Caroline Riordan, MPA

Portrait of Caroline RiordanContact Caroline

Hometown

Spencer, Wisconsin

Undergraduate education

Bachelor of arts in sociology with a public policy certificate, UW–Madison

Professional/research interests

Environmental water justice, water utility management, and the intersection of rural communities and social inequalities

Expected graduation date

May 2025

Why an MPA?

Moving to Madison from a rural Midwest town has challenged my narrow worldview and allowed me to be more aware of the daily challenges rural communities face. My connection with my hometown has pushed me to understand and advocate for rural communities in the policy space.

Why the La Follette School?

Through the completion of my bachelor’s degree in sociology, I formed an educational background in social inequality and realized I could be a more productive policy advocate with a research background. La Follette is giving me data analytics tools to analyze inequalities more effectively.

The most rewarding aspect of La Follette is the personal connections you can form. Through private tutoring, office hours, and conversations with colleagues, I consistently feel supported through challenging coursework.

After La Follette?

La Follette has taught me how much I don’t know. Beyond my MPA I hope to enter the job market to continue working on applied policy research.


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