Incoming LBJ Washington Center Student Brings Global and State Policy Experience to the Forty Acres

After spending four years in Connecticut, incoming LBJ School student Eli Craddock is returning home to Austin. This fall, he'll begin the Master of Global Policy Studies program before continuing his studies in D.C. through the LBJ Washington Center's Accelerated D.C. Program, bringing him back to the East Coast to live, work, and study in our nation's capital.

For Craddock, choosing the LBJ School wasn't a difficult decision. 

"UT was the only graduate school that I applied to because I knew from the get-go that it was the only school that I would consider going to." 

Originally from Austin, Craddock earned his bachelor's degrees in International Relations and Hispanic Studies from Connecticut College. While he was there, he focused much of his coursework on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), which led him to explore the role public policy plays in shaping their work and impact around the world. 

That interest became even more meaningful after he spent a summer interning with Fundación Alerta Verde, an environmental nonprofit in Bolivia that works with local communities to promote conservation, environmental education, and sustainable development. 

"I had the opportunity to intern in Bolivia the summer after my first year at Connecticut College where I learned from an impactful NGO that really sparked my interest in public policy, particularly how they can make strong differences if they are designed with people at the forefront of conversations." 

Craddock is already building policy experience before arriving to the Forty Acres. He is currently interning in the office of Texas House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Greg Bonnen, where he works with constituents from across the district. During the upcoming legislative session, he'll have the opportunity to help carry a bill through the Texas legislative process, giving him an inside look at how policy moves from idea to law. 

At the LBJ School, Craddock is eager to deepen his understanding of international development and trade while learning how international institutions influence economic growth and global progress. And of course, he's excited to be home in Austin and tap into the LBJ School's community.

After graduation, Craddock hopes to work for an international organization such as the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund, where he can help shape policies that promote sustainable economic development and strengthen institutions around the world. 

"I hope to learn how to properly leverage academic experiences from the LBJ School in a professional environment." 

At the LBJ School, Eli will continue developing the skills, experiences, and network needed to turn his passion for international policy into a career serving communities around the world. As part of the LBJ Washington Center, he will spend two semesters on the Forty Acres and two semesters in Washington, D.C., building classroom knowledge and real-world experience before graduating in December 2027.