The only thing more exciting than finding out I had been accepted into the final round of the Harvard Strategic Data Project (SDP) fellowship matching process for their 16th cohort was learning that I was also being considered for the Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) placement, housed at South Carolina First Steps. As the Strategic Data Fellow at the ECAC, I would be responsible for finishing the initial data governance infrastructure of the Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS) and be one of the first to make meaning out of this rich data.
The integration of early childhood data has the potential to completely revolutionize how decision makers in this state use data in their work. Immediately, I knew I wanted to be a part of this amazing initiative. Not only that, but as someone who loves working with complex statistical models and data-driven visualizations, I was excited that the Strategic Data Fellow would utilize ECIDS data to conduct evaluations of state programs and tell compelling stories about South Carolina’s early childhood systems. Above all, I applied to be an SDP Fellow because I wanted to work with change makers, and in my interview with First Steps and ECAC staff, I was immediately inspired by this team’s obvious dedication to providing support for young children and their families throughout the state of South Carolina.
Based at the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University, SDP is transforming the use of data in education to improve student achievement. The SDP Fellowship is an intensive capacity-building program that places new data strategists and trains existing talented data strategists in education agencies to have an immediate impact on policy decisions that affect student outcomes. It includes extensive training in measurement and analysis, leadership and change management, and education policy, and leverages SDP’s extensive network of experts, faculty, and more than 500 fellows trained across almost 300 partner organizations. Fellows in my cohort of the SDP, in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will also serve on an early education-focused special working group to collaborate on essential questions from Child Trend’s STEP Forward with Data Framework.
After just over a week in my new role as the Strategic Data Fellow, I can barely begin to describe how happy I am that I was chosen for the SC First Steps and ECAC placement through the SDP program! The past month has been a bit of a whirlwind as I relocated from Kentucky, where I was completing my PhD studies in Quantitative and Psychometric Research Methods, to Columbia, but I am thankful to have joined such a supportive team. I am also extremely grateful to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for providing support for my position and the SDP for connecting me with this amazing opportunity through the placement process. I am incredibly excited for what my next two years as the Strategic Data Fellow will hold, and I look forward to serving the families of young children in South Carolina!
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