Career Development Program

In addition to an excellent academic experience, we offer a career development program to prepare our students and alumni to succeed in the professional world. The program includes a semester-long group seminar and ongoing one-on-one coaching. These services help students improve their self-understanding, identify roles for which they are best suited, and develop hard and soft skills to forge successful careers that maximize both social impact and personal fulfillment.

MPA Career Development Seminar

Our two-part seminar is carefully sequenced to guide students through a process of introspection followed by the acquisition of key skills. In Part 1, students explore what motivates them to work for social change. They identify their core values and strengths, clarify the social issues that move them the most, and learn about roles they can play as changemakers. In Part 2, they learn practical skills, including networking and personal branding, writing effective resumes and cover letters, and mastering common interview scenarios. The seminar is tuition-free and not for academic credit. It runs parallel to MPA coursework and meets in person every two weeks, with regular assignments on Blackboard. Students who attend every in-class session and complete all assignments satisfactorily are eligible for a scholarship of $250 for each part of the seminar, or $500 for the whole seminar. 

Appointments

To schedule appointments and for additional information, please contact:

James Suggett
Program Manager, Career Development
212-650-5810
jsuggett@ccny.cuny.edu