Master’s Degree Student Cindell Behrmann Aims to Make Impact on Education Policy
The 2024 York College of Pennsylvania graduate is working on a Master of Public Policy and Administration degree at the College and plans to put it to use along with an array of undergraduate global experiences.
One year into a Master of Public Policy and Administration degree program at York College of Pennsylvania, Cindell Behrmann is on a path to impact state and federal public policy. As an Early-Entrance 4+1 MPPA student, Behrmann earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with an Urban Education Minor from the College, graduating in 2024.
Behrmann (they/them), arrived at the College after being accepted into the York College Promise program, which aims to expand access to higher education for local students and to drive economic development in York County. The program included a full-tuition scholarship, academic advising, mentorship, and work-study and volunteer opportunities, among other benefits. Behrmann notes that this program served as a catalyst motivating them to take on further unique hands-on opportunities both marking their undergraduate studies and taking them across the globe.
Internship in Congress
The most recent of those opportunities was a spring 2024 internship with Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., in Washington, D.C. It not only provided a close-up view of the complexities of the legislative processes but also highlighted the often-overlooked realities of congressional work.Behrmann quickly came to realize that when people call their representative, they forget that they are speaking to an intern, or a staff assistant at most. Unfortunately, many callers place their aggression on the middleman, assuming they are speaking directly to their member of Congress. In reality, their concerns are recorded, documented, and then go up to an office staffer who handles that specific genre of policy, potentially being drafted into a form of legislation with a chance of making it all the way to the respective member of Congress..
Behrmann also learned that to work in the legislative branch, an employee has to be a jack of all trades with a more broad, rather than specific policy portfolio. Sometimes even, job postings on the official House of Representatives job postings page don’t even clarify which representative the potential staffer will serve. “It was an incredible experience and a reality check,” Behrmann says. “It broadened my perspective on civic duty and opened my eyes to future job opportunities.”
From recording a press conference video for the official Rep. Cori Bush Instagram page to helping organize office events surrounding the president’s State of the Union speech, to random encounters with some of the most powerful voices in Congress to delivering a scarf to Bush during a floor vote leading to a 2-on-1 chat with Representatives Summer Lee (D-PA) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) across the Capitol Subway, Behrmann’s experiences felt surreal at times. While Behrmann often felt starstruck, it was an eye-opening reminder that politicians are real people—people with a lot of power.
The LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, which works to achieve and expand LGBTQ+ representation in government through leadership development, training, research, and conferences, sponsored Behrmann’s internship. It provided housing, a stipend, and programming focused on LGBTQ+ history, policy, and professional development..
In December, Behrmann will return to Washington for the institute’s International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference, which will welcome LGBTQ+ organizations from around the globe. Behrmann, who is half Honduran, looks forward to connecting with organizations affiliated with their heritage to learn more about both their culture and identity.
Thriving through mental health struggles
Halfway through the master’s program, which is tailored to working professionals, Behrmann anticipates finding a job in the Pennsylvania public policy sector, ideally working on education policy. But getting to this point has not been without challenges.
Balancing mental health, motivation, and focus proved difficult during Behrmann’s undergraduate studies, especially after being diagnosed with inattentive attention deficit hyperactivity disorder during the second semester of their sophomore year. Inattentive ADHD is characterized by difficulty sustaining attention, organization, and follow-through on tasks. Behrmann notes that with already being a semester ahead in credits, and taking two 400-level history-oriented courses at once as a political science student, the lack of familiarity with the subject matter and quickened pace of the classes, soon became overwhelming.
“Everything felt so much bigger than it really was. I felt like my world was crumbling down and I debated dropping out of both courses.,” Behrmann says. “I was happy to have a great community of support at York College who helped refocus my mindset, and after a few chats with my professors and a couple of extensions, I passed with a 4.0 GPA.”
This support network, especially the help of Joshua Landau, Ph.D., Associate Provost for Student Success, was crucial to overcoming academic hurdles and staying on track.
Education around the globe
One of the highlights of Behrmann’s undergraduate years was a study-abroad program in Tokyo during summer 2023. Attending Temple University in Japan, Behrmann was immersed in a multicultural environment, staying with a host family and enjoying numerous cross-cultural experiences.
“It was a refreshing change of pace and helped mitigate burnout,” Behrmann says.
Behrmann’s hands-on undergraduate experiences were possible largely because of the Promise program, which enabled exploration of opportunities such as studying abroad and interning with Bush without the burden of paying for tuition on previous semesters. These opportunities have made Behrmann a strong advocate for accessible education.
During their undergraduate studies, Behrmann also worked as a Gladfelter Research Fellow. As part of their research project, Behrmann focused on the impact on policy attitudes of individuals who use gender-neutral pronouns, which earned a second-place finish in an oral research presentation competition.
A future in public policy
As Behrmann looks forward to completing the master’s program and beginning a career in public policy, they remain excited about the opportunities ahead. Behrmann would love a job that allows travel and embracing spontaneous opportunities while making an impact on Pennsylvania’s education policy.
“When life just throws things at you, just roll with the punches,” Behrmann says. “You never know what’s going to happen.”
Behrmann advises students to always discuss their ideas with someone. Brainstorming can open up new possibilities and turn a college degree into a foundation upon which to build new fulfilling and impactful sense of self.
