2025 QSA Graduating Seniors
Congratulations to our fifth cohort of graduating seniors in the Quantitative Social Analysis Minor Program!
Raina Grace
Minor: QSA
Why I chose to pursue the minor: I chose to pursue the QSA minor because I wanted to bridge the gap between qualitative storytelling and quantitative rigor. I’ve always believed that the most impactful social science research draws from both evidence grounded in data and human-centered insight. The QSA minor stood out to me because of its interdisciplinary design and emphasis on advanced statistical training. It allowed me to engage in coursework about politics, policy, and social justice with a data-informed mindset.
How do I think the QSA minor will help with future pursuits: The minor has made me a more methodical, interdisciplinary thinker, someone who can frame, explore, and answer complex social questions with the right mix of theory, data, and critical analysis. Whether I’m working in nonprofit strategy, policy research, or advocacy, the QSA skillset allows me to evaluate claims, build arguments, and contribute meaningfully to research projects. These tools are especially important to me as I plan to pursue work in the incarceration and abolition space, where it’s essential to combine personal narrative with rigorous empirical evidence.
Post grad plans: After graduation, I plan to begin work as a research analyst, ideally in the nonprofit or social policy sector. Long term, I plan to become a medical malpractice attorney, and I know the QSA minor has laid a strong foundation for both research and law by teaching me how to evaluate evidence, interrogate data, and communicate findings.
Favorite minor class: My favorite class in the minor was Big Data in the Psychological Sciences. It was the first time I had the opportunity to design and conduct my big data project, analyze the results, and present the findings in a manageable and coherent way. That hands-on experience was incredibly unique, too often, we study research without ever getting to run it ourselves, and this class made the process feel tangible and empowering.
Anything I’d like to share with future students interested in the minor: If you’re thinking about the QSA minor, I can’t recommend it enough. It trains you to be an interdisciplinary thinker, someone who can approach any question from multiple angles, with both analytical depth and intellectual curiosity. You’ll leave the program with tools that are applicable across fields, whether you’re headed into academia, public service, consulting, or advocacy.
Will Matar
Why did you decide to pursue the QSA minor: QSA changed how I engage with the social sciences. The coursework gave me new tools to test ideas, strengthen arguments, and analyze evidence more precisely.
What are your post-graduation plans (short- or long-term): I’m joining Blackstone as a Legal Analyst in New York City.
Did you have a favorite minor class: Applications of Hierarchical Linear Models with Professor Stephen Raudenbush and Public Opinion with Professor John Brehm.
Is there anything you’d like to share with future minors: Plan your coursework early. The QSA minor is structured to progress in stages, and sequencing matters.
Aaron Dyas
Additional minor: Health and Society
Why did you decide to pursue the QSA minor: I wanted to learn more about statistics and how to interpret data.
How do you think the minor will aid/carry through to your future pursuits? I am starting a consulting job this summer. I think what I learned from the minor – how to analyze diverse sets of data – will support my start in the industry.
What are your post-graduation plans (short- or long-term): Healthcare Consulting Analyst at Mercer
Did you have a favorite minor class: Public Opinion
Is there anything you’d like to share with future minors: Congratulations everyone!
Jesse Li
No additional minors
Why QSA?: I felt like much of the knowledge would be helpful in pursuing my interests in the social sciences, acquiring skills for research, and would pair well with what I study for my major.
Aid in future pursuits?: I am planning to do UChicago’s 4+1 program in MACSS, so the knowledge I’ve learned from these classes is definitely helpful for this.
Post-grad: Beyond my 4+1 I am thinking I will either pursue a PhD in the social sciences or pursue a job in policy or teaching.
Favorite minor class: I really enjoyed Public Opinion and Principles of Methods and Measurement.
Delia Acuna
Majors: Global Studies and Human Rights
Minor: Quantitative Social Analysis
I decided to pursue the QSA minor because, as I took social science classes, I became increasingly interested in the ways different research methods can inform our understanding of social concepts and questions in various ways. My minor complemented my major classes perfectly, teaching me how to use quantitative methods alongside qualitative ones to gain a more comprehensive understanding of topics I am passionate about, such as public health.
This minor has shaped my way of thinking about research and the kinds of information different methods can and cannot give us. I learned to approach these methods critically. This critical and analytical thinking will help me in any field I choose to join.
Following graduation, I will be joining a randomized control trial on improving the holistic well-being of college students through body movement as a research assistant. After that, I plan to work as a paralegal before starting law school.
