State Policy Network recently welcomed Caroline Willcox to the team as a Development Associate. Before joining SPN, Caroline was a student at Georgetown University, where she studied Government and Classical Languages.

In her development role, Caroline assists with efforts to create personalized mailings, gift entry, and database management to ensure donors who are passionate about state policy solutions are able to support SPN and the Network. To help you get to know Caroline, we asked her about what policy issues she’s passionate about and why she chose a career in the Network.

Caroline Willcox: “I knew I wanted to be involved in the freedom movement from a young age, and I did everything I could to make that a reality.”

A passion for freedom has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Talks around the dinner table growing up often revolved around politics and a desire to protect freedom. I knew I wanted to be in DC after college and work for the freedom movement. The Development Associate position at State Policy Network seemed like a great fit for me.

My favorite part of working in the liberty movement is knowing that whatever I’m doing, I’m working to protect and promote freedom. Even the smallest tasks contribute to this mission that I’m so passionate about. The amazing people I have the opportunity to work with make the job even better.

Education is the policy issue that is nearest to my heart right now—and probably always will be. Growing up in South Carolina, I was fortunate enough to attend private school, but I also worked at an afternoon school program in my community. There, I saw our education system failing students, particularly in literacy. In a country that promises so much opportunity, I couldn’t believe that this was the best we could offer.

At Georgetown, I tutored students at a Ward 7 DC public school. Again, it was disheartening to see students unable to read. There is no easy solution to the complex problems with our education system, but I am encouraged to see people across the Network working to solve them. The opportunity and freedom we seek to protect and promote means little to someone who is unable read. Education is something that so many of us take for granted, but it is crucial that give students the education we know America is capable of providing.

“I knew I wanted to be involved in the freedom movement from a young age, and I did everything I could to make that a reality.”

Behind the scenes

If you had one piece of advice for others considering a career like yours, what would it be?

This is my first full-time job, so I think I would tell people who are seniors in college (where I was just a few months ago!) to be open-minded when looking at job openings. I hadn’t considered positions in development, but this field is such a good fit for my passions and skills. Many people are set on what they want to do without knowing all of the options that are out there. It is definitely worth considering all the various ways you can contribute before deciding to pursue one particular career.

When you’re not improving the world at work, where are you likely to be found?

When I’m not at work, you can usually find me hanging out with friends, spending time outdoors, or at church. I love art, so I also spend as much time as I can at the National Gallery of Art and the other incredible museums DC has to offer. I also love to travel and I’m always planning my next trip!