Making social policy equitable for all

Brandeis Stories

Making social policy equitable for all

By Leah Steele
March 18, 2026

Quieraney Belvin, MPP'26, chose to attend the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis in part because its motto, "Knowledge Advancing Social Justice," inspired her.

Further, Heller's Master of Public Policy (MPP) program, an interdisciplinary graduate program that integrates policy and research to create equitable policies for marginalized groups, matched her personal values.

Recently, Belvin became a caregiver to her developmentally disabled younger sister. In that new role she discovered overwhelming challenges in enrolling her sister in Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid, as well as in setting up an Individualized Education Programfor her.

This personal experience guided Belvin's decision to enroll in the MPP program and to focus her research on disability advocacy and reducing administrative burdens in public assistance programs.

"Access to benefits should be easier and not so stressful," says Belvin."It shouldn't be that way."

As a student in the MPP program, Belvin expanded her knowledge of the disability sphere when she landed a fellowship with Brandeis' Lurie Institute for Disability Policy. The Lurie Institute's goal is to shape policies, programs and practices to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

"[The Lurie Institute] has been a really great internship opportunity. It's really grown my skills in quantitative analysis. And I hope to continue to explore that," she says.

In addition to internship and fellowship opportunities, Brandeis has provided Belvin with a career adviser who has helped her plan for her next steps after graduation. Most importantly, Belvin has acquired the skills to spread and share the knowledge she has gained in the MPP program.

Belvin plans to pursue a PhD specializing in health and disability policyafter she completes the MPP program - and Brandeis is her top choice for that program as well.

Founded in 1959, Heller is today part of the Brandeis School of Social Sciences and Social Policy. The school has five graduate programs and nine research centers and institutes. Heller research seeks to make social policy benefit all members of society.