2023 Master of Public Policy Academic Excellence Award: Danielle A. Cross, Thomas Dowd & Jared Tyler Lynch

Photos of Master of Public Policy Academic Excellence Award recipients Danielle A. Cross, Thomas Dowd & Jared Tyler Lynch


Danielle A. Cross, MPP ‘23

Danielle is a graduating Master of Public Policy student with a focus on Public Policy, Diversity, and Inclusion. She graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s in Political Science and Psychological Sciences, and was a part of the Master of Public Policy Fast Track program. She has worked in government, nonprofit and private sector settings with experience in both legal work and legislative policy. She currently works as an advocacy and development intern for a Connecticut nonprofit serving people affected by the criminal justice system. She will continue on to law school in the fall with an intended focus on employment discrimination and immigration law.


Thomas Dowd, MPP ‘23

Tommy is a Master of Public Policy student with a concentration in public financial management. He graduated from UConn in 2022 with his Bachelor’s in Political Science and Economics. He is currently working as an intern for the UConn Office of Budget, Planning, and Institutional Research. If you have any ideas for what he should do after graduation, he is currently fielding suggestions…


Jared Tyler Lynch, MPP ‘23

Jared is a 2nd year MPP student. Having graduated from UConn with an undergraduate degree in Statistics in 2016, Jared has since worked in both the health and environmental sector. Jared currently works as a Data Analyst for Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Centers. His professional interests relate to data literacy, data accessibility, and data privacy in the public sphere.