Alumni Q&A: Henry McCaslin

Henry McCaslin graduated from CIPA in May 2013 with a concentration in Environmental Policy. 

Why CIPA?  There are a lot of MPA programs around—what made you choose CIPA over other programs you were considering?

Because my original plan was to study international agricultural development, CIPA stood out to me because of Cornell’s reputation as a leader in agriculture and related fields like plant science. When I switched my focus to urban sustainability, I was able to find a wealth of great classes in College of Art, Architecture and Planning, so it worked out nicely.

What are your long-term career goals?  How did CIPA help prepare you for these?

I would like to become someone who advocates for exciting, innovative policy solutions in the field of urban sustainability and brings them to the point where they are actually implemented.  CIPA has taught me how to take abstract policy ideas and principles and translate them into something concrete and practical.

What would you tell a prospective student who asked you to list the top three reasons that CIPA was a good fit for you?

First, CIPA is very interdisciplinary. I really valued the freedom I had to take classes in a range of subjects across the university. Second, CIPA Fellows are smart, curious, and very interested in collaboration. I got so much more out of the program because of the connections I built with other Fellows. And third, CIPA has great connections with local government in the region. As someone who is interested in urban issues and local governance, I really benefited from being able to work closely with actual local government professionals who truly valued the work I did.

Are there any particular “stand out” experiences at CIPA that made a lasting impact on you? 

My capstone experience really helped me turn everything I’ve learned into a tangible product. I had to draw upon knowledge from economics and public administration classes, my teamwork and project management skills, and more. The fact that we were producing something for a real client proved to me that the skills and knowledge that I had been acquiring had practical value in the real world.

How would you describe the sense of community you find at CIPA?  How did that figure into your experience of the last 2 years?  How do you see it figuring into your future experiences?

A huge part of why I value my CIPA experience is because of CIPA Fellows. Not only are they incredibly smart people, but they are genuinely interested in and respectful of the knowledge and experiences that their peers have. This kind of attitude made for a very cooperative academic experience. I rarely felt like I was competing with other Fellows – we were all contributing to each other’s development just as much as our own. I expect this community to be a valuable professional network in the years to come.

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?

Many people are skeptical about coming to a small town way up in Upstate New York for grad school. I was as well, coming from Chicago, but I soon learned that Ithaca is a truly great place to live. It has the culture and cosmopolitan appeal of a big city along with the sense of community and wealth of natural beauty that you might find in a small town. It’s a great place to be a grad student.