While Orientation for new two-year program students is taking place this week, Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA) students arrived on campus back in July for the Summer Program.
During this immersive and intensive five-week experience, MC/MPA students prepared for the academic year ahead. Through coursework in areas such as Quantitative Methods, Microeconomics, and Navigating Inequality and Systemic Barriers in a Changing World, students renewed their analytic, conceptual, and study skills.
Outside of the classroom, students also developed important connections with their classmates, instructors, and administrators, and became familiar with the resources available at HKS and the broader University.
Read what a few of our MC/MPA students had to say about their Summer Program experience.
Reflections on the MC/MPA Summer Program
“I was surprised by how much I enjoyed my Quant and Econ classes. It's been a long time since I've explored math and economics as a formal student, and the professors did a fantastic job of getting me back in the game with interesting examples of how to apply these skills to real-life political and societal situations.” — Miguel Veloz MC/MPA 2024 (San Francisco, California)
“I was surprised by how many 'lightbulb' moments I had and could never anticipate where they might come from day-to-day. I found it was important to give myself space every day to lean into my curiosities and engage in casual conversations with classmates and faculty alike.” — Chelsie Ouellette MC/MPA 2024 (Amesbury, Massachusetts)
“An enlightening highlight of the Summer Program for me was the thought-provoking session on receptive conversations led by Professors Julia Minson and Robert Wilkinson. This experience exposed me to an entirely novel dimension of tolerance and taught me about cultivating open-mindedness.” — Edmond Kombat MC/MPA 2024 (Bunkpurugu, Ghana)
“The Summer Program was a highly enriching and stimulating program and laid the groundwork for a fulfilling academic year. Our cohort is comprised of a diverse and unique international student body, which has provided—and will unequivocally continue to provide—powerful learning throughout the academic year.” — Judith Abitan MC/MPA 2024 (Montreal, Canada)
“The sense of camaraderie within our cohort went beyond the classroom. In the lead-up to our midterm exams, our quant instructor made dinner for the entire class, extending an invite to all of us. This seemingly modest yet impactful gesture is a testament to the close-knit community at HKS.” — Zarak Khan MC/MPA 2024 (Pakistan/Sydney, Australia)
"One thing I wish I had known before the Summer Program is how welcoming and supportive the HKS community is. It’s a community that cares about your future goals and provides you a platform to achieve them. If you think that you can answer ‘yes’ to the call to public service, HKS is the place for you." — Mimi Nzuzi MC/MPA 2024 (Democratic Republic of Congo)
“I found the lectures on inequality to be extremely interesting. The ‘Queer History Matters’ lecture led by Timothy McCarthy was extremely enlightening.” — Sofia Ilan MC/MPA 2024 (Israel/Paris, France)
