Public administration graduate advocates for low income families

If you've been around campus for more than a semester, you're sure to have heard the traditional school motto of "truth and service" brought up in conversation.

N.C. Central University alumna Dolloress Holmes is carrying on that tradition as a part of the new State Policy Fellowship program by advocating for low-income families as a fellow at the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis in Richmond, Va.

"My interest in improving the well-being of low and moderate income communities and families dates back to my experience as a legislative intern ‑‑ an experience I will never forget," said Holmes.

"Various policies and government priorities have a pervasive effect on the societies in which they are practiced," she said.

The fellowship is conducted under the State Fiscal Analysis Initiative, a group of non-partisan, non-profit organizations that focus on the needs of low to moderate income families.

CIFA and SFAI are coordinated by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, D.C. Holmes will be doing data analysis and writing policy proposals and critiques that focus on domestic social programs.

Holmes' research will be conducted on state policy issues including education, taxes, and anti-poverty initiatives. She will be producing material for use by policymakers, journalists, civic organizations and advocacy groups, as well as helping to advance effective policy recommendations.

 "Dolloress will be putting out general recommendations and reactions to state budgets and programs supporting low-income families," said Tianca Crocker, an associate of the State policy Fellowship program who has been with the program for two years.

"We want to make sure that budget cuts being made are effective," she said. "You just can't fix budget woes by cutting, cutting, cutting."

"By using information and data to support or to offer recommendations for proposals," said Crocker, "this think tank looks at the current environment and advocates for low-income families."

Holmes explained that she is excited about advocating for the poor and said that she has been since her internship with N.C. State Senator Tony Foriest last year.

"I became an intern at a time when North Carolina was facing one of its biggest budget shortfalls in state history," said Holmes. "It was my sole responsibility to communicate with the diverse voter population as we received an overwhelming amount of correspondence each day."

Holmes said that she once attended a committee meeting in which legislatures discussed cutting funds for health care and services to the elderly. 

"I remember a concerned citizen pleading with officials to reconsider the extensive health care cuts because their access to public health care would be minimized," she said.  "I realized that the budget cuts were not in the best interest of the underserved population and would in turn worsen the conditions of the recession."

Holmes said that as she met daily with distressed voters, she wondered what she could do to help those suffering from unfavorable budget priorities and tax policies.

"Since then I have been fully determined to devote myself to the cause of public service and applying the knowledge acquired to help others," said Holmes.

Holmes earned a MPA from NCCU in 2009 and a B.A. from the University in political science in 2007.

She is a member of the NCCU Gamma Gamma Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and is also a member of the Pi Alpha Alpha Academic Public Honor Society. Holmes is also a member of the American Society of Public Administrators.

The State Policy Fellowship program started in September and has five fellows working out of 400 applicants. Recruiting for the second class starts in late August.

Applications for the second class are due by January 14, 2011. For more information on the fellowship program or to apply visit www.cbpp.org/fellowship.