News: MIPA

The Georgetown Public Policy Review recently published a paper written by La Follette School student Sam Alhadeff. He wrote the paper, Reforming the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), for the Introduction to Policy Analysis course (PA 873) taught by Professor Dave Weimer.

The people at La Follette really make a difference. Each student I have met at this school exudes a level of friendship and willingness to help that you would be hard pressed to find at other schools, especially grad programs. La Follette captures everything amazing about UW-Madison with the added benefit of an exceptional policy school based in a state capital.

In addition to their passion for public policy and governance, La Follette School students bring wide-ranging talents to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. One student, Atiya Rose Siddiqi, recently became a published author.

Katie Sanders (MIPA ’05), executive director of the Milwaukee nonprofit organization Safe & Sound, received a Driven to Achieve Award from the Donald Driver Foundation on March 24.

The Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) named Raul Leon (MIPA ’07, PhD ’10) as one of its eight Forward under 40 recipients for 2018.

Not everyone has access to the same level of opportunity as I do, and that needs changing. A world with more equality of opportunity is attainable, and public policy is the key. I want my career goals to align with that broader notion, which starts with service to the underserved.

I previously was an English teacher in South Korea, and I also worked for an international development organization in Washington, D.C. Pursuing a master’s degree in public affairs was the next logical step in developing myself professionally and seeking opportunities with more responsibilities.

Summer internships took La Follette School students to Germany, California, Missouri, Chicago, India, Washington, D.C., and other locations during 2017. Several students stayed in Wisconsin, gaining valuable experience at government agencies, with nonprofit organizations, and in the private sector.

The La Follette School of Public Affairs is seeking client-based projects for students in its Workshop in Public Affairs and Workshop in International Public Affairs courses. Applications for domestic and international projects from public, nonprofit, or private-sector organizations are due November 17. Alumni are encouraged to apply.

My advice to prospective La Follette School students is to take quantitative classes, use the La Follette network to learn more about career paths and opportunities, pursue a summer internship, and participate in extra-curricular activities.