Always be willing to learn and take the leap to apply yourself to new opportunities are just two things that Merone Hailemeskel, BA Economics ’15, MPP ’17, has learned over the years, and it has certainly paid off.
Throughout her undergraduate career, Hailemeskel had tried out different activities to get an idea of careers she could pursue after earning her BA in economics. “I was a first-generation college student—the oldest in my family—so I was just navigating and learning as I went on, but I was really proud to be involved in so many organizations,” said Hailemeskel. She was a part of Mason Ambassadors and student government, and during her senior year, she studied abroad in Berlin, Germany; Prague, Czech Republic; Budapest, Hungary; and Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina to examine the economic and political effects of communism in those countries.
Hailemeskel also interned at the Department of Education in the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, and while there, she learned from her colleagues that a master’s degree could start her on a path towards working in public policy. According to Hailemeskel, the Schar School’s Master’s in Public Policy program “was exactly what I wanted to do. I had incredible professors who really set me up to start my career.” She was able to do research with Dr. Stephen Ruth, and her work experiences complemented her education well—she found ways to apply what she was learning in class at night to her work during the day, like at her internship in NPR’s policy and representation office.
Photo credit: Chuck Kennedy. Merone Hailemeskel (left, blue dress) and her team at Mrs. Obama's final event as First Lady, which honored the 2017 School Counselor of the Year. Hailemeskel’s team helped organize the event as part of her school counseling work for her Reach Higher initiative.
While working towards her MPP, Hailemeskel took a chance and applied for a life-changing internship: working in the White House for First Lady Michelle Obama on her Reach Higher education initiative. The Reach Higher initiative encourages students across the United States to continue their education past high school, whether at a community college, a four-year university or college, or a professional training program. “That internship really did change my life and I almost didn’t apply for it because I didn’t think I would get it, which also changed my mindset,” said Hailemeskel. She went on to apply for a scholarship during her graduate studies that she also received.
When her internship was completed, Hailemeskel was asked to work as digital director on Michelle Obama’s Better Make Room public awareness campaign with Civic Nation, a nonprofit in Washington D.C. tied to the Reach Higher initiative. When she earned her master’s degree, she became a digital director and policy advisor for Better Make Room, and was later promoted to director of communications and digital for the Reach Higher initiative when it was acquired by Common App. In that role, she developed and executed communication, digital, and outreach strategies to inspire students to pursue a post-secondary education.
In March 2020, Hailemeskel began a new position as the digital and communications associate for President Obama and Michelle Obama. She manages their social media accounts and works to make sure they share content that is a good balance of important information—like public health announcements during the COVID-19 pandemic—and calls for people to take action in their communities and have open conversations with each other, as well as lift up the stories of inspiring people doing good work. “Every day is different,” Hailemeskel noted.
Hailemeskel’s experiences have been unforgettable, and she’s just getting started. She hopes to continue staying engaged with Mason by being as involved as she can, whether that is through attending events or sharing her perspective with future students. “My education really did help me in getting me to where I am now,” said Hailemeskel.
Written by Kristen Greiner, MFA '20