Maegan E Polanco

Versatile professional with a B.A. in Political Science and Asian Studies and hands-on experience supporting students through counseling, civic education, and youth advocacy. Brings strong organizational and communication skills, along with a deep commitment to educational equity and student growth. Experienced in coordinating programming, managing data, and engaging children in meaningful learning.

• Social Media Manager, KARIBU, Caribbean and African Organization, Northfield, Minnesota, 08/22, 05/24, Created engaging Instagram content and collaborated with brand managers to boost awareness, increasing event attendance by 15-20 members per meeting.
• Vice President, Our Lady of Guadalupe High School, Belmopan, Belize, 08/17, 05/18, Led student initiatives, collaborating with the president and administration to organize fundraisers, assemblies, and community projects, including launching a campus clean-up program to promote sustainability.
• Representative, Mayor Office, UNICEF Child Advisory Board, Belmopan, Belize, 09/17, 12/17, Collaborated with the Mayor and high school representatives to lead an anti-bullying campaign and organized a community fair to promote youth engagement and a safe environment for students.

Student Researcher, The Institute for Freedom and Community, St. Olaf College, 06/24, 08/24, Participated in a 10-week research program focused on evaluating the impact of the presence of school counselors on student mental health outcomes in Minnesota., Conducted an in-depth literature review assessing the relationship between counselor staffing levels and student mental health outcomes across various school districts., Analyzed mental health data from the Minnesota Student Survey Report (8th and 11th grade) alongside data from the National Center for Education Statistics for the years 2016 and 2019., Applied R and SPSS to analyze data and identified key trends linking counselor staffing with student mental health outcomes.