The Master in Public Administration (MPA) curriculum offers extraordinary flexibility—you create a study plan that reflects your academic interests, focuses on your personal and professional aspirations, and integrates across disciplines. You can also choose to pursue a concurrent degree in law, business, medicine, or other professional fields that complement the MPA curriculum—many MPA students do.
We asked four MPA students about their goals while at HKS and for their future careers, and how the program will help them succeed in their respective fields. Read the students’ reflections below.
Danni Bianco MPA 2025
“HKS has given me a new way of thinking...It’s less about being a leader by taking charge and more about practicing leadership to enable others to act.” —Danni Bianco MPA 2025 on how she has learned valuable skills in and out of the classroom.
David Riveros García MPA 2025
“I had no idea about the challenges involved in managing people, recruiting and training them, and dealing with the internal politics of an organization and with the external ecosystem. The MPA Program focuses on building those leadership and management skills.” —David Riveros García MPA 2025 on how his skillset has grown at HKS.
Jasmin Burgermeister MPA 2025
“It’s important not to shy away from the problem but to come up with good ideas on how to prevent those possible dark outcomes.” —Jasmin Burgermeister MPA 2025 on how she remains optimistic as she thinks about how to confront worldly challenges.
Christian Hess MPA 2025
“The Peace Corps was the inception of me finding health care as a passion area. It’s what I’ve fallen the most in love with and has been my policy area of focus here at HKS.” —Christian Hess MPA 2025 on how his experience in the Peace Corps shaped his mentality toward public service and health care policy.
