Caitlin Willis is the New Haven Promise Fellow for Academic Strategies. She attended the University of Connecticut before transferring and graduating from Southern Connecticut State University with a bachelor’s in History, English, and Political Science. During her time as an undergraduate, she was an active member of the Black Student Association and the treasurer of Hip-Hop Initiative, a student-led organization that embraced black voices in the music industry. She’s currently on track to have a M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by December of 2023. She’s passionate about ensuring people have equal and equitable access to education. As a graduate student, she’s an active member of three National Honor Societies: Phi Alpha Theta, a History Honor Society; Triota, an academic and service-based Women’s and Gender Studies Honor Society; and Tau Sigma, an honor society that celebrates transfer students. Outside of school and work, Caitlin spends her time writing novels, baking, and caring for her plants.