FTG 0035 – Is This As Good As It Can Be? Program Monitoring & Evaluation with Federal Department Manager Lauren Jowell '04
12/13/22 • 56 min
Overview:
Lauren Jowell ’04 Behrend is the Chief of a Monitoring and Evaluation division in the Bureau of International Labor Affairs at the US Department of Labor in Washington, DC, though she is appearing on this podcast in her personal capacity, and her views are solely her own. Her team is responsible for strategic planning, independent program evaluations, and collecting and reporting on performance data for executive, congressional and interagency reporting requirements. Lauren shares her experiences at Penn State Erie, the Behrend College, where she earned a BA in Political Science with Honors and High Distinction in 2004. She also shares her experiences in the Peace Corps, earning a Masters in International Law and Politics from Georgetown, and using her social sciences background in several federal roles. Lauren provides great insights on navigating the job search for federal jobs and the distinction from a more traditional resume and application process, and the perks of living in Washington, D.C.
Guest Bio:
Lauren Jowell ’04 Behrend is the Chief of a Monitoring and Evaluation division in the Bureau of International Labor Affairs at the US Department of Labor in Washington, DC, though she is appearing on this podcast in her personal capacity, and her views are solely her own. Her team is responsible for strategic planning, independent program evaluations, and collecting and reporting on performance data for executive, congressional and interagency reporting requirements. Before joining the Department of Labor, she was a senior strategic planning analyst at the Department of the Interior and a program audit analyst at the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. Lauren served in the Peace Corps in Ukraine from 2004 to 2006 where she taught English as a second language in a village in the central part of the country. She earned a BA in Political Science with Honors and High Distinction from Penn State Erie, the Behrend College in 2004. She also earned a MA in International Law and Politics from Georgetown and a Graduate Certificate in Program Evaluation from Michigan State University. She is happy to speak further about the growing program evaluation career field and you can connect with her on LinkedIn.
Episode Specifics:
In this episode, Lauren shares her insights on:
· Ethics disclaimers and requirements for federal employees and sharing their own opinions and views
· Choosing Penn State Behrend and a glimpse into the campus culture
· Starting in a campus honors program before joining the College
· Mortifying experiences at milestone moments – like hair dye gone awry
· Joining the Peace Corps after graduation and living & working abroad, as well as thoughts on studying abroad
· Using strong social science skills like writing in the auditing and government oversight fields
· An overview of the program monitoring, assessment, and evaluation field
· The importance of skills and not just knowledge in the social sciences including government, private, and non-profit work
· Skills and opportunities for Scholars to look into and learn while they are in college, including professional associations, writing, and even improv comedy!
· Where the end results of the assessments and evaluations go
· Understanding the differences in resumes and job searching for government careers than other industries
· Details about the Penn State Professional Women’s Network of Washington, DC for both new alumni and current students interning in the District & surrounding area
· Exploring all the things to do in and around DC
· Taking pride in your work and still finding balance
· Developing responsive communication skills that adapt your style to others’
-----
Schreyer Honors College Links:
Scholars – Need Assistance? Book an Appointment!
Alumni – Learn Why and How to Volunteer
Make a Gift to Benefit Schreyer Scholars
Join the Penn State Alumni Association
-----
Credits & Notes:
This show is hosted, produced, and edited by Sean Goheen ‘11 Lib (Schreyer).
The artwork was created by Tom Harrington, the College’s Web Developer.
The sound effect is “Chinese Gong,” accessed via SoundBible used under C...
Overview:
Lauren Jowell ’04 Behrend is the Chief of a Monitoring and Evaluation division in the Bureau of International Labor Affairs at the US Department of Labor in Washington, DC, though she is appearing on this podcast in her personal capacity, and her views are solely her own. Her team is responsible for strategic planning, independent program evaluations, and collecting and reporting on performance data for executive, congressional and interagency reporting requirements. Lauren shares her experiences at Penn State Erie, the Behrend College, where she earned a BA in Political Science with Honors and High Distinction in 2004. She also shares her experiences in the Peace Corps, earning a Masters in International Law and Politics from Georgetown, and using her social sciences background in several federal roles. Lauren provides great insights on navigating the job search for federal jobs and the distinction from a more traditional resume and application process, and the perks of living in Washington, D.C.
