Hello, AEA365 community! I’m Yakubu Wule Sini, a PhD student in Health Promotion at the University of Oklahoma and an emerging evaluator with experience working in international and conflict-affected settings with United Nations International Organization for Migration, Center for Civilians in Conflict and Creatives Associates International. As a Graduate Education Diversity Internship (GEDI) scholar, I have had the opportunity to work with Westat. Through that experience, I strengthened my evaluation skills while learning lessons that have reshaped how I think about evaluation practice that I would like to share.
Lessons Learned
Elevating Community Voices Strengthens Evaluation
One of the most important lessons I learned through the GEDI program is the value of culturally responsive evaluation. My GEDI experience reinforced that program participants and community members should not be viewed simply as subjects of an evaluation. They are important stakeholders whose experiences, perspectives, and knowledge can strengthen the evaluation process. For me, culturally responsive evaluation means intentionally creating space for the voices of people who are most affected by programs and policies. This is particularly important when working with communities whose perspectives may historically have been overlooked. As evaluators, we can produce more meaningful work when we listen to communities, recognize the context in which programs are implemented, and consider whose voices are represented in our evaluation processes.
Professional Networks Are an Important Part of an Evaluator’s Growth
Through GEDI and the broader American Evaluation Association community, I have had opportunities to connect with evaluators with different backgrounds, experiences, and areas of expertise. These relationships have reminded me that professional growth does not happen in isolation. Conversations with experienced evaluators can expose emerging professionals to new approaches, provide mentorship, and create opportunities for collaboration.
Hot Tip: Emerging evaluators should intentionally build relationships within the evaluation community. Attend professional events, introduce yourself to other evaluators, ask thoughtful questions, and maintain the relationships you develop. Networking is not simply about finding your next opportunity; it is also about creating a community from which you can learn and to which you can contribute.
Connecting Evaluation Theory to Real-World Decisions
Through my work with Westat, I contributed to evaluation-related activities, including comprehensive document reviews and the development of monitoring and evaluation tools. Through this experience I was able to synchronize academic concepts with real world evaluation practice. Evaluation tools and findings are not simply project products; they meant to inform decisions about how programs are implemented and improved.
Hot Tip: When gaining practical evaluation experience, look beyond completing the assigned task. Ask yourself: Who will use this information? How might it influence a program or community? Whose perspective might be missing? These questions can help us remain focused on the people and decisions our evaluations are intended to serve.
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