Each year, Ithaka S+R welcomes a cohort of early-career researchers to join our team as fellows. Over the course of 12-16 weeks, the program immerses the fellows in our projects and partnerships, providing the opportunity to make real contributions to research that tackles critical challenges in higher education, advances equity, and fosters innovation.

Over the past few years, several fellows have returned to Ithaka S+R as full-time analysts. We asked two of these former fellows—Christy McDaniel and Ruby MacDougall—to reflect on their experiences with the program.

In what ways did your fellowship advance your growth and development as an early-career researcher?

Christy McDaniel, Researcher
My fellowship helped me to see myself as a researcher. It was the first time I was dedicating the majority of my energy to research that wasn’t course related. It also helped me better understand how organizations like Ithaka S+R work and what the expectations look like for full-time researchers.

Ruby MacDougall, Analyst
My fellowship taught me how to transfer the research and analysis skills I had developed during graduate school into a research environment outside of the academy. I also learned valuable new skills, such as the process of conceptualizing, designing, and securing grant funding for large scale projects and writing reports for a general audience. Finally, through conversations with Ithaka S+R employees, I learned how to think more expansively about how we, as researchers, might address the current and future challenges higher ed faces in a way that serves the public good.

What drew you to the Ithaka S+R fellowship program? How did your fellowship build on your professional and academic interests and experience?

Christy
During my fellowship, I was able to build on my qualitative research and writing skills by supporting the facilitation of virtual focus groups and co-writing a report focused on the emergency shift to remote learning at the onset of the pandemic.

When I applied for the fellowship, I was trying to figure out where I wanted to live as a researcher in education. Most of my experience had been related to K-12, but my graduate studies had ignited an interest in higher education. The fellowship seemed like a good opportunity to “try on” higher education research. Because I was graduating from my masters program, I was also looking for an opportunity to apply the skills I had honed during my studies. Moreover, Ithaka S+R’s commitment to equity and access aligned with my overall values around how transformative education could be.

Ruby
I was drawn to the fellowship program because Ithaka S+R’s work covers a wide range of topics that interest me. I was especially interested in Ithaka S+R’s work on understanding how research and teaching practices are changing and what strategies might be taken to address these changes. During my fellowship, I was able to pursue this interest by working on two projects related to research data sharing and reuse, one in a humanities context and the other in STEM.

In what ways did your fellowship advance your growth and development as an early-career researcher?

Christy
My fellowship helped me to see myself as a researcher. It was the first time I was dedicating the majority of my energy to research that wasn’t course related. It also helped me better understand how organizations like Ithaka S+R work and what the expectations look like for full-time researchers.

Ruby
My fellowship taught me how to transfer the research and analysis skills I had developed during graduate school into a research environment outside of the academy. I also learned valuable new skills, such as the process of conceptualizing, designing, and securing grant funding for large scale projects and writing reports for a general audience. Finally, through conversations with Ithaka S+R employees, I learned how to think more expansively about how we, as researchers, might address the current and future challenges higher ed faces in a way that serves the public good.

How has your fellowship experience informed your current work at Ithaka S+R?

Christy
Watching my colleagues navigate the ways in which projects changed due to the onset of COVID-19 showed me how to be more flexible and adaptable to shifting priorities. That is something I have had to call on in each of the subsequent projects I have worked on.

Ruby
My fellowship experience gave me a great introduction to Ithaka S+R’s research methodologies, collaborative work process, and team-oriented work culture. As a fellow, I enjoyed a healthy balance of autonomy and constructive guidance on the projects I contributed to. This gave me a running start for my work as an analyst because I had already developed a trusting relationship with many of my co-workers, and I was accustomed to Ithaka S+R’s workflow and professional environment.

Do you have any advice for prospective fellows who may be interested in the program?

Christy
Apply! I have been able to work with so many great people. I have also experienced so much growth over the last two or so years building off the foundation the fellowship afforded me.

Ruby
First, I encourage anyone who is interested in the Ithaka S+R fellowship program to spend some time familiarizing themselves with the publications on the Ithaka S+R website. Prospective fellows will learn a lot about the breadth of Ithaka S+R’s project portfolio and the variety of research methodologies by reading some of the research reports available on the website. My next piece of advice for those interested in the program is to apply! Even if their academic area of research is not directly related to Ithaka S+R program areas or projects, I would encourage them to apply (for context my academic field is Chinese studies). It is a wonderful opportunity to learn how to transfer an academic skill set to a non-profit setting and to grow a network of brilliant peers and mentors.