Meet Ana, a second year CIPA fellow from Mexico interested in social policy. Here, Ana tells us about her summer internship in Washington DC, skill sets she developed during CIPA, and insights she gained from her professional and academic experiences.
Meet Ana
I am a Masters of Public Administration student at Cornell University. Prior to Cornell, I worked as Research Coordinator of the Human Capital Division of CIDAC, an independent, not-for-profit Mexican think tank. I then served as Project Leader for the creation of the Tabasco Technology Transfer Center for the Energy Reform. Most recently, I interned as a research associate for the Doing Business Project at the World Bank.
I grew up in Mexico City where I graduated from ITAM with a B.A. in Economics and a B.A. in Political Science.
- What is your policy concentration?
Social Policy
- What is your intended sector or career goals?
After graduation, I intend to pursue further doctoral studies in public policy. In the future I would like to research and teach at the graduate level so that I can contribute to the improvement of social policies that address social and economic issues present in developing countries such as Mexico.
- How was coming to Cornell as an international student?
Studying abroad adds another level to your graduate studies experience, enabling you to learn about other cultures. At the beginning, transitioning to a university environment where only English was spoken was somewhat challenging, but I immediately fell in love with the campus, the program and the people.
- Any challenges?
I can honestly say CIPA staff members and my two second-year mentors were incredibly helpful in providing me with all the details needed for a smooth transition. - With so many options for graduate school, why Cornell?
Professor Gary Fields’ research on income mobility and labor markets had inspired both my internship in India in 2013 and my undergraduate thesis. It was because of him that I first learned about CIPA.After doing some research, I immediately became interested in the flexibility of the program. The Master of Public Affairs at CIPA was the perfect program to gain more specialized training in quantitative analysis, policy evaluation and implementation to address my country’s development challenges.
- How did your coursework from this past year inform your interests?
Courses such as Labor Economics, Labor Markets and Income Distribution in Developing Countries, Empirics of Development, Applied Statistics and Public Resource Allocation and Fiscal Policy sharpened my interest in studying social policies, particularly higher education, human capital and poverty alleviation policies.
Where did you work this summer? What was your role?
During the summer I worked as a research associate for the Doing Business Project at the World Bank in D.C.
- Why did you choose this position?
I chose this position because it was a unique opportunity to deepen my research skills while getting to know the work environment of an international organization such as The World Bank.
- What skill sets did you develop during your summer position?
Although I improved my analytical skills, I have to admit that I developed my written English and language skills the most. Since we were in the data collection process, I had to make daily calls to contributors in more than 80 countries in both French and English. I was also required to write short and concise memos addressing government officials’ queries on a routine basis.
- What skills did you build upon (or leverage) from your first year at CIPA?
Having a solid background in Stata and Excel was essential for my internship. And having learned how to write policy briefs made my day-to-day work a lot easier.
- What was a key take-away from your position?
I realized I really enjoyed working in such a diverse environment with incredible people who share the same concerns: poverty reduction and international development.
- Any other fun fact, favorite moment, or other information you would like to share?
An incredible part of my internship was making new friends. During the summer, there were about 16 interns working on the same project, all from different schools, programs, and countries. Getting to know each and every one of them was a very enriching experience. Looking back, I can say that I made true friendships.
- Any advice for those who are interested in summer work experience?
When choosing where to intern, it is very important to have a clear idea of the skills you wish to develop and those you can bring to the organization. I advise spending a great amount of time researching details about the summer work options available before applying. Informational interviews are a great way of achieving this.
Now that you are back at Cornell for your second year, what are you excited to continue learning about this year?
I am excited about the classes I am currently taking and the ones I plan to take next semester; most of them are concentration courses. I am also in the process of completing my thesis which, although somewhat challenging, is sure to be an enriching learning experience.
- What are you doing outside of coursework?
I was appointed a Graduate Teaching and Research Specialist by CIPA for the academic year 2016-2017 and I am the Senior Managing Editor of the Cornell Policy Review (CIPA’s academic journal). I also have my daily walks with our two dogs.
- Favorite parts of Ithaca/Cornell
Everything! I love Saturday morning hikes in Six Mile Creek and driving to Aurora Village for brunch.