Introducing Daryl Simon: Communications Fellow

My name is Daryl Simon, and I am the new Communications Fellow. I will be working at the Rodel Foundation of Delaware this summer before packing my bags and traveling halfway across the world to study for a full semester in Prague, Czech Republic. After that, I will be returning to Delaware to continue my undergraduate degrees in public policy and political science.

I decided to go to the University of Delaware because it was close enough to my home state of New York, but far enough that I experience new things independently. It also was one of the only schools on my long list of potentials that had my intended majors. I selected public policy first, knowing very little about it, other than the fact that it sounded like something I could use to make a difference in the world. I then added political science, having always had an interest in politics and a desire to move down to Washington D.C. and pursue a career on the Hill. I have been going back and forth about adding minors for the last two years, but for now I am just going to keep it simple—well, as simple as these two majors can be.

As a public policy student, I am encouraged to select an area of study that I feel passionate about. For the last two years, this has been an incredibly difficult task for me. I have learned about many different areas including health care policy, environmental policy, and finally education policy. I have written analysis papers on childhood cancer research and funding, sea level rise on Delaware’s coast, and standardized testing in New York. I have always had an interest in education, and even considered becoming a teacher. Working at Rodel will give me the connection to education that has always lingered in the back of my mind; but it will also engage my policy side. It’s really a win-win.

Last summer I worked as a constituent services intern for U.S. Congressman Steve Israel of New York. In this position, I worked with members of the district by helping to address their concerns and find them the assistance they needed. It was incredibly rewarding, and the position helped me realize that I want to be doing this kind of work in the future: work where I can help make people’s lives better. Back at UD, I am involved in the school community. This past year I served as the corporate sponsorship chair for “UDance,” Delaware’s 12-hour dance marathon that raises funds and awareness for childhood cancer. I also am a sorority woman, which has been one of the most rewarding decisions of my life. I have made so many friends, connections, and grown into the person that I am today.

I am so excited for my work this summer at the Rodel Foundation. I hope that I will take away from this internship more than I ever thought I would. I want to expand my knowledge of education policy and help make a difference. In my major back at UD, it is frequently said that we are the ones that will change the world. I hope that my work this summer will be a first step toward making that a reality.