Sarah Dennis is a Research Assistant for MSU’s Center for Community and Economic Development for Regional and Economic Innovation (REI). She is an undergraduate student studying Social Relations & Policy with minors in Educational Studies and Peace & Justice Studies. The cluster, or theme, of her courses is political economy. Last summer Sarah interned at the nonprofit organization, Michigan’s Children. There she worked on research regarding license-exempt childcare providers (LEPs), and how the current subsidies affect children, providers, and women. Her work there helps her in her other current Research Assistant Position working on a project called “Making Ends Meet.” The focus of the project centers on how women are navigating the formal and informal economies post-pandemic. Her concentration surrounds the care economy, specifically childcare, and how this affects women’s entrance into the workforce. Sarah is extremely interested in sustainable community development as well as circular economy proposals.