Thomas O’Toole is CIPA’s Executive Director, responsible for monitoring the strategic direction of CIPA. As part of his responsibilities, O’Toole oversees all student professional development activities related to the graduate field of public affairs at Cornell. He also designed and runs CIPA’s off-campus Washington DC Externship Semester and New York City Externship Semester. In addition, he teaches CIPA’s core course on “Issues in Public Administration,” a seminar on “Comparative Public Administration: The Case of Seoul, Korea,” and has collaborated on projects and educational programming with the White House, the United Nations Division of Public Administration and Development Management, the UN World Food Programme, and the International Food Policy Research Institute
- Why should students attend CIPA -vs- another graduate policy program?
Cornell has a deep legacy of research, teaching, and service in the public interest. We want our faculty and students to think beyond the classroom—this is the Cornell tradition, and it is the tradition of the College of Human Ecology and CIPA. As a result of this tradition, Cornell has cultivated an alumni base throughout the world who are working where public affairs is practiced—at the intersection of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. These alumni give back to the program in so many ways—teaching, professional development/career guidance, sourcing capstone projects, etc. So, I would say our unparalleled, global alumni base gives us an advantage over other programs, as well as Cornell’s distinguished tradition of innovative, impactful scholarship.
- What do you enjoy most about teaching at CIPA?
The diversity of CIPA students. My research/teaching interests revolve around politics and public administration in the United States, and I really enjoy when students from other countries share their unique experiences in the classroom—it enriches my own understanding of the US case, and allows students in the course to obtain a global understanding of comparative best practices.
- Briefly describe your research and teaching interests.
I am a political scientist, and my research/teaching interests include public administration, civic engagement, e-government/m-government, and religion and politics.
- What specific course(s) do you teach for CIPA students? What skills do students take away from your course(s)?
I teach several courses for CIPA students—a foundation course on “Issues in Public Administration,” a seminar on “Comparative Public Administration,” which culminates in a field trek to Seoul, Korea, and writing-intensive courses associated with the Washington, DC and New York City Externship Semester programs. I am also in the process of developing a new course for CIPA students on public opinion (stay tuned!).
- What advice do you have for students who want to make the most of their two years here?
Step outside of your comfort zone—you are here to learn and grow as a professional, and this means challenging yourself, and, yes, failing at times. If you need to work on your writing skills, then take writing-intensive courses. If you are a “quant phobe,” avail yourself of the outstanding quantitative courses CIPA offers. If you need to work on your English language abilities, seek out opportunities to develop these abilities with native speakers.
- Where are you originally from? How long have you lived in Ithaca?
I am originally from Liberty, New York—it’s a small town in the Catskill Mountains. I have lived in Ithaca for sixteen years.
- What’s your favorite Ithaca restaurant and why?
My favorite Ithaca restaurant, without doubt, is Gola Osteria. The head chef and owner, Sam Epps, is a friend of mine who trained with Mario Batali. Try the homemade arancini!
- What one fun activity would you consider a “must-do” for students during their tenure here, in order to get the full Ithaca experience? Why?
There are a ton of these, but if you leave Ithaca without trying a Pinesburger at the Glenwood Pines (or, ideally, completing the Pinesburger Challenge), you have not lived in Ithaca! Jumping off the diving board at Treman Park is a close second.