Caitlyn Parsons, a member of the 2020 Criswell College graduating class, has been named a research intern for the Cato Institute, a public policy think tank that gives scholars from multiple disciplines an opportunity to share policy research.
Parsons will spend the rest of fall 2020 working within the department that runs the Cato Institute website, libertarianism.org.
“My responsibilities will include helping my supervisors with their research, editing articles that are published on the website, and assisting with the podcasts they produce for the website,” Parsons said.
Before joining the organization, Parsons earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. She now lives in North Texas where, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, she interns online for Cato.
When Parsons found out that Criswell had a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) program, she knew the college was the perfect place for her. In high school she was interested in economics, and her Christian experience led her to consider related topics like injustice.
“Really big issues for me have been justice and injustice and our responsibility as Christians to correct injustice in the world. Growing up in a Christian household was a major part of my upbringing, and scripture has a lot to say to these issues. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career that would allow me to address them in a meaningful way,” said Parsons. “When I found Criswell at a Christian college fair and discovered they had a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics, it seemed like a natural and exciting fit. That’s why I decided to attend.”
Parsons added that Criswell College was very formative for her career as she learned how to engage in evangelism and practical service to her community.
“It was very influential in the sense that it was full of people who thought a lot like me. By that, I mean committed Christians who wanted to take what they were learning and apply it to the real world to make a tangible difference in people’s lives. My experience at Criswell gave me a passion for service and for dedicating my life to something bigger than myself,” Parsons said.
Parsons is thinking about furthering her education by studying public policy in graduate school or attending law school.
“I want to thank everyone at Criswell, including Dr. Seitzler, Dr. Berry, and Dr. Creamer, who have been very influential in my education and have invested in me as a person,” Parsons said.
Criswell College is excited to serve students like Parsons in the years to come through a recent $100,000 gift from the Dean Foundation. The Dr. William B. Dean, M.D. Endowment will help full-time undergraduate students in the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program complete their degrees and fulfill their callings as ambassadors, cultivators, peacemakers, problem-solvers, and professionals.
