HARRISBURG, Pa. — Students interested in public policy from Penn State’s University Park and Harrisburg campuses will gather in Harrisburg on October 1 to meet with Pennsylvania state legislators and other government experts in the public policy field. We had a series of conversations about his career.
The trip was organized by the College of Liberal Arts’ School of Public Policy and co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Public Policy Association (PSPPA), a student organization for policy-minded individuals.
Attendees included Penn State undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of organizations and classes, including PSPPA, Next Generation Leadership Academy, Lion Caucus, Master of Public Policy Program, Master of Public Administration Program, and University Park Undergraduate Association. It was. others.
“It was a great pleasure to spend the day with the School of Public Policy in Harrisburg. I appreciated the diverse panel of policy experts who provided insight into their careers.” said Maddie Hyndman, a second-year Master of Public Policy student. The biggest lesson I learned is that in the policy world, it’s important to leverage your connections. You never know how, so it’s important to reach out and take the first step. It’s enough to hold a conversation. ”
The opening panel included a bipartisan lineup of four members of the Penn State Alumni Association: Senator David Argall, Senator Nick Miller, Representative Peter Schweyer, and Representative Christine Marcel. The four members discussed how their academic and work experiences shaped how they approached their roles in state government, impressing on the students the importance of gaining experience outside of the classroom.
“As a Penn State alumnus, I am grateful for the opportunity to speak about my college experience and the career path my state senator has guided me on,” Miller said. “I admire the students in the School of Public Policy for their interest in careers in public service and the passion they demonstrated at Career Day. My experience at Penn State helped shape my career. I have no doubt that these students are set up for success.”
The day’s program continued with a lineup of young public policy professionals, including Katie Merritt, deputy assistant secretary for policy and planning in Governor Josh Shapiro’s Office of Policy; Olivia Rindfuss, Senior Associate, Triad Strategies. Madison Stromswold, Senior Associate at Greenlee Partners. and Andrew LaFlatte, deputy director of policy for the Pennsylvania Department of State.
The group interacted with the students and reflected on their journey from their recent graduate studies to their current roles. Two PSPPA students, Brooklyn Graham and Asher Talty, hosted panel discussions on topics ranging from the importance of attending law school to working in the current administration.
Talty said the panelists answered many of his long-standing questions and that their advice gave him confidence that he had the resources and information to build a future in public policy. He said it became.
The panelists then broke into small groups to provide students with career insights, practical advice, and networking opportunities to help them navigate their futures in the federal, state, and local policy professions.
“I cannot stress enough how important the networking sessions were as I was able to speak more closely with each panelist. It allowed us to make valuable connections and understand the nuances of public policy. I was able to learn a lot about the differences,” Talty said. “The panelists were full of useful information, including networking advice, internship and job opportunities, personal anecdotes, and overall inspiration.”
The final session, moderated by PSPPA student Xiomara Larkin, emphasized the importance of effective advocacy and public policy development, and featured Penn State University Associate Director for State Health Affairs Josh Eisner and Capital Blue Two Penn State alumni were in attendance: Cross Government Affairs Manager Brittany Mako. . They were joined by Michael Smith, senior director of federal relations at the University of Pennsylvania, and Darrin Yorker, policy director at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