Guest Bio:
Lauren Jowell ’04 Behrend is the Chief of a Monitoring and Evaluation division in the Bureau of International Labor Affairs at the US Department of Labor in Washington, DC, though she is appearing on this podcast in her personal capacity, and her views are solely her own. Her team is responsible for strategic planning, independent program evaluations, and collecting and reporting on performance data for executive, congressional and interagency reporting requirements. Before joining the Department of Labor, she was a senior strategic planning analyst at the Department of the Interior and a program audit analyst at the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. Lauren served in the Peace Corps in Ukraine from 2004 to 2006 where she taught English as a second language in a village in the central part of the country. She earned a BA in Political Science with Honors and High Distinction from Penn State Erie, the Behrend College in 2004. She also earned a MA in International Law and Politics from Georgetown and a Graduate Certificate in Program Evaluation from Michigan State University. She is happy to speak further about the growing program evaluation career field and you can connect with her on LinkedIn.
Episode Specifics:
In this episode, Lauren shares her insights on:
· Ethics disclaimers and requirements for federal employees and sharing their own opinions and views
· Choosing Penn State Behrend and a glimpse into the campus culture
· Starting in a campus honors program before joining the College
· Mortifying experiences at milestone moments – like hair dye gone awry
· Joining the Peace Corps after graduation and living & working abroad, as well as thoughts on studying abroad
· Using strong social science skills like writing in the auditing and government oversight fields
· An overview of the program monitoring, assessment, and evaluation field
· The importance of skills and not just knowledge in the social sciences including government, private, and non-profit work
· Skills and opportunities for Scholars to look into and learn while they are in college, including professional associations, writing, and even improv comedy!
· Where the end results of the assessments and evaluations go
· Understanding the differences in resumes and job searching for government careers than other industries
· Details about the Penn State Professional Women’s Network of Washington, DC for both new alumni and current students interning in the District & surrounding area
· Exploring all the things to do in and around DC
· Taking pride in your work and still finding balance
· Developing responsive communication skills that adapt your style to others’
-----
Schreyer Honors College Links:
Scholars – Need Assistance? Book an Appointment!
Alumni – Learn Why and How to Volunteer
Make a Gift to Benefit Schreyer Scholars
Join the Penn State Alumni Association
-----
Credits & Notes:
This show is hosted, produced, and edited by Sean Goheen ‘11 Lib (Schreyer).
The artwork was created by Tom Harrington, the College’s Web Developer.
The sound effect is “Chinese Gong,” accessed via SoundBible used under C...
Previous Episode
FTG 0034 – Understanding & Making an Impact with Blockchain & Cryptocurrency with IT Security Professional Darin Carter '14
Ed. Note: This was recorded in September 2022, prior to events impacting other cryptocurrency exchanges.
Overview:
Darin Carter ’14 IST is a Program Manager on the Coinbase Giving Team, managing a portfolio of social impact investments from humanitarian aid to education. Darin earned his BS in Information Sciences and Technology with Honors and a minor in entrepreneurship from Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology in 2014. Darin was also a Bunton Waller Scholar during his time at Penn State. In this episode, Darin discussed his career coming to Penn State from upstate New York and being both a Bunton-Waller and Schreyer Scholar. Darin shares his perspectives working in consulting, big tech, and careers in the pioneering spaces of Web3 including blockchain and cryptocurrency. You can read Darin’s full bio and a more detailed breakdown of the episode topics below.
Guest Bio:
Darin Carter ’14 IST is a Program Manager on the Coinbase Giving Team, managing a portfolio of social impact investments from humanitarian aid to education. Darin earned his BS in Information Sciences and Technology with Honors and a minor in entrepreneurship from Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology in 2014. Darin was also a Bunton-Waller Scholar during his time at Penn State. In 2017, Darin moved to San Francisco to work in tech, and it wasn’t long before he started his crypto career at Coinbase, helping build the security compliance team from the ground up. As a lifelong learner, Darin earned his Master’s Degree at the University of Nicosia, studying Blockchain & Digital Currency. Although crypto is a full time job, Darin also enjoys traveling the world, watching basketball, and live music.
Episode Specifics:
In this episode, Darin shares his insights on:
· Coming to Penn State as an out-of-state student for the people and the STEM facilities
· Perspectives on the Bunton-Waller Scholars Program and living in East Halls as a first-year Scholar
· Studying abroad as a fourth-year student and integrating the thesis into the study abroad experience
· Working with graduate students to contribute your thesis to a bigger project
· Advice for current and prospective Scholars in IST
· Leveraging college-specific resources for assistance in getting internships that can translate into careers
· Starting your career at one of the “Big 4” firms as a non-Smeal College of Business graduate
· Salesforce and what CRMs are
· The importance of company culture
· A very quick crash course on Web3, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and NFTs
· Working in IT security and walking through the process of standing up a social impact program for a crypto company like Coinbase
· Finding a career coach after entering the working world
· Skills that Scholars looking to work in IT or related fields should look at developing now
· Living and working as a “digital nomad” and remote-first work
-----
Schreyer Honors College Links:
Scholars – Need Assistance? Book an Appointment!
