Jacob Haerer

About Me

I am an undergraduate senior at Boston University studying Economics and Political Science. My professional interests thus far have lain in public sector work with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Nonprofit work with the Alan K. & Isabelle DerKazarian Foundation, as well as economic and public policy research.

My research interest lies primarily in the economics of education policy, recently finishing my first working paper studying the relationship between Reconnect last-dollar scholarship programs and increases in adult enrollment in the states of Massachusetts, Michigan, and Tennessee. However, I am also currently working as a research assistant for Professor Martin Fiszbein of Boston University, who studies the rise of sundown towns outside the South after 1890 using newly constructed full-count census data, verifying LLM data on expulsion events in primary resource material.

Additionally, I work as a Foundation Manager for the Alan K. & Isabelle DerKazarian Foundation, where I operate and manage their $60,000 program, as well as other local education partnerships with local schools and Museums.

My Research

(Re)Connecting the Dots: Adult Community College Enrollment After State Reconnect Scholarship Programs
Working Paper

This paper examines the impact of state “Reconnect” last-dollar scholarship programs on adult community college enrollment using a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences design. Exploiting variation in policy timing across Massachusetts, Michigan, and Tennessee and pairing each with a demographically and geographically comparable control state, I analyze short-term enrollment responses following program implementation. I complement the difference-in-differences framework with a collapsed interrupted time-series design, employing Newey–West HAC standard errors and a pooled specification to increase statistical power. The results provide suggestive causal evidence that Reconnect programs are associated with meaningful short-run increases in adult community college enrollment—particularly in the year following implementation—while highlighting limitations in sustaining these gains over time.

_Re_Connecting_the_Dots__Adult_Community_College_Enrollment_After_State_Reconnect_Scholarship_Programs__Jacob_Haerer__Boston_University_Economics (1)Download

Other Writings

Executive Aggrandizement and Media Control Under Giorgia Meloni
Blog Post

Examines the role that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has taken in the democratic erosion of Italy through executive aggrandizement using the media.

Professional Experience

2023 — Now

Foundation Manager at the Alan K. & Isabelle DerKazarian Foundation

In my role at the Alan K. & Isabelle DerKazarian Foundation, I managed operations and long-term planning for a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to higher education. I successfully launched a $50,000 annual scholarship program and developed the FY2026 operating budget to align with our growth initiatives. Additionally, I negotiated a university endowment to ensure compliance and effective fund management.

Boston, MA

2023 — 2025

Internships at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Operational Services Division- 2025 Summer Intern

During my internship at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Operational Services Division, I focused on improving procurement compliance and vendor guidance. I audited procurement files, designed visual onboarding materials, and led compliance meetings to present key findings. My efforts contributed to a significant increase in contract compliance and supported informed decision-making within the organization.

Executive Office of Administration and Finance- 2025 Summer Intern

During my internship with the Executive Office of Administration & Finance, I supported fiscal policy work related to state education funding programs. I prepared policy briefs translating education funding analysis for internal government decision-makers, conducted legislative and regulatory research on state education funding initiatives, and synthesized budget and policy data into briefing materials used in fiscal planning discussions

Boston, MA

2025-Now

Research Assistant at Boston University

I supported Professor Martin Fiszbein by verifying LLM data by analyzing historical newspaper articles and journals. This role required meticulous attention to detail and a strong grasp of historical research methodologies. My work contributed to a deeper understanding of language models and their historical contexts.

Boston, MA

Education

2022- 2026

B.A. in Economics

Boston University, MA

2022- 2026

BA in Political Science

Boston University, MA

Contact Me