Janel Schermerhorn is a dynamic professional, volunteer and storyteller. Schermerhorn maintains an MSc degree in Data, Inequality & Society from the University of Edinburgh and tells her story of being an American mom in Germany on her Mom’s Secret Fort podcast.
MSc Student
University of Edinburgh
Janel Schermerhorn is a recent graduate of the University of Edinburgh. In 2024, Schermerhorn completed a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Data, Inequality and Society. This postgraduate experience equipped Schermerhorn with critical, leading-edge knowledge and valuable insights with a global perspective on complex social challenges. With her newfound knowledge fresh in her mind, the recent University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh Futures Institute alum is bringing new approaches to her work in the United States. As someone who has navigated society both at home and abroad, her own life experiences have strengthened her approach to navigating inequality in society. Schermerhorn’s postgraduate research MSc degree in Data, Inequality and Society has deepened both her understanding and point of view.
Podcast Producer
Mom’s Secret Fort
Janel Schermerhorn is the Podcast Producer and Host of Mom’s Secret Fort. Launched in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mom’s Secret Fort tells the story of an American mom living in Germany during lockdown. Each podcast episode explores Schermerhorn’s daily life with a unique perspective. In a time when the people of the world yearned for interconnectedness, Mom’s Secret Fort sought to bring a sense of normalcy to the lives of listeners and Schermerhorn herself. Mom’s Secret Fort was a passion project for Schermerhorn, as much as it was an outlet for the Podcast Producer. Schermerhorn launched the podcast with a goal of reaching the outside world from her home away from home in lockdown.
