Testimonials for Government Jobs/Careers:                                        (Return to Previous Page)

Amelia L. Gannon '09 - Intern, NEMA

I wanted to send you a brief thank you for all your help in preparing me for my internship in the "real world" with NEMA. I would have never guessed that writing a memo which I learned while being a 101 TA would be so valuable. I use Dale Carnegie principles every day. The boss and office relations you demonstrated in 315 have proven to be a great introduction to everyone I come in contact with. It has made me much more comfortable when interacting with people I have never met before who have a great deal more expertise and power than I do.

While I have a great deal more to do to prepare myself for the real world I have noticed the skills I learned in the Public Affairs program has made me more capable and professional than the other interns I meet on The Hill. Some of them are intimidated by the work, have no idea what research needs to be done to complete assignments, and have to ask for help with simple tasks like the Xerox machine. All of these interns have completed an extra year of school than me. I can honestly say this after just a few weeks at my internship.

I am having a fabulous time with Kristin and the rest of NEMA. Working with her has really turned out to be great. I am learning very valuable skills that other interns are not even getting the opportunity to have. I am really enjoying being on Capital Hill, attending hearings, and working in the nonprofit sector. I am quickly getting a great introduction to emergency management and the policy process.

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Rob Magliaro '08 - Intern, Governor Ed Rendell’s Office, PA

I am a rising sophomore student who took PAF 101 in the fall semester of my freshman year.  With just the PAF 101 experience and a few other PAF core classes I was able to obtain a summer internship in 2005 at Governor Ed Rendell’s Office in Pennsylvania.  Initially, I though the PAF 101 material was over simplified, theoretical generalities about public policy, but I was surprised to learn its relevance in real, complex policymaking. 

I found that a majority of the Governor’s statewide policy programs are in response to “societal problems” that effected large proportions of the state’s population.  For example, the Pennsylvania Nursing Home Transition Program (NHT) is a statewide public policy initiative that attempts to solve the problem of “too much expensive, low quality long-term health care” by helping consumers (citizens living in nursing homes) move from nursing homes back into the community. The “players” involved are the Governor, his office of Health Care Reform, the national Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), the Department of Aging, the Department of Public Welfare, Nursing Homes, the state legislature, and several other government agencies.  The policy mandates “stakeholder involvement” by requiring consumers to have a say in planning their transition and individual care plans once they leave the nursing homes.  Additionally, the NHT policy created “report cards” on nursing homes around the state based on individual, face-to-face, consumer satisfaction surveys.  NHT also set “benchmarks” of transitioning 150 consumers statewide by the end of June 2005 and then doubling that number by June 2006.  There is a constant reassessment of the “cost-benefit” ratio to insure the NHT policy is cost and quality effective.  “Political feasibility” is also a prevalent in the NHT policy because nursing homes often oppose the policy because it damages their business by taking consumers away from the nursing homes and putting them into the community.  Some politicians, who felt NHT may not have been effective or were pressured by nursing homes, needed to be convinced of the merits of the policy for NHT to be implemented statewide.  As many of the NHT initiatives as possible were actually done outside of the legislature because of how long it takes to build a consensus among policymakers and politicians. 

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Cathryn J. Sitterding '07 - Fleishman-Hillard Government Relations, Homeland Security Practice Group

PAF 101 was the first class I took that really opened my eyes to something besides journalism as a possible career. In Coplin's class, I learned that one person can make a huge difference if they just get up and do it. I grew up in rural Indiana and basically had no idea of the severity of some societal problems. Throwing us into the city and into community service was difficult at first but I can't imagine what my academic life would be like without that experience. That's where you learn things, right out in the middle of it.

The entire major is structed around skills for real life. I can't believe how many times my boss has said "Let me teach you how to..." and I said I already knew how. Through classes like 416 and MAX 201, I learned how to look at problems and solutions from a statistical viewpoint. The grantwriting class gave me an inside look - and valuable hands-on experience - into how a non-profit conducts business. I even took a class where I managed my own tutoring program. I don't know another school or department that offers such intense field experience.

The class - and Coplin - gave me my start in politics, and now I'm living and working in Washington, making a difference (very small difference, since I'm just an intern) everyday. I've been encouraged to do good, to really do good and not just pretend that I am. The classes in the policy studies major give me constructive methods to accomplish that.

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Drew Bland '07 - Maxwell MPA student

My #1 fear in the job search process was that I would not stack up because I went straight from undergrad to Maxwell, so I had no work experience. Nevertheless, I have been successful in my job search because my internships with the Benchmarks program and the impact study we did have held up better than any work experience I could have done outside of consulting itself. In fact, 315, 409 and my internships I got through the PAF office were exactly like consulting. I did real work for real clients and I am able to draw on that in every interview.

