer. She hopes to continue working within healthcare consulting focusing on risk management and improvements in quality of care.
Rachel is the Philanthropy Chair of Sigma Delta Tau. She spent a semester abroad in Tel Aviv studying Middle Eastern affairs. She enjoys traveling, especially in developing countries working on service projects.
Awards: Dean’s list.
Shane graduated from Newton North High School in Newton, MA. He is a PAM major with a concentration in consumer policy.
While at Cornell, Shane served on the Executive Board for the Cornell Chapter of Habitat for Humanity for two years. He was a teaching assistant for Professor Wellman’s Finance course. He is a member of Kappa Omicron Nu and Golden Key International Honor Society. Under the leadership of Professor Tennyson, Shane conducted research on the impacts of regulatory changes in Massachusetts’ automobile insurance industry.
Shane enjoys playing intramural sports, traveling and spending time with friends and family.
Shane spent his college summers interning at MaintainNet, Social Dynamics, Fidelity Investments and J.P. Morgan. He is excited to be returning to J.P. Morgan after graduation.
Awards: Dean’s List, Golden Key International Honor Society, Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society.
Joshua graduated from West Orange High School in NJ. He has a particular interest in anti-poverty policy.
Joshua founded SWAG (Scholars Working Ambitiously to Graduate). SWAG is a one-to-one campus-wide mentoring program combating the low graduation rate among black males and matches incoming freshmen and transfers with black male upperclassmen in their major.
Additionally, he is a Teaching Assistant for Professor Rosemary Avery, the Academic Development Chair for Cornell’s Black Students Union (BSU), and a member of the Minority Undergraduate Law Society. In his spare time he likes to read and run, play ping pong, and is currently learning how to swim.
Upon graduation, he will be teaching High School Social Studies in Eastern North Carolina as a Teach for America corps member.
Awards: Dean’s List; Phi Theta Kappa; Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society (KON); Harry S. Truman Finalist; Merrill Presidential Scholar; Pepsi Grant Recipient.
Sarah graduated from SAR High School in the Bronx and spent a year studying in Israel before coming to Cornell.
In addition to her coursework in PAM, Sarah studied Arabic and Near Eastern Studies. She participated in Cornell’s first Intensive Arabic Program, in which she spent her sophomore year studying only Arabic, and through which she studied abroad at the Hashemite University in Zarqa, Jordan.
Since returning from Jordan, Sarah focused her PAM studies on family policy. She held several jobs on campus, ranging from baking in the Statler’s pastry department to translating Arabic field surveys for the Crop and Soil Sciences Department. Sarah also completed two half-marathons during her time at Cornell.
After graduation, Sarah will be teaching math in Washington, DC, through Teach For America.
Awards: Dean’s List, Meinig Family Cornell National Scholar.
John graduated from Tenafly High School.
John is finalizing his honors thesis on the effects of iron deficiency on worker productivity. He has conducted research with Dr. Jere D. Haas in international nutrition.
John is the 2012 Senior Class Campaign Co-President. He is currently on the Student Insurance Advisory Committee; is the former Local Committee President of AIESEC Cornell; and is the former Executive Director of Cornell Health International. He teaches Catholicism for Korean students preparing for baptism and confirmation. John enjoys music (piano, guitar, cello) and reading up on global health issues (malnutrition and poverty).
He plans to matriculate into Mount Sinai Medical School after one year of deferral.
Awards: Dean’s List, Mortar Board Honors Society, 2012 SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, Florence Halpern Award, Kappa Omicron Nu, Golden Key Honors Society.
Katherine graduated from Homer High School and grew up in Homer, NY. She is the Lab Manager of the Undergraduate Policy Analysis & Management Laboratory under Professor Rosemary Avery and the past Vice President of University & Community Relations for the Panhellenic Council.
Katherine is a member of Alpha Chi Omega, Order of Omega Greek Honors Society and Cornell Club Triathlon. She enjoys triathlon, biking and hiking in her spare time. She extends a big thanks to family, friends, and faculty for all the support!
Interested in health policy, Katherine, enrolled into the accelerated MHA degree program. She is completing her first year in the Sloan program. This summer she will be an intern at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, and then returning for her final year in the Sloan program to finish her Master of Health Administration degree.
Awards: Dean’s list.
Andrew graduated from North Penn High School, Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Andrew is graduating with a degree in PAM, focusing on Public health and Health Care Policy. He plans to work for 1 or 2 years after graduation while applying to medical schools.
As an undergraduate, Andrew has worked as a research assistant for Dr. Reyna in the laboratory for Rational Decision Making on the Medical Decision Making team studying physician judgments and the effectiveness of clinical practice guidelines for unstable angina. He also participated in Urban Semester as a premedical intern at a non-profit/public health hospital in Brooklyn, NY.
In his free time Andrew enjoys snowboarding, cooking, and listening to music.
Awards: Dean's List.
Jonathan graduated from Roslyn High School and entered PAM with an interest in the economics of policy analysis.
Jonathan is a member of Delta Chi and a member of the Club Squash team. He also likes to play golf.
Jonathan is headed to law school in the Fall. He is deciding between Cornell and UCLA.
Awards: Dean’s list.