Students at O’Neill strive to change the world by creating safe and sustainable communities through careers in government, law enforcement, and nonprofits. While some write and enact policies or work on the frontlines protecting their communities, others provide data to make sound decisions.
That’s the lane in which Brianna Dines sits.
“I want to do research and evaluation in social policy,” Dines says. “I want to be part of policy and decision making that’s done with more in-depth lived experience informing decisions.”
Dines already had research experience before she began her Policy Analysis certificate program at O’Neill. While earning her bachelor’s in political science and master’s degree in anthropology, Dines had focused on qualitative research—the side of research that incorporates people’s first-hand experiences. Dines says that part of the equation is critical because numbers never tell the whole story.
“When policies impact someone’s experience of oppression or liberation, it’s important to get a grounded perspective in their experience,” Dines explains. “You don’t get that through crunching numbers. You get that through doing in-depth interviews, focus groups, and participant observation.”
Dines says she chose the O’Neill School because she wanted a place where she could use her research skills to address real-world problems and get hands-on experience making an impact.
“Being an O’Neill student opens up experiences outside the classroom where you get direct, applied experience,” she says. “It’s one of the biggest reasons why I sought out the Policy Analysis program and I was not disappointed in what that has opened up to me.”
