At the beginning of 2002, Cornell University was already in my plans! Cornell is one of the top universities in the world, with one of the best international programs among American universities.  It is highly selective; thousands apply yearly and only a few are considered for admission. For those that are from outside the United States, Cornell is part of the Ivy League (the term Ivy League has connotations of academic excellence, selectivity in admissions and intellectual elitism). The members of this league are Cornell, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, U Penn, Brown and Dartmouth.  Well my friends, if you even have the chance to be admitted to one of these universities, that means that you are blessed, privileged and that you are one of the few ( actually less than 1% of the world’s population that has this kind of opportunity). You are probably a potential agent of change and a very skilled professional in an area or two. Having said that, be aware that a CIPA fellow has a lot of commitments, sacrifices, obligations and responsibilities (you should consider this if you have other offers of admission).

Let me start by debunking the misconceptions and myths about having an Ivy League school degree on your resume.

• Is an Ivy League School on my resume going to make me a famous millionaire? Answer: NO.  In life nothing is certain (only death and taxes according to Benjamin Franklin). You have to compete in a globalized arena against equals or people that are better than you at something! You have to fight for your dreams or let them die.  Without doubt, Cornell and the CIPA program will put you on the top of a pile of resumes on an employer’s desk. It also gives you the advantage of a vast network of practitioners and alumni and the best imaginable opportunities for internships and professional development. But at the end of the day, you still need to compete.
• Ithaca is GORGES. Yes, but it is also very cold!  In my perspective, Ithaca is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, but it’s only fall and I’m freezing (my advisor always make fun of me since actually he says that the weather is nice for this particular time of the year). I come from Costa Rica! A hot, warm, and chilled out country, and here I feel like I’m in the North Pole.

People support each other in everything, from the bus driver to the mayor of the city. The solidarity, respect and support are unique. The nature, the gorges, the live outdoor concerts, the hikes, vineyards , farmers market and picnics along Cayuga Lake are awesome, but keep in mind you have many gray days  and when you are taking some of the most demanding courses, if you don’t manage your time accordingly you will probably spend  a lot of hours in Mann library. Efficiency is key! It is not the amount of time but the quality of time you invest in your study hours.

• The flexibility of the CIPA does not necessarily means that I can take easy courses and snowboard all the winter. Flexibility does not mean that it is easy.  If you are expecting this, CIPA is not the right choice. The program is demanding, challenging and time consuming. You constantly have to prepare cases, papers and assignments by yourself or in study groups.  Sometimes, the next day you have the President of one of the biggest Indian NGOs as a guest speaker in your class, and you want to make a good impression. Other days there is a round table where you will have the opportunity for a one-on- one session with one of the partners of a multimillion dollar consulting company; or you want to attend a lecture with the Executive Chairman of Google and then you have a team meeting or you are having dinner with an Ambassador, Minister, Managing Director of a major financial institution (if you apply for it to the Colloquium Chair). Some other times, you just want to challenge a main advisor of the Mitt Romney (Republican Presidential Candidate) with a thoughtful question about taxes and shared value theories thanks to the opportunity that the CIPA Colloquim Speakers Series brings to the fellows. Time management is essential! (We will discuss that in my next entry).

CIPA is not for everyone. It is for those that want to give 100% commitment and devotion to an arena such as Public Administration that is facing dark times and requires leadership more than ever.  It is for those potential agents of change that want to acquire the state of the art analytical skills, tools and best practices to solve policy problems   and move their countries, organizations, and communities towards their goals and a better future.  It is for those who are willing to sacrifice savings, money, leisure and family time to have the opportunity to sit in a class with the best and brightest students and top-notch faculty. If you are willing to take the challenge, this is the place to be.

Until next time,

~A