The first Mexican woman in social enterprise program at MIT

While aiming to pursue a master’s program abroad, Lucía Gallardo found a program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) focused on economics with a social impact.

Lucia is one of 20 students selected from around the world to participate in the Master’s in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy. What’s more, she’s the first Mexican woman on this graduate program.

The graduate from the Monterrey campus tackled a different and challenging admissions process: before formally applying, applicants must pass master’s-level courses and exams designed by the institution itself.

After a process that lasted a year and three months, she is now attending her one-year graduate program in person.

Lucia is using this master’s program not only to further her education but also to discuss economics and other topics on her podcast, Todo depende (It All Depends).

The program, which is supported by the MIT Department of Economics and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), focuses on development economics, data analysis, and public policy design.

In addition, it offers a hybrid program designed for professionals interested in specializing in the evaluation of public policies with a social focus.

“While aiming to pursue a master’s degree abroad, I came across this program, which really caught my attention because it focuses on economics but also has a social impact.

“It also has a very unique selection process, which is why I applied—because of the level of rigor and preparation it required”, said the Tec graduate.

The program operates under a model known as “earn your way in,” which means that applicants must first demonstrate their academic merit before submitting a formal application to the master’s program.

Lucia is a member of the 2026 class, which includes 20 students selected from more than 100 applications from around the world.

“The in-person program lasts one year; it’s important to highlight that, in this class, there are only four women in the entire group".

Joining the selection process

The selection process takes place through the MITx MicroMasters online program in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP), a degree program created by MIT to train specialists in applied economics, data analysis, and public policy.

“The MicroMasters program features five master’s-level courses; each course is offered online and lasts three months”, Lucía said.

These courses cover topics such as statistical methods, development economics, public policy evaluation, and data analysis. 

Once these requirements are met, candidates must pass a series of proctored exams, which is considered one of the key stages of the selection process, lasting a total of 15 months.

“The in-person program lasts one year; it’s important to highlight that, in this class, there are only four women in the entire group.

“It’s been very demanding because, since the program is so short, the workload is heavier”, said the Tec graduate, who is in her fifth month of the master’s program.

The curriculum combines theoretical economics, econometrics, data analysis, and policy design.

“Recording this podcast has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me, as it forces me to express myself clearly and be precise when I talk about economics".

 

Creating a podcast about economics 

While pursuing her bachelor’s degree in economics at the Monterrey campus, Lucía participated in TecSounds, an experience that would later give her the tools she needed to produce her own podcast.

Tec Sounds is the Tec’s official audio and broadcasting platform, offering live radio and a curated selection of podcasts.

“I’ve always really liked this format of listening to something and learning as I go.

“When I arrived at MIT, I realized that economists have a hard time explaining these kinds of topics in a way that’s interesting to the general public”, she said.

That’s where the Tec graduate got the idea for Todo depende, a podcast she produces that focuses on creating economics content based on everyday situations.

“Producing this podcast has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, as it forces me to express myself clearly and precisely when discussing economics in an era dominated by entertainment”, she said.

In addition to economics, its content covers topics such as the regulation of artificial intelligence, the care economy, and urban environmental crises.

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