Shelby Tisdale is a recent graduate of Duke University and the Child Policy Research certificate program. Shelby has been a familiar face at the Center for Child and Family Policy (CCFP) since February 2022, when she began as a work-study student. Over the past few years, Shelby has supported Center-related activities, events, and research working as both an intern and undergraduate research assistant. In 2024, she was awarded the Jacqueline Morris Fellowship Award for Research on Child and Family Policy to support her senior thesis for Graduation with Distinction.
Shelby's thesis used Bayesian hierarchical modeling to explore the relationship between unobligated Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) state welfare funds and fulfillment of TANF policy goals at the household level.
In May 2025, Shelby graduated from Duke with a B.S. in Statistical Science, a minor in Education, and a certificate in Child Policy Research.
Read on to learn more about Shelby, her experience working with the Center, and what she plans to do next.
Q&A with Shelby Tisdale
What brought you to Duke?
I am originally from a small town in Mississippi and didn't have much exposure to prestigious universities when I was growing up. When I was in middle school, a teacher encouraged me to consider attending an elite out-of-state college because I would receive generous financial aid. I toured Duke when I was in high school, and I almost instantly knew I wanted to come here. I did not want to feel that I was restricted to taking courses in a single discipline, and I was excited about the opportunities for interdisciplinary study at Duke.
What made you interested in connecting with the Center for Child and Family Policy as a student?
I believe that most of the problems in our society are best addressed by investing in people when they are children, and because of this, I decided to pursue the Child Policy Research Certificate before I even decided on my major. I knew that whichever discipline I studied in college, I wanted to do work that helped provide more opportunities for children to thrive. When I saw a job opening at CCFP during my freshman year, I applied quickly, knowing it would give me greater exposure to fascinating work being done in child and family policy.
What is a favorite project or memory from your time working with the Center?
My junior year of college, Professors of Sociology Kathryn Edin and Timothy Nelson from Princeton University visited to give the Sulzberger Distinguished Lecture at CCFP , where they spoke about their new book, The Inequality of Place. I was given the opportunity to assist in preparation for Profs. Edin and Nelson's visit and to have lunch with them before the lecture. Our conversation over lunch inspired my senior thesis and heavily motivated my decision to pursue a PhD in Sociology, though I had never taken a course in sociology.
How has the Center for Child and Family Policy impacted your experience at Duke?
CCFP has truly been a home for me during my time at Duke. Many of my favorite courses were within the Child Policy Research Certificate Program, especially the cornerstone and capstone courses. Through the certificate program and the Morris Fellowship, I have met students with diverse disciplinary backgrounds who are united by a common passion for contributing to research that tackles challenges faced by children and families. I originally found the process for conducting interdisciplinary research to be intimidating, but the support I received through CCFP made it easy for me to develop a project that functioned as both my honors thesis in Statistical Science and my Child Policy Research Independent Study. The faculty and staff at CCFP have shown me nothing but kindness and support, and I've had countless opportunities to engage with leading scholars who are making a positive impact in various fields such as policy, education, sociology, and child and family health.
What are your plans following graduation?
After I graduate, I will be pursuing my PhD in Sociology at Princeton University.
What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
I hope to become a professor of sociology after I obtain my PhD. Right now, I am generally interested in studying education, poverty, and intergenerational social mobility, but I expect my interests to evolve as I begin my PhD. I would love to teach courses on quantitative research methods. I would love to come back and live in North Carolina again one day.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I spend most of my time outside of school either in the gym lifting weights or at my church in Durham. I love reading and writing poetry and drawing portraits.
What's something that most people at CCFP probably don't know about you?
As of May, I am a licensed high school math teacher.