Learning By Doing: Our Practical Learning Component

At Cornell University, we believe in the power of hands-on learning, which is why we offer a variety of ways to enhance your MPA degree through tangible, real-world experiences. Read on to learn more about where our students have gained experience and how they went from students to public administration professionals. 

 

Public Administration Careers: Representative Employers (Full-time Jobs and Summer Internships)

Whether you’re interested in a role in the international or federal government or you want to work for an NGO, we can help you find an internship to fit your career goals. Check out the categories below to see some of the organizations where our MPA students have interned. 

Daniel

“I was able to combine practical experience with coursework taught by professors at the cutting edge of their fields. . . I spent a semester working full time at the United Nations World Food Programme, while earning academic credit. I worked on some of the largest humanitarian emergencies in the world today, including the crisis in Syria — and I was able to see how the theory I learned at Cornell translated into practice. . . Ultimately, this experience led to a full-time job offer."

Daniel Arukwe Johansen, MPA ‘15

What Can You Do With an MPA Degree: 
Alumni Spotlights 

  • Education

    Lindsey Novakovic Oates, 2007

    Chief Financial Officer of the New York City Department of Education

    Concentration
    Public and Nonprofit Management

  • Consulting

    Melissa Gradie, 2011

    Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Advisory Services LLP

    Concentration
    Public and Nonprofit Management

  • City Government

    Hunter Gradie, 2012

    Managing Director of Operations, CPC Mortgage Company  

    Concentration
    Government, Politics, and Policy Studies

  • International Development

    Daniel Arukwe Johansen, 2015

    Head of Operational Information Management and Performance Reporting, Yemen Country Response, UN World Food Programme

    Concentration
    Government, Politics, and Policy Studies

  • Tech

    Kristen Edwards, 2016

    U.S. Army

    MPA Concentration
    Science, Technology, and Infrastructure Policy

    MBA Studies

  • Federal Government

    Emily Martin, 2018

    Analyst at the Government Accountability Office in D.C.

    Concentration
    Human Rights and Social Justice

  • Foreign Service

    Ranissa Adityavarman, 2018

    Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. Department of State

    Concentration
    Government, Politics, and Policy Studies

  • Finance

    Beth Yarze, 2019

    Manager, Economic & Valuation Services at KPMG US

    Concentration
    Economic and Financial Policy

  • Noteworthy Alumni

    Other, 2006-2019

Education

Lindsey Novakovic Oates, 2007

Chief Financial Officer of the New York City Department of Education

Concentration
Public and Nonprofit Management

  • Job 1

    Budget Analyst, NYC Office of Management and Budget

  • Job 2

    Senior Budget and Legislation Analyst, Kings County, Washington

  • Job 3

    Senior Budget Analyst, NYC Human Resources Analyst

  • Job 4

    Assistant Director, Administration of Justice Taskforce, NYC Office of Management and Budget

  • Job 5

    Deputy Chief Financial Officer of the New York City Department of Education (DOE)

  • Current

    Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the New York City Department of Education (DOE)

Consulting

Melissa Gradie, 2011

Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Advisory Services LLP

Concentration
Public and Nonprofit Management

  • Job 1

    Senior Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton

  • Job 2

    MBA - NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business (Global Business, Strategy)

  • Job 3

    Senior Associate, PricewaterhouseCoopers (Pwc)

  • Job 4

    Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers (Pwc) Advisory Services LLP

  • Job 5

    Senior Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers (Pwc) Advisory Services LLP

  • Current

    Director, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Advisory Services LLP

City Government

Hunter Gradie, 2012

Managing Director of Operations, CPC Mortgage Company  

Concentration
Government, Politics, and Policy Studies

  • Job 1

    Senior Policy Analyst, NYC Mayor’s Office of Operations

  • Job 2

    Policy Advisor, NYC Mayor’s Office of Operations

  • Job 3

    Senior Policy Advisor, NYC Mayor’s Office of Operations

  • Job 4

    Deputy COO, NYC Department of Social Services

  • Job 5

    Chief of Staff, City of New York, Department of Homeless Services

  • Current

    Managing Director of Operations, CPC Mortgage Company

International Development

Daniel Arukwe Johansen, 2015

Head of Operational Information Management and Performance Reporting, Yemen Country Response, UN World Food Programme

