Elliot Schreur, '10

Elliot Schreur, ’10 is a firm believer in a liberal arts education. Schreur graduated with degrees in Music and English and now works in public policy. It was because of his liberal arts education from the University of Richmond that Schruer was able to explore the political science field outside of his two majors. This exposed him to new fields and opportunities, which have benefited him in his career endeavors.

Upon graduating, Schreur took some time off to explore his options before pursuing a masters degree in public policy from George Washington University. This program was a perfect fit for Schreur because of its liberal arts approach.  While completing his degree, Schreur interned at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the New America Foundation, a non-partisan think tank in Washington, D.C. 

Schreur still works for the New America Foundation as a policy analyst. The institution specializes in a wide range of policies from national security to education policy. As part of the Asset Building Program he is able to develop and research policies to promote savings for low income and middle income families. For Schreur, this has proved to be challenging yet very rewarding.

“The best part about my job is being able to feel that I'm working for a good purpose--that I'm contributing to something worthwhile that could make a lot of difference for a lot of people around the country,” he says.

His experience working in a think tank led him back to University of Richmond as a panelist for a Career Services workshop.  Speaking on the panel gave Schreur a chance to explain the world of think tanks to current student who were unfamiliar with this field. To his surprise, Schreur gained a lot from this experience, helping him to reflect on what it means to work for a think tank.

“When I was in college I never pictured myself working for a think tank and enjoying it so much, so I was happy to have the opportunity to share my insight with students,” he concluded

Schreur continues to keep in touch with his favorite UR professors and hopes to be a resource for students considering careers in policy and think thanks moving forward.