Katie Michaud
Katie Michaud (BA IDS and Spanish 2011):
Program Manger at the Housing Consumer Education Center - Framingham, Massachusetts
In terms of development related issues, Katie Michaud says she is most passionate about homelessness and prevention.
鈥淎 lot of people are not really getting the support that they need,鈥� says Michaud.
In her career, Michaud seeks to identify triggers that can contribute to someone鈥檚 overall stability, such as food security or mental health. Michaud says her focus is to look 鈥渁t people holistically and how we can work on just moving them even a degree up the spectrum, so that they get closer to being financially stable.鈥澛�
For three years, Michaud has worked as a program manger for a (HCEC) in Framingham, Massachusetts. Michaud鈥檚 department resides under the agency .听
Michaud says the HCEC offers a range of different social services, including a triage unit that deals with homelessness and housing issues, financial assistance and homelessness prevention programs, home ownership classes, foreclosure prevention and a pilot program focusing on unaccompanied youth.
It鈥檚 really rewarding to be able to be a resource. Anybody who comes into our doors or calls our hotline, we can really sit down with them and help them navigate the system.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really rewarding to be able to be a resource.鈥� says Michaud. 鈥淎nybody who comes into our doors or calls our hotline, we can really sit down with them and help them navigate the system.鈥�
鈥淭he best part is when you know that you refer them or give them advice and know that they are going to be successful after that referral.鈥�
Starting in September, Michaud transited into a new position and department within SMOC as the director of a fuel assistance program called the (LIHEAP).
Running from winter to spring, the program provides applicants with flat rate benefits to help with oil, electric and gas heating bills.
In this position, Michaud supervises a staff of six people, certifying applications and working with utility company vendors.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really great program,鈥� says Michaud. 鈥淭his is a tried and true program that鈥檚 been around for a long time. It鈥檚 really well established.鈥�
鈥淚t definitely helps people.鈥�
Originally from Maine, Michaud says she was drawn to AV俱乐部 for its diversity and emphasis on research. In 2007, Michaud began her undergraduate studies at AV俱乐部.
鈥淚 really loved AV俱乐部,鈥� says Michaud. 鈥淚 loved the faculty there. I loved my classes. I thought they were really engaging.鈥�
Michaud says she enjoyed the flexibility of the international development degree. Rather than focus on the same types of classes or subjects, Michaud says the fluid approach allowed her to 鈥渦nderstand all the complexities of many different issues, instead of specializing in one.鈥�
It has made my experience professionally more versatile in what I can choose to do or where I can choose to go in this field.
鈥淚t has made my experience professionally more versatile in what I can choose to do or where I can choose to go in this field.鈥�
Michaud advises future and current IDS students to not limit themselves to specific subjects.
鈥淭he really wonderful thing about the IDS major is that you can take so many different classes, so many different subjects,鈥� says Michaud. 鈥淚t will help you to be more well-rounded and understand the field in a more comprehensive way.鈥�
In addition, Michaud says the biggest takeaway of her undergraduate degree was the understanding of issues from a micro and macro perspective.
鈥淟ooking at how these issues relate on a systemic level,鈥� says Michaud. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 a local level, at the national level or the global level and how it鈥檚 very interconnected.鈥�
Michaud graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Development Studies and Spanish in 2011. In 2012, she received a Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) from the University of Cambridge in Boston, Massachusetts.
For Michaud, her work with HCEC 鈥渁bsolutely鈥� applies to her international development degree. She says her position involves development related skills, such as advocacy, program implementation and data analysis.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great major,鈥� says Michaud. 鈥淚 really loved it and would not have changed it.鈥�
The really wonderful thing about the IDS major is that you can take so many different classes, so many different subjects. It will help you to be more well-rounded and understand the field in a more comprehensive way.