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Phillip Seo is a Communications Intern at the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), where he supports external communications, policy messaging, and research dissemination focused on postsecondary access, affordability, and student success. In his role, he contributes to digital content and strategic outreach efforts that translate higher education research into accessible resources for policymakers, advocates, and institutional leaders. 

Prior to joining IHEP, Phillip served as a Democracy Fellow with Public Citizen’s Declaration for American Democracy coalition, where he supported research and advocacy efforts related to democratic accountability and corporate governance to advocate for marginalized racial and socioeconomic communities. Additionally, he previously served as a legal intern at the ACLU of Texas, assisting attorneys in reviewing civil rights violation claims and conducting preliminary legal research on core constitutional and social justice issues.  

Phillip is currently pursuing a B.A. in Economics and Political Science at Rice University. He is motivated by a commitment to reducing racial and socioeconomic disparities in access to higher education, particularly by strengthening policy transparency, equitable funding structures, and alignment across K–12 and higher education systems. 

Outside of work, Phillip enjoys watching movies, working out, trying new restaurants, and mentoring peers through his work with the Rice University Journal of Public Policy, where he supports student researchers in strengthening their policy analysis, argumentation, and writing skills to advance Gen-Z engagement with U.S. public policy.