Eric Hudson’s (MPA ‘04) favorite part about his work as a senior analyst at the Government Accountability Office is the opportunity to continually learn through conducting research, interviewing experts, and working with smart people who challenge each other while working toward a common goal. Hudson has worked at GAO—an independent and nonpartisan agency that is the investigative arm of Congress and serves as a congressional watchdog—for over 20 years.
Hudson chose to study at La Follette with the plan to get into local government or nonprofit management, inspired to do important work that impacted the people around him in his community. But after completing the program and having the opportunity to intern in the Governor’s office, he says he was exposed to work opportunities that had a much wider impact.
“While I am at GAO, I am always re-evaluating my professional goals and determining how to best meet those goals both inside and outside the GAO.” Hudson says that the most challenging part of his role is recognizing the importance of his work on the work of the federal government. “Because we are not managing or implementing federal programs or conducting projects on the local level, it is easy to lose sight of the impact our work has on the effectiveness and efficiency of the federal government,” he says.
In his work, Hudson uses the analytical skills he developed from his La Follette education daily, from analyzing a program’s database that reports on other areas of the country not being served by a federal program, to leading interviews with executives at a major broadband provider. “Aside from the view on those crisp fall afternoons from the house on the hill, I remember a great set of professors and staff that challenged but supported me in my learning and growth throughout my time at La Follette,” Hudson says. “This was through courses and instruction but also by helping me find the opportunities to learn and grow through internships and assistantships.”
Alumni in the Spotlight
To celebrate La Follette’s 40th anniversary, we are highlighting alumni throughout 2024 who influence policymaking at the highest levels in government, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations across the country and abroad.