Penn State University junior Madeline Shanafelt said she learned a thing or two about education and public policy after speaking out at a Hollidaysburg Area School Board meeting in November 2022, which brought on backlash from attendees.

She spoke out because of her disappointment with how the board handled the fallout of a junior high teacher having the “Gender Queer” graphic novel in her classroom, according to a previous Mirror article.

Almost four years later, however, Shanafelt said she’s thankful for the experience, as it inspired her to double major in education and public policy along with political science in Penn State’s integrated undergraduate-graduate program.

“I’m happy it happened because it was the catalyst for what I’m doing,” she said.

She recently secured a highly competitive summer internship with MDRC, a nonpartisan organization focused on education and public policy. Living in New York City for eight weeks, she’s looking forward to learning more about the world of education and public policy….

….According to MDRC’s website, the undergraduate internship gives students an opportunity to be a part of multidisciplinary teams developing research on current social and education policy issues. Interns can participate in meetings, training, talks and network to gain skills and knowledge in specific areas.

One of Shanafelt’s peers, junior student Dinaye Smith of Coatesville, was also selected for the MDRC internship and will learn alongside Shanafelt in NYC this summer.

Smith said she’s excited for the internship, as it will be a great opportunity to learn more about public policy and research. Likewise, Shanafelt is hoping for a big emphasis on networking to challenge her current knowledge of public policy.

Shanafelt said she looks forward to studying alongside Smith as they venture into the Big Apple.

“I’m excited to work with her,” Shanafelt said. “It’ll be nice that someone is coming from the same place….”

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