Policy studies is the best preparation for an MPA program bar none. My MPA program trains you to write concise memos, do quantitative analysis in Excel and SPSS and work in teams. I did memos in 101 and 315. I did quantitative analysis in 101, 315, 409 and MAX 201. I worked in teams in benchmarking (409). Graduate school takes it a few steps further, but the first few weeks they did Excel and SPSS training just like when I was an undergrad. I felt very well prepared. Other students noticed it too and asked about the policy studies major. I even had a leg up in my econ classes because policy studies' flexibility allowed me to add an econ major.

I have two recommendations for current students.

1) Take benchmarking instead of the independent internship. Every firm I have interviewed with wants to know about my experience working with teams. I don't think this is unique to management consulting.

2) Do well in 101 and 315 and then ask for internships. If you prove you're good in the classes, then you'll get access to some great internship opportunities that vastly improve your resume.

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Christiane LaBonte ‘06 - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Secretary

I graduated from Syracuse in May 2006 with a BA in economics and policy studies, and loved my SU experience.  Like most seniors, I was nervous about graduating and finding a job and learning how to do this adulthood thing.  After graduation, I knew I wanted to move to Washington, D.C. I spent the spring and summer of 2005 here, and while interning with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I caught a rather acute case of “Potomac Fever.”  Sure enough, within three weeks of graduation, I accepted a job as a research assistant (RA) with The CNA Corporation, a not-for-profit policy research firm in Alexandria, Virginia. My work is in the area of health services research, which refers to the quality, efficiency, financing, and delivery of the health care system.  

CNA’s health care practice numbers about 20 people and we’re growing.  The majority of our staff hold PhDs in economics, but there are also sociologists and clinical and research psychologists on staff.  At the moment, I am the only Bachelor’s-level RA, so I am busy.  Fortunately, my SU education prepared me for this job extremely well.

In addition, my second major of policy studies gave me additional hard skills that made me competitive in the marketplace, and have contributed tremendously to my ability to do my job.  In policy studies, I learned how to do things like design and implement surveys.  Well, one of my first tasks at CNA was implementing and analyzing results for a survey on disability compensation for the Department of Veterans Affairs.  In order to analyze survey data, I primarily used SPSS, which I first learned in MAX 201, a required course for policy studies majors.  Policy studies, in general, gave me the skills I needed to apply the theory I was learning in my economics courses.   

Finally, I cannot speak enough about the value of internships or other applied learning experiences that integrated in formal coursework.  The summer after freshman year, I had to beg for my first internship (part-time and unpaid) with the planning department at a hospital in my hometown of Chicopee, Mass (while I had that internship, I also worked nearly full-time at a grocery store).  I did such a good job that I got a check at the end of the summer and they brought me back the following year, this time for a full-time and paid internship.  Internships have a way of building upon themselves – if you start early, you’ll be in a much better position later on to compete for the prestigious placements in DC.  And you’ll have a leg up on figuring out what you want to do after graduation.  

Because of these experiences I had in college, I did not experience a learning curve at CNA.  Instead, I have been able to focus on improving my analytical skills and learning more about how the professional world works.   My colleagues have been gracious and helpful.  CNA is a low-key environment, conducive to hard-core thinking.  I have my own office (no cubes!), which I have decorated with Syracuse Basketball memorabilia.  The work, while challenging, often makes an impact – for example, just last week my boss testified to Congress about that survey project that I wrote about a few paragraphs ago, and our findings will hopefully bring some changes to the VA’s disability claims process.   

Outside of CNA, I volunteer as a grant evaluator for my church’s social justice committee, run 5K races, chair a committee for the Maxwell School alumni group, and watch SU games whenever they’re on TV (which is more often than you would think, even here in ACC country).  I live in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, which is pedestrian and public transportation friendly.  

