L.A. Youth partnered with RAND and Pardee RAND in a two-week policy hackathon. Photo courtesy of Maria Rosales/Watts Rising

Dear Pardee RAND Community,

I’m routinely reminded of not only the important policy questions that RAND researchers and Pardee RAND students address, but also the value of community partnerships to take our work to the next level.

Last month, six Pardee RAND students partnered with twelve high school and college students from the South Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts for a policy hackathon, “Hacking Implementation.” They explored the findings of Professor Charles Goldman’s RAND report, Recruiting and Hiring a Diverse and Talented Public Sector Workforce, and—in a mere two weeks—drafted social media campaigns to encourage young, diverse job seekers to consider public sector careers.

I was so inspired by their creativity and energy! Kudos to Pardee RAND students Zara Abdurahaman, Cristian Cardenas, Matthew Forbes, Alejandra Lopez, Shona Olalere, and Gopal Trital, and to professors Cynthia Gonzalez and Todd Richmond, for their outreach and for being such amazing ambassadors for our school.

Wishing you a summer of exploration and growth,

Nancy Staudt

Frank and Marcia Carlucci Dean, Pardee RAND Graduate School
Vice President, Innovation, RAND Corporation