Student Profile: Carly Domicolo, MPP Class of 2024, Persuasive Writing Credential alumni 2021

Hailing from the northern Albany suburb of Clifton Park, New York, Carly Domicolo believes policy is the best avenue for her to challenge current systems and enact change for the better. “I’ve been trying to find the right fit for my skills for a while: somewhere I can continue to use my data analysis skills in a deliberate way to help people. Harris will be a great environment for me to find my place in a policy space and make the impact I want to make.”

Domicolo says the transition from her hometown to DC for undergrad was an eye-opening experience. “Clifton Park is a small and not very diverse town: it is not emblematic of the real world. When I moved to DC, I met people of diverse backgrounds and learned a lot about people who are struggling to get by. That exposure made me think about how I could use my skills productively to help people.”

Domicolo graduated summa cum laude from George Washington University with her bachelor’s in statistics and economics in 2020. While an undergraduate, she co-authored a paper, “Degree-Based Gini Index for Graphs” in Probability in the Engineering and Informational Sciences. “I started in statistics, but I wanted something that felt more applicable. Economics gave me a way to potentially help people.”

After completing her bachelor’s, Domicolo began working as a Research Assistant at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, where she was quickly promoted to Senior Research Assistant. Her work involved data synthesis, exploration, and visualization for research being conducted by senior economists. “I like to think my work informed policy discussions and made information more accessible to the public.”

Domicolo said she enjoyed research but wanted something that would allow her to have a more immediate impact. While researching different career paths, she came across the Persuasive Writing Credential program. "It seemed very hands on, so I decided to sign up. After just the first class, I was hooked. It helped solidify my interest in public policy.” Domicolo completed the PWC in Spring 2021.

"The biggest strength of the Persuasive Writing Credential was its approach—taking data-driven solutions and presenting them in a way that could affect policy," said Domicolo. "It was about taking numbers with no personality and making them accessible to people’s sensibilities." Domicolo also praised the flexible schedule and the option to write about topics of interest. “It never felt like I was doing work.” She was even able to publish her op-ed from the program, "Reallocating Funds to Education," in Harris’ student-led Chicago Policy Review.

The credential program also spurred her to pursue the Master of Public Policy at Harris. “After the program, I stayed engaged with a lot of people at Harris, especially David Chrisinger. After conversations with him, I have no doubt that I will gain soft skills and quantitative skills at Harris that will provide me ways to reframe my analytical skills towards policy-oriented outcomes.”

Domicolo is eager to get involved in all aspects of the Harris community, including Harris Student Organizations such as the Chicago Policy Review, Harris Community Action, and Women in Public Policy.  “Harris creates an unmatched cohort and environment. I’m just as excited about the community engagement as I am about the classwork.”