Presidential Management Fellows Program Selects 6 MPA-ESP Students as Finalists

An impressive 6 students from the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program were selected as finalists for the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) program.  The PMF program, established in 1977, was created to attract those from a variety of disciplines who have demonstrated a strong interest and commitment to leadership and public management and policy.  Through this fellowship, each will have the opportunity to demonstrate their dedication to public service and the environment. 

This year, 74 SIPA students applied for this prestigious fellowship, 18 being selected as finalists.  Six of these 18 finalists were part of the MPA-ESP class of 2007, the largest number of finalists from any concentration at SIPA.  On one-third of the finalists being part of the ESP program, Meg Heenehan, Director of Career Services at SIPA, explains “this speaks to the quality of the program.  While being one of the smaller programs at SIPA, it had the greatest representation from SIPA.”  The six finalists this year include Emily Gaskin, Matt Klasen, Catrina Rorke, Alla Sobel, Megan Stouffer, and Melissa Wright. 

The application process began in October, as students submitted their resume online and prepared to take a three-part written test.  The three-part exam covered logic reasoning, writing, and personality topics, looking to gauge the applicant’s skill sets and how their skills would benefit work in the public sector.  In describing the exam, Klasen explains “both of these parts of the application help predict our ability to succeed in federal service.”  With interests ranging from government, political process, and the environment, Klasen is hoping to use the PMF program to combine these interests as he enters the public sector.  Klasen, a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, is currently interning at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability.  Describing the application process, he says, “I’m sure the experiences I cited in the MPA-ESP program were most useful in demonstrating my ability to analyze complex policy topics and develop appropriate and pragmatic solutions.”

A graduate of American University, Stouffer looks forward to the opportunity to return to DC, where many of the positions for the PMF are located.  With an undergraduate degree in international relations, Stouffer is looking to find a job that will couple her interests in international relations with the environment.  “I think the PMF program is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door in public service,” says Stouffer.  She has applied for positions with the Department of State and the Bureau of Land Management, but hopes to see the other opportunities that are ahead. 

Having successfully been named PMFs, students from across the country gathered in Washington, DC for a career fair and show case of governmental agencies, a chance to see the different career opportunities and interview for different positions.  The fair took place over three days, from Wednesday, April 4 through Friday, April 6^th. 

Gaskin came to Columbia from the University of California, Los Angeles, and was excited to attend the fair and hoped to find an opportunity in conservation and natural resource management.  Through the PMF program, Gaskin has found opportunities with the Natural Park Service, the Bureau of Oceans, the EPA, and the Fish and Wildlife Service.  This summer, she has an internship at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).  Rorke has also traveled to the DC conference with a hopeful and optimistic attitude.  With her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and Engineering from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, she is confident she will be able to combine the policy skills she gained through the MPA-ESP program to find a fit within the public sector. 

Wright, a graduate of Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, applied for the PMF because she was interested in putting into practice what she had learned through the MPA-ESP program about translating science into policy.  Wright describes, “I knew that this was a growing need in the public sector – especially as the scientific understanding of issues like climate change become more complex.”  As an undergraduate, Wright studied environmental studies, though didn’t become interested into the policy aspect until she worked at a social service agency in her college town.  As she explains, she entered the MPA-ESP program to “link scientific understanding and thoughtful, responsible action.”

Similar to Wright, other Fellowship finalists credit their preparation for the PMF program to their studies this past year at the Environmental MPA program.  Sobel, previously working in management in the Information Technology field, explains, “Attending the MPA {ESP} program is my first step in a career change into the environment field.”  She is hoping to bring her management, organization, and analytical skills together to address environmental challenges.  Sobel sees the PMF program as an excellent opportunity to see what is available in the public sector.

The PMF program offers these students an excellent gateway into the field of public service.  While the PMF only represents a short-term step in their environmental careers, it serves as an excellent start point for embarking on a career of public service.  As Klasen describes, “Hopefully, by leveraging my experience and interests, I can successfully enter public service as a PMF.”