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Rebecca Kellerson '05 - ICF International

Luckily, I heeded your advice my senior year, and took Carol’s class on Access. For those of your students who may feel as if they could never be database-savvy, I would argue that it’s not about being an expert. Even general knowledge of Access has set me apart from my peers. Additionally, over this past year at ICF, I was tasked with “self-teaching” myself SAS. SAS programming knowledge and the ability to think in logical programming terms has allowed me to be a part of a 2-person ICF team responsible for generating the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey and Codebook. As Kim has told you, ICF recently won the Louisiana Recovery Authority’s Road Home Contract. I’ve spent 2+ months in Baton Rouge providing support on this project as it has grown from conception to grants awarded to hurricane victim families. A large part of my work in the Road Home Program has been Section 3 compliance – Section 3 the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 requires that economic opportunities generated by certain types of HUD financial assistance be made available, as possible, to low and very low-income persons, particularly persons living in areas where HUD-assisted projects are located (like the Road Home). My work with Section 3 compliance has included: survey design, performance measurement metrics, mapping (GIS!), policy recommendations, and crafting concise narratives. The reports I have developed with my small team have been so well received by our client that they are submitting the work to HUD as an exceptional example of Section 3 reporting.


Had it not been for the skills I developed in the policy studies major, and especially the lessons learned from my 315 project, I would not have had such challenging and gratifying opportunities at ICF.
 

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Jennifer Zuccarelli '03 - Media Spokeswoman, U.S. Department of the Treasury

I was what one might call an “academic drifter” in college. I loved learning and earned high grades in my classes, but I wanted a different or additional major every semester during my first two years of college. One of the only things that remained constant throughout those first few years was my PAF major and Professor Coplin’s guidance.

The PAF program allowed students to really tailor their academic schedules to their interests. The program’s community service and internship requirements were invaluable compliments to the in-class learning. And the PAF instructors gave their students the tools necessary to excel in the work place, not just esoteric philosophy about “doing good.”

After four semesters and four different majors, I realized that the Public Affairs program really complimented almost any other major in the school. I finished school with double majors in Newspaper and Public Affairs (PAF).

I have no doubt that Professor Coplin’s constant support and the skills I learned in PAF put me far ahead of the other recent graduates at my internships and helped me to land my first real job, which led to media spokesman jobs on Capitol Hill and in the Administration. The PAF program is a major reason I was able to launch a career in a highly competitive industry.

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Michael Sanderson '02 - Legislative Director, Maryland Association of Counties (Policy Studies and Economics Major)

I'm doing my best to put my Public Affairs studies to work in real life -- I've been in public policy now for nearly 15 years, working for the Maryland General Assembly as a tax policy expert and legislative committee staffer, and now I work as the Legislative Director for the Maryland Association of Counties, basically lobbying the state legislature on behalf of local government issues. On the side, I also teach economics at Anne Arundel Community College, which I really enjoy.

As a professional in public policy, there's nothing from my college coursework that connects as well to the things I do professionally more than the core concepts of Syracuse University's Policy Studies program. The skills that I started building in those classes are the ones that I need all the time when analyzing and influencing public policy issues. Academically, there's nothing more central to what we do in the policymaking arena.

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Laurie Schrall '01 - Analyst for a D.C.-Based Consulting Firm Working on Government Contracts 

Coplin's Policy Studies Program lays the groundwork for "real world" government work. I have held multiple internships, worked under one President and consulted with more than seven federal government agencies throughout my professional career. While in college, I held internships in the New York State Assembly in Albany, NY and as a White House intern for the Chief of Staff under the Clinton Administration. Upon graduation in '01, I began my consulting career at Accenture and later moved to BearingPoint where I have worked in the Public Services/Federal Government sector for the past three years. Additionally, Coplin's community service initiative made an impression as I continue to volunteer and have been involved in non-profit Girls on the Run organization for the past three years (www.girlsontherun.com). The methodologies, strategies and experience gained from my Policy Studies major has contributed to my foundational knowledge that has lead to a success career in consulting and provided me with an opportunity to implement change within my community and at the national level.

The formulation and evaluation process for policy implementation that Coplin exposes students to can be directly tied to any strategy, planning and/or implementation effort used within the federal government. Before any "change" (or policy) can be implemented within the government, the problem at hand needs to be clearly assessed and dissected in order to identify and formulate the most efficient and effective strategy for combating the issue. In addition, gaining stakeholder support (or player support) is a necessary for any government effort. Since organizations are naturally resistant to change, stakeholder support is imperative in ensuring that the strategy or policy is accepted and socialized. I've seen numerous brilliant strategies squashed because there was no support or follow through within the organization.

From my Policy Studies days, I remember the class complaining about the ridiculous anal-retentiveness that takes place around spelling, punctuation and formatting on PAF 101 papers (I was a TA). Well hopefully the Coplinites have engrained those rules in your brain. The review process is critical before presenting any deliverable or presentation to stakeholders. I recently had a colleague present process work stream documentation to the Director of an Agency. The first thing the Director noticed was that his name/stakeholder group was not the first listed in the hierarchy of the documentation. This is not the way to make a first impression with a political appointee especially since exposure at that level within an organization is far and few between.

