CHCI-New York Life Public Policy Fellow
Hometown: Kyle, Texas
School: The University of Texas at Austin
Degree: B.A. in Sociology
Placement 1: National Education Association
Placement 2: U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, Subcommittee on Education
Irene Gómez calls St. George, Utah and Austin, Texas home, having spent half her life in each. She is a proud daughter of Venezuelan immigrants, committed to making classrooms affirming spaces for all students. An aspiring education policy analyst, Irene focuses her work on implementing culturally sustaining curricula and programs.
At the University of Texas, Irene found purpose through her long-standing work as a writing consultant, a tutor at Title I schools and volunteer coordinator for a refugee organization. Through her leadership and academic merit she earned the full-tuition Temple Scholarship. This award granted her more time in her community, as well as the opportunity to pursue qualitative and quantitative research projects. Irene’s experiences as a research assistant to the Adolescent Development Research Group, the Texas Center for Education Policy and the University Writing Center inspired her two independent studies during senior year– both aimed at bettering schooling experiences for students of color. With a B.A. in Sociology, Irene graduated in the top 10% of her class.
As a CHCI Public Policy Fellow, Irene will explore how data, statistics and community outreach can shape intercultural education reform. Following the fellowship, Irene plans to pursue graduate school so she can return to Texas and advocate for students and their families. She has her own family to thank for supporting her through every chapter.