By Hamzah Kerdi, JSI@HKS 2025 Summer Scholar
Fifteen undergraduates from across the United States spent their summer on the Harvard Kennedy School campus for the second annual Junior Summer Institute (JSI@HKS) as JSI Summer Scholars.
The fully funded, seven-week program prepares rising seniors for graduate studies and careers in public service. JSI is the signature summer offering of the Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Program, which partners with public policy schools across the country to develop the next generation of public leaders. JSI Summer Scholars have gone on to receive merit-based scholarships to top public policy graduate schools.
Hamzah Kerdi, a political science and public law student at UC San Diego, reflects on his JSI@HKS experience and how tackling quantitative analysis, embracing systems thinking, and learning to listen deeply reshaped his vision for using policy as a tool for justice.
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Growing up in an immigrant family in San Diego, California sparked my interest in public policy. I saw firsthand how policy decisions on housing, education, and healthcare shaped the lives of new Americans. It became clear to me early on that policy doesn’t just affect individuals; it shapes communities, for better or worse.
At JSI@HKS this summer, that early curiosity grew into a deeper understanding of how policies intersect with systems like policing, education, and access to opportunity. In my Race and Racism in Public Policies and Practice class with Professor Desmond Ang, I was struck by data that showed for every act of police violence, three students of color in the community drop out of school. I had long understood that inequality exists, but I didn’t fully grasp how even well-intentioned policies can reinforce systemic harm. JSI@HKS gave me the space and the tools to wrestle with these realities.
“I had long understood that inequality exists, but I didn’t fully grasp how even well-intentioned policies can reinforce systemic harm. JSI@HKS gave me the space and the tools to wrestle with these realities.”
Before JSI@HKS, I imagined using policy as a tool for social change, maybe through a law degree in public defense or a Master in Public Policy working in the nonprofit sector. That’s still part of my vision, but I now see impactful policy work requires more than strong values and good intentions. It requires data, systems thinking, and deep awareness of real-world consequences. Caring matters, but to make a difference, you need the skills to act with clarity and precision.
One of the most transformative parts of the program was diving into quantitative analysis. Coming from a background in political science and public law, I hadn’t spent much time working with data, and honestly, I was intimidated. But thanks to the program’s supportive environment and excellent instruction, I not only built those skills, I came to value them. Understanding the numbers means being able to show why a solution works, not just hope it will.
In my Public Policy Incubator class with Professor Mark Fagan, I was introduced to systems thinking: the idea that good policy considers not only intentions, but outcomes, unintended consequences, and broader impacts. That mindset shaped the way I approach problems now. I also learned effective policy leaders don’t just speak well, they listen deeply. Listening to those directly affected by policy is one of the most powerful and necessary tools for driving just outcomes.
“I also learned effective policy leaders don’t just speak well, they listen deeply. Listening to those directly affected by policy is one of the most powerful and necessary tools for driving just outcomes.”
If I could give one piece of advice to future JSI@HKS applicants, it would be this: policy is hard, but it is worth it. Come with an open mind, a willingness to learn, and your whole self. Don’t be intimidated by the quantitative side; you’ll grow into it, just like my classmates and I did. And you don’t have to be an expert to belong here. Your lived experience, curiosity, and drive for justice matter much more.
Throughout the program, I was constantly inspired by my cohort. Each person brought a unique perspective grounded in their own story, and our most meaningful moments came from honest conversations, inside and outside the classroom, filled with questions, respect, and mutual growth.
Looking back on these seven weeks, I’m grateful not just for the academic growth, but for the people who made it possible: JSI@HKS Associate Director Abdoulaye Ba, MPP Program Director Cate Lagueux, JSI@HKS Faculty Chair Professor Pınar Doğan, Professor Ang, Professor Fagan, course instructors Dr. Josh Yardley andJacob Jameson, course assistants Jake Green and Jasmine Higo, and housing proctor Ayla Han. I leave JSI@HKS more prepared, more grounded, and more hopeful. That’s a gift I’ll carry with me always.
Photos by Bethany Versoy and courtesy of Hamzah Kerdi.
The fully funded, seven-week Junior Summer Institute at Harvard Kennedy School prepares undergraduate students who are rising seniors for graduate studies and careers in public service. Learn more about the program and upcoming application and admission dates.