Overall, I would provide a few points of advice for jump starting a career. First, internship experience is crucial. Internships look great on your resume, they give you exposure and "the know" of business. Professionals prefer to hire people with a background in that industry, internships help to give you that inside track! Be sure to build your contacts, stay in touch and never burn your bridges. It's a small world and the people you know can be turn out to be a shining light down the road. Also, don't use drugs and don't get a DUI or DWI if you ever want to work for the government. It is a black ball that follows any security clearances. Finally, stay in the Policy Studies Program. Policy Studies will help you to build a foundation for success and don't forget to listen to Coplin (he may seem irrational at times, but he knows what he's talking about).
 

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Sam Davis '01 - Working for Political Think Tank

I failed—PAF 101—that is why I succeed. Well not really but I do feel like the Michael Jordan of Policy Studies. For I was on the verge of failing when Bill asked me to withdraw from the class (Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team).

My first attempt at PAF 101 was more about challenging Coplin on the grounds that the practical application of “doing good”—public service—took energy and resources away from fighting issues on a grander scale. To me, public service meant whether or not your doing good amounted to making monumental structural changes all at once. So instead of taking the class seriously and learning the critical skills Bill was trying to teach, I slighted the course. Über immature? Yes. And Bill made that very clear. He asked that I retake the class and that before I do, ask myself whether I was really ameliorating people’s lives by being so rebellious and idea driven. So after losing many battles with him in my own head, I re-enrolled. This proved to be one of the most important decisions of my life.

In the business of politics and government, just as big as the gap between the rich and the poor, there is a huge disparity. And the disparity is between those who pay attention to detail with every minutia given the utmost respect, and those who are labeled incompetent and stay in the mail room throughout their careers. That particular focus of detail was my everything in working for Senator Clinton. Because I did so much crossing of the T’s and dotting of the I’s, she gave me more and more opportunities of greater and greater political sensitivity. Makes sense doesn’t it? How can you trust someone’s work if they are sloppy?—the political consequences of that are enormous. So with that I was able to rise through the ranks in her office and establish a solid portfolio of federal legislative work. Maybe more importantly however, (practical!) public service (e.g. student mentoring in south Syracuse) gave me a certain perspective of policy development often lacking in Washington. There is no better place to learn the importance of this than in the Policy Studies program.

Bottom line, Policy Studies is the Mecca for those who want to affect serious change.
Sam Davis is Policy Analyst at the Center for American Progress. Prior to joining the Center, he spent three years with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) as her Policy Analyst working on a wide array of issues including consumer finance, government reform, and bankruptcy. During the 2004 Presidential election, Sam was Director for Planned Parenthood Action Fund in Las Vegas. He can be reached at sdavis@americanprogress.org

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Stacy Reinstein '99 - Executive Staff Assistant to the Director, Arizona Department of Economic Security

I am sure that you hear this all the time from current and former students, but now that I am 7 years (oh my gosh!) out of undergrad, and 4 years out of grad school from the University of Chicago MPP program, I feel as though I have some good perspective on what I learned as a Policy Studies major.

Up until this August, I have been working for Governor Janet Napolitano in various capacities, primarily in "Special Projects" having to do with social policy issues - juvenile justice, child welfare and substance abuse. In August I started as the special assistant to the Director of our State's human services agency, the Department of Economic Security. While the name does not help define what we do (and we are working on that!), the agency provides services for the state's child protective services, adult protective services, developmental disabilities, welfare including TANF, medical assistance, food stamps, financial assistance, etc, refugee resettlement; early intervention (ages 0-3), foster care and other group home licensing, vocational rehabilitation, child care, and even more!

In my position I use the skills, and try to pass them along, that I learned in PAF 101 and throughout my 4 years as a Policy Studies major. I have even referred back to modules and writing skills and citations requirements for my own writing and reference! I have always felt, since entering the Policy Studies program, that what we learned was applicable to the real world. And I saw that - from my college internships, through grad school and my graduate internships, to my work as an analyst at the GAO and today. I often refer to the "triangle" concept of policy influence when trying to explain who needs to be involved, included and given a voice in order to effect policy. I also notice how loosely the word "policy" can be used in government, and I try to help delineate the differences between how people use and write policy, and what public policy really is and can be!

Overall, I wanted to let you know that I am continuously inspired by the work that I did at Syracuse and what I learned in your program. As I am "aging" (smile), I have a nostalgic feeling and sometimes wish I could go back and learn it all over again! I am sure that I would pick up even more with different eyes and ears, from when I was 18-21 years old!

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