Jacqueline Ewens , Cohort 4
Bio: Jacqueline graduated from the MSSE program as a member of Cohort 4 in 2019, after completing her BA from Chapman University in 2017. Currently working at Composer, an education technology start-up incubated in High Resolves America, Jacqueline wears many hats across a team of five, including user engagement, marketing, communications, product development, and business development. Launched to the public in April 2020, Composer is a digital platform for educators to access and design a high-quality citizenship education curriculum that empowers their students to be engaged and thoughtful citizens.
Current city: Los Angeles, CA
I am passionate about...
the power of innovative organizations to positively influence and change society.
What led you to USC and specifically the MSSE program?
Through studying Sociology as an undergrad, I developed a deep sense of societal issues and what needed to change. I then recognized that businesses and organizations can be powerful catalysts through which to implement these changes with sustainability and impact.
What personal or professional experiences do you believe helped shape your values and worldview?
I was very fortunate to travel all over the world while growing up, and have family members on multiple continents. This drastically shaped my worldview with a global lens.
What lessons and experiences at USC and the MSSE program helped build the foundation for your career today?
Beyond the stellar academic experience, the most valuable component of the MSSE program for me was the community of like-minded individuals. To be immersed in the collaborative and creative community for two years was amazing, and I continue to build upon these relationships in my professional life.
What advice do you have for current students?
Talk to as many people as you can - your classmates, your professors, and others. Take the opportunity to pick everyone's brain, even if you don't have a goal for a conversation - you never know if a piece of information might spark an idea or become valuable later on.