Alumni – Learn Why and How to Volunteer
Make a Gift to Benefit Schreyer Scholars
Join the Penn State Alumni Association
-----
Credits & Notes:
This show is hosted, produced, and edited by Sean Goheen ‘11 Lib (Schreyer).
The artwork was created by Tom Harrington, the College’s Web Developer.
The sound effect is “Chinese Gong,” accessed via SoundBible used under Creative Commons License.
The theme music is “Conquest” by Geovane Bruno, accessed via Pixabay and used under Creative Commons License.
Next Episode
FTG 0036 – Student Leadership Lessons with Alumni Society Leader Alayna Auerbach '15 & Student Leader Mahika Sampat '23
Overview:
This is a special episode focused on the College’s mission tenet of civic engagement and leadership with a specific angle on student leadership. Management consultant and Scholar Alumni Society leader Alayna Auerbach and student leader and fourth year Scholar Mahika Sampat join the show to talk all things student leadership, engagement, and clubs & organizations. Alayna and Mahika share their insights from serving in leadership roles for various groups including the Scholar Alumni Society, THON, Schreyer for Women, and South Asian Student Association. This episode transcends majors and career paths to be a resource for any Scholar, and particularly those serving in any sort of leadership role in a student club or organization, internship, or similar opportunities and how these experiences can influence post-undergraduate opportunities.
Guest Bios:
Alayna Auerbach ’15 Bus is a management consultant based in Brooklyn, NY. She graduated summa cum laude from Penn State's Smeal College of Business earning a BS in Finance with Honors and minors in Economics and Spanish. Alayna works in mergers & acquisitions management consulting since graduating in 2015. She partners with companies across industries to deliver enterprise-wide value in deal transactions, including being a trusted advisor and project leader for executives. Alayna is a mental health advocate and a New York Certified Peer Specialist (Provisional). She volunteers as a mental health helpline responder to connect NYC residents to mental health resources. Alayna is also an executive board member of the Scholar Alumni Society (SAS) where she is the inaugural chair of the Student Engagement Committee. Through SAS, she connects scholars and alumni. Any scholars listening to the podcast should reach out to her to see how their student organizations can increase connection with alumni.
Mahika Sampat ’23 HHD is a fourth-year Scholar majoring in Biobehavioral Health with minors in Biology and Health Policy and Administration on the pre-medical track in the College of Health of Health and Human Development. She has received the WISER Research Grant, HHD Dummer Research Grant, and Student Leader Scholarship. She is President of South Asian Student Association and Career Development Director for Schreyer for Women for the 2022-2023 academic year. She is passionate about leadership, service, and making an impact at Penn State. Please feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn.
Episode Specifics:
In this episode, Alayna and Mahika share their perspectives on:
· Overcoming preconceived notions of Penn State and enjoying the experience from Day 1
· Finding student organizations to join like Schreyer Consulting Group, THON, Schreyer for Women, and South Asian Student Association
· Identifying what kinds of opportunities are best for you and your personal and professional interests and passions
· Explaining your involvement in clubs and activities to your family
· Relational, technical, and other skills you can look to develop as a student leader that will serve you well in any career
· Resources and techniques for learning leadership on the fly for new club officers and leaders
· Handling setbacks like not being chosen for an officer role or other opportunities
· Putting yourself out there and overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome to step up as a club leader
· Balancing leadership and friendship in a student organization and handling ethical conflicts
· Balancing academics and student leadership by asking for help, overcoming perfectionism, and time management
· Tools and tips for achieving that organization and time management
· Leveraging advisors, alumni, and older students as mentors
-----
Schreyer Honors College Links:
Scholars – Need Assistance? Book an Appointment!
Alumni – Learn Why and How to Volunteer
Make a Gift to Benefit Schreyer Scholars
Join the Penn State Alumni Association
-----
Credits & Notes:
This show is hosted, produced, and edited by Sean Goheen ‘11 Lib (Schreyer).
The artwork was created by Tom Harrington, the College’s Web Developer.
The sound effect is “Chinese Gong,” accessed via SoundBible used under Creative Commons License....
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