My name is Alvaro Salas and I am a first year CIPA Fellow. I would love to assist all of you new applicants in your admissions process and help you with any questions about being a grad student at Cornell or life in Ithaca.
A little background about myself: my concentration within CIPA is Science, Technology and Infrastructure Policy. I worked (mostly outside the US) for several years in the finance and legal industries before pursuing my MPA. I also founded an organization that aims to raise awareness of the importance of youth opinions in the formulation of national public policies and served as the head legal counsel of another organization. I was elected President of the Cornell Public Affairs Society this year and I also blog for CIPA and work on consultancy projects back home and here in the U.S.
I chose CIPA over other universities where I was accepted for several reasons. I thought it would be a tough decision – but, in fact, when I weighed the critical variables, the choice was pretty simple.
First, I valued the communication through email and phone calls with the staff during the process. Their kindness and flexibility made me feel like part of the program immediately.
Second, the personal interaction within CIPA was important for me. I applied to grad school from Costa Rica, where I was teaching Politics and Economics and had just finished my MBA program in May 2012. I was offered a scholarship through Costa Rica’s Ministry of Science and Technology for my studies but when I went to collect the funds, they told me that the funding had fallen through. I raised $100,000 through an online platform and other initiatives to cover the costs of relocating and attending Cornell with my wife and daughter. The CIPA office supported my wife and me in finding job opportunities and getting settled in Ithaca. There is a strong sense of community in the CIPA program, and Fellows are always helping each other out.
Third, Cornell gave me a generous fellowship and believed in me from the very beginning. After I was in the news for my campaign to raise funds, some of the other universities started raising their offers; however, the CIPA program had invested in me from the beginning.
The academic flexibility of the program has no comparison. I’m in the process of building a curriculum that suits my individual professional background and interests. You can learn and develop as a person in any field of interest. Furthermore, the professional development opportunities that are offered by Cornell, the CIPA office, and core faculty are great.
I realize you are probably in the midst of deciding among several graduate programs. This is an exciting time. It’s an important decision, probably one of the most important in your professional career. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have. I assure you that CIPA is a fantastic graduate school opportunity. I feel blessed to be here!
Alvaro Salas is a First-Year CIPA Fellow concentrating in Science, Technology, and Infrastructure Policy. He is originally from Costa Rica and writes a blog about his CIPA experiences. He can be reached at aas344@cornell.edu.