My favorite course of the minor was Statistical Methods of Research II by Geoff Wodtke. Geoff was a great professor who made learning enjoyable and ensured that his students understood the fundamentals of linear regression models and their extensions, as well as other essential statistical methods.
I would tell other students to try the major if they are interested. I suggest that they take advantage of the flexibility of the minor and take courses in various departments.
Lou Fontaine
Your Major(s): Economics (standard track)
Additional minor(s): Spanish
Why did you decide to pursue the QSA minor? The electives I took as an Economics major made me want to dig deeper into how to analyse social phenomena using quantitative tools, which is exactly what the minor delves into.
How do you think the minor will aid/carry through to your future pursuits: I think the minor will help me structure my analysis of how people, firms and institutions interact with each other and frame my thinking as to how to improve outcomes.
What are your post-graduation plans (short- or long-term)? I will be pursuing a master’s programme in Economics & Finance at the University of Cambridge
Did you have a favorite minor class: STAT 245. Professor Gao was amazing, incredibly passionate, and knowledgeable about the subject and I really liked how in depth the class went on topics that are often covered very superficially in other maths classes.
Is there anything you’d like to share with future minors: It’s a great way to see a broad range of quantitative thinking, from the methods themselves to the environments in which we can use them.
Jahmiel Jackson
Your Major(s): Political Science
Why did you decide to pursue the QSA minor: I decided to pursue QSA because I wanted to understand and predict the behavior and experiences of individuals, groups, and organizations. My goal is to stay one step ahead, equipped with the statistical foundation and predictive precision necessary to make contributions that are comprehensive, forward-thinking, and innovative.
How do you think the minor will aid/carry through to your future pursuits: I am more than prepared to analyze policy, work at a think tank, decipher research papers across numerous fields, and begin original research on many related topics
What are your post-graduation plans (short- or long-term): I will be pursuing a master’s degree while I prepare for the LSAT and law school
Did you have a favorite minor class: I really enjoyed ECON 31750 Topics on the Analysis of Randomized Experiments. It is probably the most challenging theoretical and empirical classes the ECON department offers.
Is there anything you’d like to share with future minors: I highly recommend taking courses that you may be unfamiliar with, such as SOSC 26011 Fundamentals of Item Response Theory. Courses like these will help you gain depth and mastery over statistical analysis and help you apply them to your field of interest.
Mardet Mulugeta
Your Major(s): Public Policy
Additional minor(s): Romance Languages (French)
Why did you decide to pursue the QSA minor: I know I want to apply for Ph.D. programs in Public Policy or Government, and I wanted the quantitative skills to improve my research methods.
How do you think the minor will aid/carry through to your future pursuits: The skills I learned in this minor will be very useful for the research roles I hope to work in before grad school.
What are your post-graduation plans (short- or long-term): I plan on working in the D.C. area through a research-heavy role. I hope to apply to graduate school in the near future.
Did you have a favorite minor class: My favorite minor class was AI for Public Policy; I learned a lot about how to create effective algorithms and what important limitations exist in designing AI models.
Is there anything you’d like to share with future minors: Complete this minor! It serves as a great way to develop and enhance your quantitative research skills. Also try to diversify the types of classes you take so that you really get a lot out of the minor.
Ndidi Opara
Your Major(s):
Public Policy
Additional minor(s):
Media Arts and Design
Why did you decide to pursue the QSA minor?:
I chose to pursue the minor because I wanted to expand on the quantitative topics that had been introduced in my major courses. I also recognized that much of my professional strengths were non-quantitative — the QSA minor presented an opportunity to fill gaps in my skillset while also making my resume more comprehensive.
How do you think the minor will aid/carry through to your future pursuits?:
The QSA minor has given me specific skills that I have already been able to apply in my professional work. For instance, through coursework I was able to learn GIS and spatial data analysis, which has enabled me to a new dimension to the policy analysis I’ve done for both my job and classes. Additionally, I have learned theoretical frameworks that have informed how I approach policy problems, solutions, and research.
What are your post-graduation plans (short- or long-term)?:
In February I will start working as a Transportation Policy and Communications Specialist at CDM Smith — working in both the policy and communications sphere was a career goal of mine, so I’m excited for the future opportunities this will open up.
Did you have a favorite minor class?:
I particularly enjoyed Introduction to GIS and Spatial Analysis — not only did I find the course interesting, but it also aligned well with my background in graphic design, topics I was exploring in other classes, and my professional interests.
Is there anything you’d like to share with future minors:
Don’t be afraid to take a class because it seems too difficult, or you have no prior experience— professors and TAs are more than willing to help you succeed if you reach out. I learned the most (academically and personally) from taking courses that I was initially scared to take.