Abbey Donahue drove from her hometown of Bay Village, Ohio with her mother to visit Notre Dame for her first campus visit as a senior in high school. They visited on a football weekend when the leaves were just starting to turn and Notre Dame traditions were in full swing. From that day on, Donahue knew she wanted to attend Notre Dame for two reasons: she knew she’d be challenged academically through Notre Dame’s College of Arts and Letters, and she wanted to be a part of the community.

Now, as a senior majoring in economics with plans to graduate this fall, one of the most transformative academic experiences for her has been her internship in the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO).

Donahue first heard about LEO in her economics classes as a first-year student. She listened as past interns shared their experiences working with LEO and the mission they were so passionate about.

LEO pairs top researchers with dedicated leaders in the social service sector to conduct impact evaluations, identifying innovative, effective, and scalable programs and policies that help people permanently escape poverty. Once effective programs are identified, LEO staff and interns focus on advancing these initiatives to a national level.

Donahue immediately applied for the LEO Summer Internship and after completing two rounds of interviews, secured a place in the paid 10-week program alongside a group of fellow Notre Dame undergraduates specializing in business operations, policy and impact, project development, and research design and operations.

Beginning fall 2024, the LEO internship will be known as the Poverty Research Fellows program and will offer students the opportunity to participate in the summer internship, academic coursework in evidence-based poverty alleviation, immersive learning experiences during fall and spring breaks, and programming aimed at forming students into poverty's fiercest adversaries.

As a research operations intern, Donahue partners with people and organizations nationwide, helping them evaluate the academic, social, and emotional impact of the work they are doing.

“I feel very lucky that I’ve gotten to attend Notre Dame for this education,” Donahue says. “The mission of Notre Dame is to take what we are learning and apply it to help others who haven’t had the same opportunities. It’s cool to be able to apply economics and math to help other people.”

Donahue has also participated in weekly programming offered outside of the lab by attending panels on applying to graduate school, serving in the local community, and actively engaging in discussions surrounding research ethics.

She says, “Research within LEO is so collaborative and driven by the mission. As an intern, there was so much I needed to learn and everyone has been so helpful. I enjoy day-to-day coding, but I look forward to coming in each day to see my coworkers. The community among the LEO team is amazing, and they have built a great work culture.”

The mission and work of LEO have significantly impacted Donahue’s plans for the future. She says, “I came into this summer not sure if I wanted to pursue graduate school, but after working here this summer, I now plan to work as a research associate at LEO full-time and then apply to graduate school.”

As Donahue looks ahead to graduation and beyond, she is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead, fueled by the education and experiences she has gained at Notre Dame.

“I am excited to dig deeper into the projects I’ve been working on and to get to know our partners better,” says Donahue. “LEO partners with some incredible poverty fighters around the country and I am excited to build stronger relationships with them and follow their work over a longer period of time.”

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