MPA Program at CCNY
On Wednesday, 48 undergraduate students, graduate students, and alumni gathered in Shepard Hall to learn about public service career paths and meet professionals in the field.
The evening began with a panel discussion. The eight panelists spoke about their experiences in local and federal government, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic foundations, social enterprise, law, social impact consulting, and more:
- Yaritza Holguin, Associate, Ichor Strategies
- Taif Jany, Policy Entrepreneur, The Next 100
- Tiffany McGriff, Foreign Service Officer, US Department of State
- Jo Christine Miles, Public Policy Fellow, Philanthropy NY
- Phumelele Mthimunye, Service Design Fellow, NYC Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity
- Kelsey Murphy, Service Design Fellow, NYC Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity
- Rebekah Romingquet, Associate Director of Talent, NYC Department of Education
- Dayanna Torres, Director of Community Solutions, JobsFirstNYC
The panelists also offered career advice and addressed questions about the difficulty of making social change in large organizations and the challenges of being a minority in the workplace. They emphasized the importance of building relationships across sectors and communities. They also encouraged students to stand firmly with pride in who they are and where they come from, and to remember the value they bring to any team, while striving to always grow and learn.
Following the panel, students met and conversed one-on-one with the panelists in breakout stations while enjoying food and refreshments.