Wheaton Scholar Wins Public Policy Fellowship, Serves as Student Government President
Dalwin Corcino, a senior at Wheaton College, was awarded the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Fellowship for summer study at the University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. The seven-week summer fellowship—a rigorous, graduate-level preparation program for juniors committed to public service careers—provided Dalwin with an especially meaningful experience.
“I’ve had the opportunity to form invaluable connections with national and international figures,” Dalwin says of his summer PPIA experience. “Some include former U.S. Ambassadors to Brazil and Bulgaria and the senior advisor for Africa at the U.S. Institute of Peace.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to form invaluable connections with national and international figures.”
Since arriving at Wheaton three years ago, Dalwin has built a reputation as an exceptionally engaged member of the campus community. He is currently the president of the Community for Advancing Healthy Masculinities, an organization he co-founded. He also serves as president of the Wheaton College student government association.
Dalwin’s academic interests led him to design his own interdisciplinary independent major in healthcare policy. Motivated to expand his experience in the field, he applied to the PPIA Junior Summer Institute. Once accepted, Dalwin chose to spend the summer at the Ford School of Public Policy, drawn to the institution’s wealth of resources and robust alumni network.
Beyond the fellowship’s core curriculum of statistics, microeconomics and policy writing, Dalwin also focused on a capstone project analyzing healthcare data from Medicare beneficiaries. He examined new channels for Medicare Advantage Organizations to implement incentives or services to promote healthier lifestyles.
“Our current healthcare system is broken; it enables disparities through systemic oppression,” Dalwin says, drawing a direct line from his academic work to potential social change: “PPIA fellows have proven to be successful public servants working to address such issues.”
As he begins his senior year at Wheaton, Dalwin aims to expand his skills to ultimately build an influential career serving the public good. While he plans to pursue a master’s degree in public health, Dalwin hopes to simultaneously gather real-world experience in healthcare policy on his path to becoming a well-versed public servant.
