Eliza Mohlie graduated from CIPA in 2012 with an MPA concentrated in Government, Politics, and Policy Studies. She is currently a contractor for the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
1. Why CIPA? There are a lot of MPA programs around – what made you choose CIPA over other programs you were considering?
I had several options for MPA programs, but none of the other programs could articulate their vision for the future as well as CIPA. I believed that CIPA was trying to expand as an academic program, and that it had a strong and sincere mission to prepare its students for whatever aspect of public service they wanted to pursue. Just as importantly, the CIPA staff were the nicest! I loved the feeling of community CIPA offered, as well as the international makeup of its student body. I thought I could get a diverse and intense experience that incorporated many different world views, and CIPA absolutely delivered. The generous financial aid was also a large factor.
Cornell ended being just the right fit for me.
2. What are your long-term career goals? How did CIPA help prepare you for these?
I am currently a contractor in the U.S. Department of State, and am very much enjoying the work in the foreign policy sphere. My long-term goals are to convert to a government position and become a public servant working in foreign affairs at a managerial level. CIPA offered strong career services support, and I am extremely grateful for all the advice and help the staff provided.
While getting a job in one’s field of choice is eventually up to the individual, CIPA pushed the right combination of skills and methods to help me find a good position. The academic and analytic skills were key in articulating how I could contribute to a certain job, but the communication and writing skills that I gained were also vital. CIPA instills professional confidence as well as competence, which I greatly appreciated.
3. What would you tell a prospective student who asked you to list the top three reasons that CIPA was a good fit for you?
1) The people! The culture is absolutely supportive and creative, and I was (and am) constantly impressed and inspired by my classmates. I can’t stress enough how much I enjoyed meeting, collaborating with, and just spending time with my CIPA classmates.
2) The balanced coursework required that I gain a good foundation of skills, which was valuable. The flexibility could be intimidating, but in the end I appreciated being able to take a broad range of classes while being encouraged to maintain strong skills in quantitative and qualitative areas alike.
3) The career support and alumni base were fabulous and very important. I ended up in my current position because of a referral from a Cornell connection made available by CIPA. Who you know is critical, and Cornell engenders loyalty that served me well in my own job search.
4. Are there any particular “stand out” experiences at CIPA that made a lasting impact on you?
Two experiences that come to mind are my time as Outreach Chair for the Cornell Public Affairs Society, or CPAS (CIPA’s student government equivalent), and my semester in Washington, D.C. The position in CPAS brought me into contact with a wider swath of my classmates than I might have otherwise met, and made me appreciate even more the caliber and diversity of people in the program. Working as part of a team to serve and shape the CIPA community was exciting and, as a plus, was a good professional experience. My semester “abroad” in Washington, D.C. was also impactful. Being in the city for my last semester was exciting and practical because I could conduct my job search on the ground. The semester combined classes and an internship and so was a good transition between graduate school and full-time employment. Both my CPAS experience and my “externship” showed me that I could do well in public service and enjoy it at the same time.
5. Is there anything else about the CIPA program, about the opportunities here, or about your particular experience that you would like to share with prospective students?
I would just urge people to visit CIPA and get a feel for the program themselves. I’m confident that many people will be just as impressed as I was, and get just as valuable an experience. I’m proud to be a CIPA alumna, and hope others also take the time to explore what it can offer!