Alumna Spotlight
Empowering Change through Educational Advocacy
Growing up in a politically active family may have sparked her interest in public service, but Christine Dickason found her life’s calling when she volunteered in high school as an ACT tutor in Memphis public schools.
“I attended school only 30 minutes away but saw drastic differences in educational quality and access. It made me question the wide educational gaps.”
While at UM, Dickason was a founding member of the UM Food Bank; leader with the Associated Student Body, Ole Miss College Democrats, and Mississippi First; and a Truman Scholar finalist. Her focus on education continued through coursework, presenting ideas at a national conference, and an honors thesis that included a documentary film on college preparation and student aspirations in Mississippi public high schools.
After graduation, Dickason was First Lady Michelle Obama’s Deputy Director of Correspondence.
“The once-in-a-lifetime experience taught me so much—from how the highest levels of the federal government operate to how to plan a trip to Yosemite National Park for the First Family,” she said. “Most importantly, it taught me to be flexible with my plans and stay open to incredible opportunities.”
While earning an MA in Public Policy at George Washington University, she worked as a Management and Program Analyst at the Government Accountability Office, a Digital Coordinator at the Center for American Progress, and Communications Associate at the Global Development Incubator.
In 2019 she began pursuing a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Vanderbilt University. At the same time she was the Editorial Assistant at the Education Finance and Policy Journal. She also worked with ETS, a global nonprofit leader in higher education assessment and learning, and helped research and produce several podcasts – Apple's Your Political Playlist and Marie Claire’s She Pivots.
“I want to research education policy and reach a broader audience to inspire not only public discourse but public action—something PPL professors inspired me to pursue.”
In her reflection on the PPL program, Dickason said that it is an incredible program that is offered at a graduate level at many schools.
“It allows students to build enduring relationships with excellent professors. Through the program, I interned in DC twice, visited local farms to learn about food policy, and took a creative approach to my honors thesis. PPL provides a solid foundation to build a variety of careers, whether it be participating in Mississippi Teacher Corps, working for a senator, or making your way to the White House!”