“My goal was college,” said Escalante, who hopes to attend law school. “That was my dream in Venezuela, and my goal was to continue following on my dreams as much as I could.”
Topic
undergraduate
From Fear to Freedom and Hope: Rafael Escalante (UG PP ’26)
“My goal was college,” said Escalante, who hopes to attend law school. “That was my dream in Venezuela, and my goal was to continue following on my dreams as much as I could.”
Where Health Meets Policy: A Vision for Equitable Care
“Growing up, I witnessed firsthand the challenges many people faced in accessing healthcare due to limited resources and personnel, and I aspired to work in healthcare. As a research fellow with the Ralph W. Voorhees Fellowship Program in Public Service and intern at the New Jersey State Policy Lab, I had the opportunity to explore person-centered care, maternal health disparities, and policy impacts on community well-being. These experiences solidified my passion for policy research and shaped my academic focus on the social determinants of health.”
Leading in Healthcare from Behind the Scenes
“I realized leadership was something I wanted to pursue in the future. Health administration combines my leadership abilities with my desire to improve healthcare systems and have a positive influence on the larger organization. I’ve made wonderful connections with Bloustein School professors who have helped me in various ways, from suggesting internships to interacting with people in healthcare systems. These opportunities have shaped my aspiration to become a healthcare leader who understands the system from multiple angles—clinical, administrative, and corporate.”
Finding Voice, Building Change: A Path to Policy and Community
“Don’t be intimidated by the small size of the public policy major. There are a lot of opportunities at Rutgers that policy students would be interested in. Use the resources available and don’t limit yourself. I started my college career thinking I would only be willing to work in LGBTQ+ policy, but through the work I’ve done and the classes I’ve taken at Rutgers, I realized I want to focus on the broader topics of social justice and community action.”
From Transit Curiosity to Urban Impact
“My experiences using public transit in NJ and NY made me curious about how towns and cities were designed and why certain places are more car-dependent than others. After taking Methods of Planning and Analysis, I began discussing ideas and existing research on basic needs insecurity with Professor Bernadette Baird-Zars. Joining her research team and studying integration and affordable housing helped shape my interest in pursuing a career that works with underserved communities to create change at the local scale.”
Real Problems Inspire Real Solutions: Transforming Healthcare
“I really like when professors make you think critically and apply real-world situations to the lectures. Healthcare is complicated, and making things easy isn’t doing anyone any favors. Thinking critically is important in this field. Independent doctor offices are being swallowed up by corporate medical chains, and running a medical practice has become so convoluted and confusing that it’s almost impossible to be independent. I want to make things better and make healthcare more accessible, affordable, and fair—for doctors and patients alike.”
Bridging Technology and Policy Through Public Service
If you’re interested in public service in any form, give the public policy major—or at least the intro classes—a try. It’s a comprehensive major with a variety of courses that target different policy areas, such as healthcare, disability, education, and more. Students can discover new pathways that may be intriguing to them. I also learned how to adapt my writing and communication skills more efficiently for a policy or public service-oriented space, which is invaluable no matter your career.”
From Simulations to Cityscapes: Designing Smarter Cities
“As I got older, I became increasingly aware of the social and environmental challenges tied to urban design. All of my experiences led me to a major where I could combine creativity, problem-solving, and a vision for better cities into something tangible. Rutgers has given me the chance to blend the technical side of planning with creative design. Urban planning is a multidisciplinary field, and the ability to collaborate with people from different backgrounds, such as engineers, architects, environmental scientists, and policy experts, will enrich your learning and the solutions you develop.”
Exploring the World, Improving Healthcare Systems
“Growing up in a business-focused household, I developed a strong foundation in business. Health administration is the perfect blend of that background in business and my passion for healthcare. In my internship, I had the opportunity to utilize Lean and Six Sigma tools and methodologies to assess and improve current state processes. It solidified my interest in healthcare consulting and performance improvement.”