Penn State public policy students travel to Harrisburg for career exploration day

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Students interested in public policy from Penn State's University Park and Harrisburg campuses met in Harrisburg on Oct. 1 for a series of conversations with members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and other governmental professionals about careers in public policy.

The trip was organized by the College of the Liberal Arts' School of Public Policy and co-sponsored by the Penn State Public Policy Association (PSPPA), a student organization for policy-minded individuals.

Attendees included both undergraduate and graduate Penn State students from a variety of organizations and classes, including the PSPPA, the Next Generation Leadership Academy, Lion Caucus, Master of Public Policy Program, Master of Public Administration Program, and the University Park Undergraduate Association, among others.

"It was a pleasure to spend the day in Harrisburg with the School of Public Policy. I appreciated the diverse panels of policy professionals who offered insights into their careers," said Maddie Hindman, a second-year Master of Public Policy candidate. "The biggest lesson I'll take away is the value of networking and taking initiative. In the policy world, leveraging your connections can be instrumental in getting your foot in the door. It's important to reach out and take that first step because you never know how far a conversation can go."

The opening panel featured a bipartisan lineup of four Penn State alumni members of the General Assembly in Sen. David Argall, Sen. Nick Miller, Rep. Peter Schweyer and Rep. Kristin Marcell. The four members discussed how their academic and workforce experiences shaped the way they approach their roles in state government and impressed upon the students the importance of gaining experience outside of the classroom.

"As a Penn State alumnus, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to talk about my experience at the university, as well as the career path that led me to the state Senate," Miller said. "I commend the students in the School of Public Policy for their interest in a career in public service and the passion they showed at their Career Day. My experience at Penn State helped shape my career, and I have no doubt these students are setting themselves up for success."

Programming for the day continued with a lineup of young professionals working in public policy, including Katie Merritt, assistant deputy secretary of policy and planning in Gov. Josh Shapiro's Policy Office; Olivia Rindfuss, senior associate at Triad Strategies; Madison Stromswold, senior associate at Greenlee Partners; and Andrew LaFratte, deputy policy director at the Pennsylvania Department of State.

The group connected with the students and reflected on their journeys from recent postgraduate work to their current roles. Two PSPPA students, Brooklyn Graham and Asher Talty, hosted a panel discussion on topics ranging from the importance of attending law school to life working in the current administration.

Talty said the panelists answered many of his lingering questions and that their advice made him more confident that he has the resources and information to build his future in public policy.

The panelists then broke out into smaller groups that provided students with career insights, practical advice and networking opportunities that will help them as they navigate their future in federal, state and local policy professions.

"I can't emphasize enough how important the networking sessions were as we got to talk more intimately with each panelist. This helped us forge valuable connections and learn deeply about the nuances of public policy," Talty said. "The panelists were full of useful information like networking advice, internship and job opportunities, personal anecdotes and overall inspiration."

The final session, hosted by PSPPA student Xiomara Larkin, highlighted the importance of effective advocacy and public policymaking and featured two Penn State alumni in Josh Eisner, Penn State's associate director of state health relations, and Brittany Mako, government affairs manager for Capital Blue Cross. They were joined by Michael Smith, senior director of commonwealth relations for the University of Pennsylvania, and Darrin Youker, policy director for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.