This month, we’re excited to welcome a new member to our Research Team, Brianna Richardson. Brianna joins us remotely in Philadelphia as a Research Associate. We chatted with Brianna about her academic background, some memorable projects she’s worked on, and what excites her about survey research.
Where did you go to school and what did you study?
I went to Kent State University in Kent, Ohio and majored in Political Science with a minor in Economics.
What were you doing before joining the Research Team at College Pulse?
I really enjoyed taking courses in economics, which inspired me to want to pursue a career in the field after graduating from undergrad. I also really wanted to live in a bigger city, so I moved to Philadelphia to get my master’s in Economics from Temple University. While I was there, I studied K-12 education policies, which led me to my last role at the Hope Center.
Tell me more about your time at the Hope Center. What is it and what did you do there?
The Hope Center is a foundation that focuses on studying college students, the college experience, and food and housing insecurity. I conducted research and data analysis, and built data visualizations like tables and figures for reports.
Are there any projects in particular you are most proud to have worked on while there?
Every year the Hope Center releases a survey that polls students from colleges across the U.S.. I was responsible for drafting and fielding the reports. One of the sub-reports I produced was centered on food and housing insecurity among student athletes. Most people don’t realize that student athletes can actually face greater struggles than non-student athletes throughout their college career. Balancing a class schedule along with practices and games is a lot for students.
This report was featured in Sports Illustrated this past April, and covered how the pandemic might have affected student athletes that recently experienced food insecurity.
What gets you excited about survey research?
My studies in economics introduced me to the power of data analysis. I think it’s a great tool to share insights and help people understand why things are the way they are. Statistical analysis helps us dig further into some of those answers, which I think is really exciting work.
Ok, last question. If you could build any survey on college students, what topic would you study and why?
With everything going on and something always being newsworthy, I’d be really interested in knowing how students get their news (e.g. social media, TV, etc.), why they prefer some sources over others, and how those media preferences might shape their actions and beliefs. I’d also be interested in exploring if they believe their preferred outlet is unbiased, and whether or not they visit outlets that maybe contradict what they believe in to try and get a view of what others think.
