Megan Handau majored in Political Science and Women’s, Gender, and Sexualities Studies. While at UConn, Megan took a variety of courses cross listed with Africana Studies, including Women and the Civil Rights Movement, and Black Feminist Politics – both taught by Dr. Simien. Utilizing intersectional theory she had learned from these courses, Megan published her prize-winning honors thesis as an article (co-authored with Dr. Simien) in a peer-reviewed journal, Politics & Gender, titled “The Cult of First Ladyhood: Controlling Images of White Womanhood in the Role of the First Lady.” After graduation, Megan worked for Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), ultimately as a Senior Policy Advisor. In that role, she covered labor, nutrition, civil rights, and environmental policy. Megan recently graduated this May 2025 from Yale Law School, with her JD.