Russlynn Ali Fellow- (Latinx Postsecondary Success Research)

The Education Trust•Oakland, CA

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

EdTrust-West seeks a Latinx Postsecondary Success Research Fellow for its 9th cohort of Russlynn Ali Summer Fellows for 2026. The Russlynn Ali Fellowship program, named in honor of the founding executive director of EdTrust-West, aims to support people entering policy and advocacy leadership by laying the foundation for current and future policymakers, researchers and advocates to become lifelong leaders within California’s P-16 education ecosystem. Fellows will gain exposure to the issues, policies, and politics of the current California landscape through a cohort experience and will work on a project with the team to advance educational equity and racial justice. The Latinx Postsecondary Success Research Fellow will conduct a comprehensive study of Latinx college-going aspirations and experiences in California to identify the persistent barriers and emerging successes within the state’s postsecondary landscape. They will focus on synthesizing qualitative and quantitative data, integrating a thorough literature review with descriptive analyses to quantify equity gaps over time. The Fellow will also provide essential support for qualitative research, directly engaging with current college students to elevate their voices and narratives within the data. Their work will produce the key findings for the higher education section of our forthcoming 10-year update of the Majority Report, serving as a critical resource for fiscal year 2027 policy drafting and the final 2027 publication. Throughout the project, the Fellow will collaborate with mentors and partners to ensure the research is both methodologically sound and strategically aligned. By the project’s end, the Fellow will have contributed to a high-impact evidence base that informs state-level discussions and drives systemic change for Latinx students across California. EdTrust-West, the California-based office of EdTrust which is headquartered in Washington, DC, is committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the U.S. education system. Through our research and advocacy, EdTrust improves equity in education from transitional kindergarten through college, engages diverse communities dedicated to equity and justice, and increases political and public will to build an education system where all students will thrive. This role will be based in Oakland, CA or remotely from June 15 through August 21 for a term of approximately 10 weeks. Earlier start/end dates will be considered on a case-by-case basis to be determined by the students and academic school schedules. Fellows must reside in the state of California and report to the EdTrust-West Oakland, CA office within three days of hire for employment verification. Fellows will be expected to travel to the Oakland office 1-2 times during the summer term, June 16 and August 18.

Requirements

At least a high school diploma or GED and currently enrolled in or recently graduated from an undergraduate program in a relevant field
Strong experience with quantitative and qualitative research methods
Experience with statistical data analysis packages like Stata or R
Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present findings clearly and concisely
Experience conducting interviews or surveys with stakeholders such as students, educators, administrators, and district leaders
Strong attention to detail and ensuring accuracy in data collection and reporting

Nice To Haves

Shared belief in EdTrust’s mission and commitment to improving educational equity with a focus on racial equity
Experience creating data visualizations
Fluent in Spanish
Critical thinking and problem solving ability

Responsibilities

Conduct a comprehensive literature review of academic research, policy briefs, and state data on Latinx college-going aspirations and experiences in California, synthesizing findings to identify key historical trends, systemic barriers, and successful intervention models that have shaped the landscape over the last decade.
Perform quantitative analysis by utilizing descriptive statistics to track and quantify equity gaps across key metrics such as enrollment, persistence, and degree completion for Latinx students, ensuring the analysis and approach aligns with the higher-education section of Black Minds Matter 2 to provide a rigorous, longitudinal examination of education disparities.
Facilitate Qualitative Engagement by supporting the design and implementation of focus groups or interviews to capture authentic narratives from current Latinx college students, while managing outreach and relationship-building to ensure their lived experiences are centered and accurately reflected in the research.
Draft strategic report findings by authoring the foundational summaries and data sections that will serve as the primary source material for the higher-education chapter of the 10-year Majority Report update, organizing these insights to align with the FY27 drafting timeline to ensure a seamless transition from research to publication.
Develop data visualizations by creating accessible charts, infographics, and slide decks that translate complex quantitative data into compelling visual stories, producing materials that will be used to highlight significant equity gaps and trends for stakeholders to make the research findings actionable for policy discussions.