Nicholas Derda

I had always been interested in learning more about careers in federal government but was not sure how to get my foot in the door. Pathways helped to demystify that process. I was excited that I was able to find a position in which the research skills that I learned in graduate school were valued.  

I am most excited to be in a workplace where people love learning. There have been so many trainings and discussions where staff discuss the latest research trends and constantly strive to make our research output more equitable and accessible to the communities we serve.

My graduate degree is in American Studies & Ethnicity an interdisciplinary humanities program that has taught me to think broadly and critically about American culture and history with special attention to groups who have often been living on the margins like people of color, LGBTQ+ people, and people living with disabilities. This training prepared me to always ask questions about whose voices are being left out of the work that we do and how to better incorporate lived experience into our research without making it feel extractive or exploitative. 

Shirley Adelstein has been a caring mentor and advocate. Since day one, she has encouraged me to network with staff in our division and across OPRE and ACF. She’s also helped me to identify projects that utilize my skill sets while pushing me to grow as a professional. I also enjoyed the recent ACF Intern Day event, which helped me network with other interns and learn more about opportunities, such as the Presidential Management Fellowship.