CHANTALLE LAFONTANT
Public Affairs
Spring 2010
Indiana University Bloomington Graduate Student Chantalle LaFontant has a clear vision of the impact she wants to make in the world post-graduate school, and, after some examination, chose to do so via a career in public policy work. LaFontant has started this journey by pursuing a Public Affairs PhD in IU’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). She is now nearing the completion of her first-year.
The quality of IU’s SPEA faculty and the notable alumni generated by the school impressed her enough to make the move from the East Coast and pursue her graduate school at Indiana University Bloomington. Since arriving at IU she has continued to be impressed with both the high degree of international cultures represented and also the extensive language courses offered.
LaFontant’s mentor is Dr. David Audretsch, Director of Developmental Studies at IU SPEA. Her core interests lie in policy analysis and research, and she is focused on researching effective program studies for economic development. Her life mission is to improve the quality of life for those who suffer from poverty, specifically in Latin America and the Caribbean, through better public policy design and implementation of economic development efforts.
LaFontant grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and received a Bachelor’s Degree from Harvard University (1999), where she majored in Classical Latin. She also has a Bachelor’s Degree from Hunter College (CUNY-2008) with a major in Economics.
In the future, LaFontant would like to continue doing research, spend time working as a faculty member, and even work for an international government organization.
LaFontant is currently a member of the Midwest Crossroads AGEP, with whom she participated in the 2010 GLASS Conference in Chicago, IL. She is also a representative on the Conference Coordinating Committee for the Association of SPEA PhD students, and hopes to become more involved with campus organizations and committee activities in the next few years.
“Never stop trying. If you never stop, than you can never say that it is over,” LaFontant said.