2016 2016: Trevor Mattos: Creating opportunities for the disadvantaged

Year: Class of 2016
Degree program: Master's in Public Policy
Hometown: Somerset, MA
Award: Donald C. Howard Pillars of the Community
Leadership: Graduate Student Senate
Next steps: Graduate study in applied economics

Strategies to make the world a better place

I’ve always been interested in political institutions and public issues to a certain degree. I’m a product of the social sciences, and I really love them for the powerful theoretical and applied tools they provide.

We live in a very complex world with a lot of seemingly intractable public problems, but I’m convinced that careful analysis and creative strategies can make the world a better place. Public policy is not limited to any one area of social life. Policy analysis offers some powerful ways of understanding the way our society works.

Research at the Public Policy Center

I’ve worked at the Public Policy Center since beginning my coursework. It isn’t possible to overstate the positive impact that my applied research experience at the center has had on my overall learning at UMass Dartmouth.

I’ve been involved in projects that varied dramatically, from analyzing the gender wage gap in the SouthCoast to measuring the impact of the foreign-born population in Worcester, MA, to surveying businesses along New Bedford's Acushnet Avenue commercial corridor.

I've gained a great deal of experience and made some valuable connections throughout our region. I’m incredibly grateful to my colleagues for the opportunity to learn from and work alongside them these past two years.

Career in international community development

I've become a fan of public higher education and hope to continue building my skills and knowledge in the Applied Economics Master’s degree program at UMass Boston.

I hope to prepare myself for a diverse career in international community development, creating opportunities for disadvantaged populations here and abroad.

My research for the Master's in Public Policy will estimate the impact of the gender wage gap on macroeconomic development in Latin America. This is an issue I’m interested in learning more about and working to find solutions to move toward a more equitable economic system for all.

Serving on the Graduate Student Senate

I served as executive board secretary and then president of the Graduate Student Senate (GSS). Both experiences have been very rewarding, and I’ve learned a lot about our campus culture and the significant talent our students have.

Since I became involved with the GSS, we have endeavored to create advocacy and community-building programs. It has been challenging to find creative ways to assert the unique needs and significant opportunities our graduate students present the greater campus community. The graduate community is in some ways overlooked among the masses of undergraduates on our campus.

More information

College of Arts & Sciences: Public Policy

Public Policy Center

Graduate Student Senate

It isn’t possible to overstate the positive impact that my applied research experience at the center has had on my overall learning at UMass Dartmouth.