Caroline Chovanes
Master of Public Policy, Class of 2026
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Areas of Interest: Policy creation and reform, social justice, and criminal justice reform
Activities at Rutgers: Research Coordinator, Rutgers Sleep Lab, Department of Kinesiology & Health; Treasurer, Bloustein Social Justice Committee
Caroline Chovanes was drawn to questions of justice and fairness at a young age. “I’ve been interested in social justice since I was around 12 or 13,” she said. “My dad was transgender, which made me much more aware of society as a whole, and who had advantages and who didn’t.” That awareness set the tone for a journey that would eventually lead her to Rutgers’ Bloustein School and the Master of Public Policy program.
In high school, she joined and led her school’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA), and credits those years of helping to educate her peers on LGBTQ+ issues as the foundation on which she built her interest in public policy.
As a psychology major in college, she took a class on Psychology and Law, which sparked a greater interest in the intersection of social justice and mental health. “That class was the basis for my senior honors thesis, where I examined predictors of support and opposition toward the Black Lives Matter movement. It combined my interests in psychology, research, and social justice and helped me realize that using research to push policy reform is where I wanted to be.”
Caroline initially came to Rutgers as a research coordinator at the Rutgers Sleep Lab in the Department of Kinesiology and Health. “After working at Rutgers for about eight months, I made up my mind to pursue my master’s degree,” she said. “The Bloustein School allowed me to study public policy while continuing to work.”
Now pursuing her MPP full-time, Caroline plans to focus on policy creation and reform, factoring in her interests in criminal justice and social equity. At Bloustein, she has quickly found her people. “I’ve met classmates with similar interests in public service, and I’ve loved hearing from guest speakers working in politics and policy. It’s helped me understand the many paths I could take after graduation.”
One of those paths became clearer in her favorite class to date: Winning Hearts and Minds: Political Communications for Public Policy, taught by Professor Derek Roseman. “Communication isn’t something that comes easily to me, but it’s so vital in policy work,” she said. “The class, and the guest speakers, opened my eyes to career paths I didn’t even know existed.”
Caroline also serves as treasurer of the Bloustein Social Justice Committee, and while she’s still early in her graduate school journey, she’s already thinking about how to turn her passion for research into action. “I don’t have specific plans set in stone, but I really enjoy research and would like to use it to push policy reform.”
To prospective students, her advice is simple but powerful. “Think about what truly excites you and what kind of impact you want to make in your career. Not just in terms of job titles, but in the difference you want to create. Public policy and public service can sometimes move slowly, but they offer a unique opportunity to contribute to meaningful change. It can be incredibly rewarding, so if it’s something that inspires and motivates you, it’s absolutely worth pursuing.”
Outside of school and work, Caroline is a proud Philadelphia Eagles fan and a self-described “massive Formula 1 fan.” She enjoys reading, dancing (she was a dance minor in college!), and bonding with friends and family over race weekends.