Concentration
Government, Politics, and Policy Studies

  • Job 1

    Operational Information Management Officer, Ethiopia Drought Emergency Response

  • Job 2

    Operations Centre (OPSCEN) Officer | Southern Africa Region, United Nations World Food Programme

  • Job 3

    Senior Operations Centre (OPSCEN) Officer and Team Lead Support, United Nations World Food Programme

  • Job 4

    Team Leader, WFP Operations Centre (OPSCEN), Rome, Italy, UN World Food Programme

  • Job 5

    Operational Information Management and Performance Reports Officer, Syria Emergency Response, UN World Food Programme

  • Current

    Head of Operational Information Management and Performance Reporting, Yemen Country Response, UN World Food Programme

Tech

Kristen Edwards, 2016

U.S. Army

MPA Concentration
Science, Technology, and Infrastructure Policy

MBA Studies

  • Job 1

    Assistant Professor of Military Science, U.S. Army Reserve

  • Job 2

    Senior Product Manager, Amazon

  • Job 3

    Senior Product Manager, Nordstrom

  • Current

    Senior Technical Program Manager, Nordstrom

Federal Government

Emily Martin, 2018

Analyst at the Government Accountability Office in D.C.

Concentration
Human Rights and Social Justice

Foreign Service

Ranissa Adityavarman, 2018

Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. Department of State

Concentration
Government, Politics, and Policy Studies

  • Internships/Experiences

    SMART Program: Kenya

  • Internships/Experiences

    Internship: Economics Section Fellow, U.S. Embassy in Canberra, Australia

  • Internships/Experiences

    Capstone: Humanity Crew, Researching Mental Health and Psychosocial Services for Refugee Populations in Greece

  • Job 1

    Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State

  • Current

    Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State

Finance

Beth Yarze, 2019

Manager, Economic & Valuation Services at KPMG US

Concentration
Economic and Financial Policy

Noteworthy Alumni

Other, 2006-2019

  • Ahmad Maaty, 2006

    Senior Economist, U.S. Department of Justice

  • Vivian Sun, 2016

    Head of Automated Driving, Amazon

  • Lucas Ackerknecht, 2014

    CEO and Cofounder, Alpha Grid

  • Elif Senvardarli, 2017

    VP of ESG Data Strategy and Systems Integration Analyst, Calvert Research and Management

  • Diana Ming Zeng, 2016

    Senior Advisor of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Canada

  • Jamie Frank, 2013

     Associate Vice Chancellor for Implementation, SUNY - The State University of New York

  • Brandon Chiazza, 2012

    Managing Partner and Cofounder, Modali Consulting

  • Marcell Fischler, 2019

    Senior Pathways Operations Manager, Amazon, Leipzig, Germany

  • Jiaying Li, 2018

    Senior Business Analyst, AT Kearney in China

  • Ben Sandberg, 2017

    Executive Director, The History Center in Tompkins County

  • Anlly Palacios, 2018

    CX Liaison and Manager, Service Delivery Unit, Port Authority of NY and NJ

  • Frankie Shi Cheng, 2018

    Director, CAO

  • Sharlene Castle, 2018

    Director of Operations, Jaydot LLC

  • Lillian Gabreski, 2018

    Manager of Sponsored Program Development, SW PA Commission

  • Steven Greco, 2018

    Principal Regulatory Affairs Analyst, NextEra Energy Resources

  • Alqayam Meghji, 2019

    Senior Policy Advisor, Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, Government of the United Kingdom 

As you consider pursuing an MPA at Cornell University, we invite you to explore these additional resources:

the Cornell MPA webinar & faculty led discussions Library
The Guide to Internships in the Cornell MPA Program
Uncover the Value of Cornell University’s MPA Degree
An Educational Guide for Future Leaders in Public Affairs
Guide to the Cornell MPA Capstone & Public Engagement
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