Caring for Delaware Communities

• Allison Adelman, Public Policy, University of Delaware

• Julia O'Hanlon, Institute for Public Administration, University of Delaware

This summer, I had the opportunity to serve as a Summer Undergraduate Fellow at the Institute for Public Administration (IPA), working on several community-based projects centered around food access, health policy, and aging. My primary role focused on a post-pandemic food access project. I conducted outreach to food pantries throughout Delaware that IPA had previously connected with during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. I gathered updated information about their operations and food distribution practices, contributing to the development of a statewide dataset and mapping tool. This resource helps the Delaware Council on Farm and Food Policy identify gaps and potential partnerships to improve access to food across the state.

Additionally, I assisted with IPA’s Delaware Senior Center Grant-in-Aid (GIA) Funding Formula Project by helping update participation forms required as part of the annual site visitation process. Delaware senior centers heavily rely on grant aid to support their community members and promote healthy aging. Managing communications and outreach was sometimes challenging, but it taught me the importance of staying organized and adaptable in a professional setting. This experience was especially meaningful to me, as I’m considering a future career in health policy. Attending events with my supervisor enabled me to build relationships with professionals in the field and observe how policy discussions unfold in real time. I was able to see how the foundational knowledge from my coursework applies in real-world settings and how professionals collaborate to address policy issues. Having this opportunity as a rising sophomore gave me early exposure to policy research, strengthened my interest in a career at the intersection of public policy and public health, and allowed me to contribute to the greater good.