Georgetown College. Georgetown University.

Cara Sklar is using her work with Dr. Woolard to pursue a career in early education policy. (Courtesy Cara Sklar)

By Megan Weintraub

As a Psychology major interested in early education policy issues, Cara Sklar thrived in Dr. Jennifer Woolard’s research lab, the Center for Research on Adolescence, Women, and the Law (CRAWL). While working with other dedicated undergraduate and graduate students, Sklar helped to create scientifically rigorous research that informed law pertaining to juvenile justice.

Currently a student at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Sklar builds on the skills she learned in CRAWL to influence policy decisions at multiple systemic levels. Specifically, she examines education policy issues including professional development systems, parent empowerment models, the role of external partners, and innovations in education.

“In order for communities to provide high-quality early care and education opportunities, they must enhance their assets,” she explains. “For example, in order for a school district to have high-quality teachers, there must be a high-quality and accessible professional development system in place.”

Sklar’s decision to attend Georgetown rested on the school’s reputation for academic excellence and its commitment to social justice. Under Dr. Woolard’s leadership, Sklar carried out these ideals and helped to enact change in the D.C. community. She first met Dr. Woolard in her Community Psychology class where she recognized immediately the avenues it would offer her to work on social justice issues. Dr. Woolard’s expertise in her field and her engaging teaching style encouraged Sklar to apply the lessons she learned in class to her research in the D.C. community.

“Dr. Woolard is hilarious. She uses smart humor that cleverly incorporates class material,” Sklar says. “I remember it was evident that each class was carefully planned so that the readings, lecture, discussion, and real-life examples flowed together to solidly convey points and arguments. The class benefited tremendously from her knowledge, experience, and ability to translate those experiences into powerful teaching points.”

Dr. Woolard’s influence on Sklar has carried over to her post-graduate career. For example, Sklar points to Dr. Woolard’s awareness of the importance of ongoing community engagement to ameliorate systemic problems.

“Dr. Woolard instilled in me that a community, rather than solely a group of academics or policy makers, must be actively engaged in planning and implementing interventions aimed at strengthening their community,” she says. “Promotion of healthy development rather than trying to undo damage caused by a sub-standard system can produce better results.”

Following graduation from Georgetown in 2005, Sklar worked at the Early Care and Education Administration at the D.C. Department of Human Services, where she received the Rookie of the Year Award for her work with the Pre-Kindergarten Incentive Program.

As an undergraduate, she was co-president of the Breast Cancer Outreach club, where she served on the board and considerably expanded the club’s operations, including collaboration with other campus groups such as the Women’s Center and Georgetown University School of Medicine postdoctoral students.

Outside of school and work, Sklar’s interests include Jewish learning, public education, breast cancer outreach, traveling, the civil rights movement, and Hoya basketball.

Eventually, she would like to create sustainable, high-quality early care and education opportunities for all children. Dr. Woolard’s leadership played an undeniable role in Sklar’s decision to pursue a career in early education policy.

“She did a phenomenal job of investing in my educational, personal, and professional development," Sklar says of Dr. Woolard. "I learned just as much from my experiences in her lab and our mentor relationship as from coursework in a class.”

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