Daisy Vasquez Guevera, a second-year student at the Clinton School of Public Service, transformed a long-held organizational idea into a tangible educational program during her International Public Service Project (IPSP) during summer 2025.
While partnering with Asociația Toți Copiii Citesc (also known as ATCC and All Children Read) in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Vasquez Guevera was tasked with addressing a critical gap in literacy skills.
Her work focused on designing an intervention framework to support parents with low literacy levels, empowering them to engage more effectively in their children’s reading development.
From Sticky Note to Real World Results
When Vasquez Guevera arrived in Romania, the concept for a family literacy program targeting illiterate parents was largely conceptual. Over the course of two months, she developed the flexible program framework that local NGOs can now use to facilitate workshops with families.
“I actually spoke with my supervisor recently, and they said it went from being a sticky note to something that is tangible in just six months,” Vasquez Guevera said. “It was just an idea, and I was able to come in, listen to them and their needs, and create something that they will implement in September. I am excited for them to use it, and that the families will get the best use out of it.”
The project resulted in a comprehensive suite of deliverables, including facilitator training materials and an assessment tool designed to evaluate the program’s effectiveness over time.
“Partnering with the Clinton School has been an incredible experience. Daisy helped us design a brand-new family literacy intervention that had been on hold for over a year,” said Sorana Pogacean, Director of Development at ATCC. “Through thorough research, careful adaptation to our context, and multiple phases of feedback, she created a strong, practical protocol that we are now ready to implement. We are deeply grateful for her dedication and the value she has brought to our work.”
Applying the Clinton School Toolkit
A native of Honduras who now lives in Benton, Arkansas, Vasquez Guevera relied heavily on the technical skills she acquired during her first year of graduate study. She noted that her coursework in program planning and evaluation was essential for creating the logic models and assessment indicators that the program lacked.
“Program planning definitely came in handy,” she explained. “They’ve never implemented a logic model before, and here at the Clinton School, it’s a basic item they teach us. Those courses are very helpful for your IPSP projects.”
Beyond the technical work, the experience required a high degree of cultural flexibility and communication.
“I learned to be flexible, more of the soft skills of communication, and even some of the Romanian language,” she said.
For Vasquez Guevera, the choice of Romania was personal. Her parents had previously visited the country and spoke highly of its beauty and hospitality.
“My family always had a heart for Romania,” she said. “When I saw the option on the list, it aligned my personal and professional goals. This was a new relationship the Clinton School was able to build, and I was excited to be the first to go on this path.”
During her stay, she found that the natural beauty of Romania reminded her of home.
“Romania reminds me somewhat of Arkansas because there is a lot of natural beauty and outdoors,” she noted, recalling trips to historic castles like Bran Castle in Transylvania (famously known as Dracula’s Castle) and camping in Sovata.
Looking Ahead
The skills Vasquez Guevera acquired in Cluj-Napoca are already being applied to her Capstone project with the Arkansas Department of Education, where she is evaluating the effectiveness of a High-Impact Tutoring program across several school districts in Northeast Arkansas.
Following graduation, she plans to continue her career in the nonprofit sector with a focus on education and community development.”
I am looking forward to putting the skills and frameworks I have developed at the Clinton School into meaningful practice,” she said.