Dani DiMuzio has always known she wanted to pursue a career that would make a positive difference in the lives of others. Though her path to that goal has changed over time, she has always been guided by a deep sense of purpose.
A two-time graduate of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, DiMuzio earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in social science in 2016, followed by a Master of Science in Social Sciences in 2020. Now, she is pursuing a Ph.D. in policy studies from the Department of Political Science.
DiMuzio moved to Upstate South Carolina at age 10, and while her goal was to move far away from her small hometown, she watched her mother attend Clemson and earn a dual degree in mathematical science and education. She graduated when DiMuzio was in her early years of high school and was the first of DiMuzio’s parents earn a college degree. Her mother’s experience, and a full scholarship, influenced her own decision to attend Clemson – and she resolved to “wring out every possible benefit.”
During her time as an undergraduate student, DiMuzio studied abroad, worked as a University Professional Internship and Co-Op Program (UPIC) intern and participated in two Creative Inquiry (CI) programs, which helped her discover a love of research. She has also been a teaching assistant in both of her graduate programs and now serves as an adjunct lecturer of sociology at the University of South Carolina Upstate.
DiMuzio entered her first year as a psychology student with plans to be a clinical psychologist focused on trauma counseling, specifically for people who had experienced human trafficking, but in the fall of 2014, during a study abroad semester in Thailand, a new vision began to form.
“I was taking these research-focused sociology classes and just fell in love with the process and idea that my impact could potentially be greater than just the one-on-one interactions I would have with clients as a clinical psychologist,” DiMuzio said. “Instead, I could use my skills and strengths to support full-scale programs that serve multiple clients. I was really drawn to the widespread effect.”
In 2018, she began pursuing a master’s in applied sociology – now the Master of Social Science – and as she proceeded with her master’s program, DiMuzio said she began to think of new ways to use her research skills outside of psychology. She began using surveys and focus groups to help organizations improve company culture and evaluate the success of their programs and brands. With each effort, she garnered more success in consulting and evaluation, which she said felt like a natural extension of the work she had already been doing.
She graduated with her master’s in August of 2020 and continued taking on independent consulting projects informally. Nine months later, in April of 2021, she formalized Better Way Consulting. Today, she embeds herself in programs and organizations and conducts qualitative research to help them overcome challenges within their organizations.
DiMuzio founded Better Way Consulting to combine her personal values with her love for research. She lists empowerment, integrity, development and partnership as the core values she models her business around.
“Honestly, a few decades ago, the technology and business sectors realized the importance of evaluation and gathering insights from their customers. Customer feedback has become standard practice,” she said. “But that does not naturally filter into the nonprofit world. I want to bring those same tools and ways of thinking from the business world to where I think it matters most, which is the human service sector. We can use those tools to make a bigger impact in real people’s lives.”
While she has seen her work pay off, she wants to do even more – and that desire led DiMuzio back to pursue her third degree from CBSHS, a doctorate in policy studies. Going back to the roots of what she always planned to study, she looks at human trafficking and protective policies in countries across the world. She assesses their strengths and weaknesses, evaluates power dynamics and examines who the policies are designed to protect.
“If my work can make an impact, I want it to be through changing policies so that people who might have been exploited are instead protected and given access to resources that not only safeguard them, but also help them live fuller lives.”
The Departments of Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice are part of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences. Established in July 2016, CBSHS is a 21st-century, land-grant college that combines work in nine disciplines – communication; nursing; parks, recreation and tourism management; political science; psychology; public health sciences; sociology, anthropology and criminal justice – to further its mission of “building people and communities” in South Carolina and beyond.
