Meet Our New Intern! Katie Black

December 12, 2025

Meet Katie Black, one of our new interns in the Data and Advanced Analytics Unit! Katie currently attends Marshall University, pursuing a Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA) in management information systems. 

While in high school, Katie was also involved with GEAR UP Kentucky (GUK), an initiative aimed to support students as they transition from high school to a postsecondary education, strengthening their college and career readiness to help Kentucky reach its 60x30 goal.

We recently caught up with her to hear about her education goals and what new and exciting things she will be learning through her CPE internship. 

How did you hear about CPE? How did you get connected to this internship?

Over the past couple of years, through my involvement with GUK, I learned about CPE. However it was during the NCCEP Youth Leadership Summit when I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Christopher Ledford, director of the data and advanced analytics unit, which opened a conversation about the internship. 

Why do you think the work of the Data Unit matters? Why should people listen?

I believe that data is objective and essential - it shows the real impact of the work campuses are doing to change policy and support. People should listen because it lets us know what’s working and what isn't. If we can visibly see, with supporting evidence where we can improve, why wouldn't we?

Why does higher education matter to you?

As a first generation college student, I believe it’s the first thing within my control to break generational barriers.To me, higher education matters because it is the first step toward the life I want to live.

What skills/insights do you hope to gain out of this experience?

Throughout my time with CPE, I hope to strengthen my data analysis skills and become more confident in my presentation abilities. I am also interested in data analysis and being able to draw conclusions from it to share with others.

Fun fact about Katie: She’s played the flute for eight years and the oboe for seven!