Michael Garcia received his BA in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley and he currently works as a Predoctoral Researcher under Goldman School of Public Policy faculty members Steven Raphael and Jake Grumbach. His lived experience fuels his passion for social justice and his love of learning motivates his dedication to education.
During his time at Cal, he worked with the Berkeley Underground Scholars supporting the needs of formerly incarcerated and system-impacted individuals as a policy advocate, transfer coordinator, and ambassador coordinator. As an undergraduate researcher with the Latinx Research Center at UC Berkeley, he completed multiple research projects, including investigating the effects that the equalization of school spending had on juvenile incarceration and analyzing national crime trends during the Covid-19 pandemic. He completed the American Economic Association Summer Training Program, at Howard University, in 2023 and was a 2022 Marco Antonio Firebaugh Scholar at UC Berkeley.
His research interests include the economics of crime and corrections, racial inequality, educational outcomes, and causes of poverty. He looks forward to continuing his journey towards obtaining a Ph.D. in Economics, so he can create change in his community, and expand opportunities for minoritized groups. He plans to apply for Fall 2026 admissions.