Tara McKillop, Student Worker
Hometown
Los Angeles, California
Undergraduate education
B.A. degree in Sociology
Graduate education
Master of Public Affairs (MPA)
Expected graduation date
May 2028
Professional/research interests
Social policy; housing, health, and welfare. Interest in how human rights and social movements can shape policy outcomes.
What makes you most excited about your graduate degree?
Getting to learn alongside other passionate students in a small, close-knit cohort is the many highlights of this program. At the same time, I hope to explore and deepen my interests across multiple areas of policy while strengthening the quantitative and analytical skills needed to create meaningful, community-centered policy change.
What experiences shaped your decision to pursue your graduate degree?
Personal experiences and work in constituent services, kickstarted my passion in policy. I have had the opportunity to hear and see firsthand how policy directly affects people’s everyday lives. That, along with studying systems of oppression and inequity as an undergraduate sociology major and public policy cert., has helped me better understand the structural barriers at play. In pursuing public policy, I hope to break away these barriers and learn how to evaluate and strengthen assistance programs for communities in need to receive the full intended benefits.
What do you enjoy most about working with La Follette students or staff?
As a La Follette School Student Ambassador, I get to be a part of such a welcoming and supportive community while also connecting with prospective students from many different backgrounds. I love hearing what inspires students to pursue public affairs and seeing their excitement about the opportunities ahead. An amazing perk of this role is that while sharing La Follette’s resources and opportunities with prospective students, I’m also constantly learning about new opportunities available to me as a current student and all of the wonderful faculty and staff we get to learn from!
What do you like to do with your freetime?
In my free time, I play for the Women’s Waterpolo Club team here at UW–Madison, we’ve placed 2nd at Big 10’s two years in a row!