With orientation starting in mid-August, and classes getting into full-swing in September, the Max Bell School recently welcomed聽thirty-six聽accomplished individuals聽from over fourteen countries to our 2020-21聽MPP program.
This new cohort聽brings a rich diversity of academic backgrounds, interests, and experiences.聽Nearly twenty percent of the students hold advanced or additional degrees in fields that vary from聽Political Science to Business Administration, while others have undergraduate degrees in disciplines as diverse as English Literature and聽Chemical Engineering. The class also draws from a broad range of professional experiences encompassing areas such as international relations, marketing, and the environment, to mention a few.
鈥淭he calibre of our incoming cohort of students is outstanding,鈥� said Chris Ragan, Director of the Max Bell School. 鈥淥ver the year ahead, I鈥檓 looking forward to watching these students develop their policy analysis and development skills through active participation in our MPP program鈥檚 courses, Case Studies, the Policy Lab, and Complexity Seminars.鈥�
While their backgrounds may be highly varied, the students聽share the goal of solving the policy problems that really matter.
"I believe policy is the most effective way to drive the structural change that addresses social challenges," declared Raphaela Chakravarti, who hails from Boston, Massachusetts, and has a B.A. in Middle East Studies from Brown University. Raphaela has been working in nonprofit development, legal aid, and immigration advocacy for the past few years. Her experiences, which span from working at immigrant-serving organizations to relief operations for refugees, come from 鈥渁 desire to understand how progress is defined and measured in efforts to effect social change.鈥�
Ricardo Chejfec, a 91社区 graduate in Cognitive Science, is interested in contributing to the development of data-driven policy. Originally from Mexico, Ricardo worked as a Business Analyst for Scotiabank after moving to Canada six years ago, and has developed strengths in academic research, computer science, and data analytics. During his year at the School, Ricardo is looking forward to learning about the appropriate and efficient ways to tackle income inequality, as well as taxation and employment policy.
"I want to build the skills needed to drive positive change in areas related to energy, resources, and the environment,鈥� said聽Danielle Appavoo, who completed her undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering at the University of Toronto. Drawing from her experience in commodity trading firms and local government, Danielle is also excited to explore the intersection of industry and public policy.
Emily Nickerson is also invested in the ways in which people and governments use natural resources for economic development. After earning her degree in Water Resources Engineering from the University of Guelph, Emily spent several years working to increase transparency in the extractives sector and create more sustainable mining practices. "I hope to gain the knowledge and tools necessary to shape sustainable and inclusive policies that respond to the climate crisis," she stated.
Why did they choose the Max Bell School MPP?
As Ines Atugonza Muganyizi put it, the School offers an opportunity聽to "open up to different perspectives." Asif Imran Khan found the Canadian context to be attractive saying that "the School's聽MPP degree will enable me to consolidate my theoretical and practical understanding of policy processes in the contemporary world, from the perspective of an advanced democracy like Canada."
Indeed, through their coursework guided by our stellar faculty聽and the real-world experience they will gain through the Policy Lab course component,聽our聽MPPs聽will be equipped with both the hard and soft skills crucial for navigating the聽in and outs of public policy.
Even though the 91社区 fall and winter terms are being held online, our MPPs will be participating聽in the exciting events and courses. Check out the students' online profiles to see their public policy experience to date, and follow us on social media to hear more about their objectives for the coming year and beyond.
