Found In Translation

Full speed ahead

Wow, this was a long week! I completed my second week of my internship and so far its been interesting and challenging.  I am interning at the Executive Office for Administration and Finance where I work on projects and perform research for the State Budget Director and fiscal policy analysts.  I've really enjoyed the assignments they have given me so far, but it's definitely keeping my schedule extremely busy! My brain is ON all day long, every day.  I think this semester will be a true test of just how productive I can be on a daily basis with four classes, a fellowship and an internship.  Hopefully I am up to the challenge!  I sense that I won't be getting much sleep until the winter break...

I'm also looking to get involved with the MPA Association.  The MPAA "strives to bring students together in social events and encourages student involvement in professional, academic and social interest and development."  I'm hoping that it will be a great way to meet other current students and provide great networking opportunities with alumni.  I'd like to run for a leadership position in the MPAA, I will let you know how it goes!

Tip of the week:  I won't mention what happened with the Red Sox this week, but I will mention that it's almost time for the Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins to start their 2011-2012 season!! I'm a huge hockey fan and I think games at the Garden are lots of fun.  The Bruins offer a ticket discount to students for certain games if you present your student ID - check it out: http://bruins.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=38887 and get to a game! Hockey is back in Boston!

Time management

At the networking event for new students hosted by the Institute for Public Service a few weeks ago, a couple of new MPA students asked me: "Is graduate school hard?"  When I began the MPA program last spring, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, particularly after taking a few years off after college.  A graduate MPA program obviously requires extensive reading and writing assignments, but I would have to say that the hardest part of graduate school is time management (at least for me).  I haven't (yet) run into an assignment that caused me to rip my hair out in frustration or confusion, but the assignments certainly take TIME.  I've found that I have to be most studious in the maintenance of my time available to complete my assignments.  I feel that if you can master this aspect, you can certainly be a highly successful graduate student.  I do whatever I can to get my homework done during the week so that I can have at least one full day of the weekend entirely free for seeing friends and family or just relaxing.  I believe that finding a way to achieve this balance is really the "hardest" part of graduate school.  Now in my second semester, I feel that I've found a much better balance, and it feels very rewarding!  I think there is a substantial adjustment period at the beginning, but once you get through a few weeks of the semester, things start falling into a routine.  And now, after getting through one semester, I'm starting to feel like a well-oiled graduate student machine!  So yes, I think graduate school is hard, but certainly not unmanageable!  And, when you do get that routine down - it feels great!

So it begins

I hope everyone had a great summer!  I can't believe how fast it went by.  I just completed my second week of classes and I already feel back in the full swing of things.  I made some big changes to my career and school plans over the summer.  First, I decided to switch from the joint MPA/MSPS program to the standard MPA degree.  I really enjoyed the political science class I took last spring but I started to realize that I am most interested in policy analysis, program evaluation, and budgeting and financial management.  I really want to focus on those areas, and making the degree change will allow me to pick up more MPA classes that involve those interests.  Also, I am particularly interested in health policy analysis, so I've picked up a class in the health department as an elective this semester.

This will also mean that I am on track to graduate in May! 

Additionally, because I made this decision so late in the summer, I wasn't able to pick up a summer internship.  But, a few weeks ago I saw an amazing internship opportunity come up and I applied immediately.  I had an interview the first week of classes and a follow-up interview this week and was offered the internship!  I start Monday and I'm very excited.  More on that to come! With an internship, my fellowship and my classes, this is going to be quite a busy year!

I think I mentioned in an earlier blog that the Institute for Public Service will upload to Blackboard internship posts it receives.  I was checking this daily over the summer, and that's where I saw the post for my internship.  I responded to it the day it went up, and I think being so responsive definitely helped give me an edge.  MPA students - definitely keep an eye on the "Discussion Board" on the department's Blackboard page!

One last thing that I want to mention this week is that the Institute for Public Service hosted a networking event the last week in August for incoming students, current students and alumni.  They host this event at the beginning of each semester to welcome incoming students.  I wasn't able to make it last spring when I started, but made a point to go to the event in August and it was a great time!  I can't recommend going to these types of events enough.  All of the incoming students I met were so nice and had such interesting backgrounds!  It was great to meet them that night, make some connections, and now I already know their names when I see them in class.  I also had fun catching up with some of my classmates from the spring, and had the chance to network with some alumni, as well.  So my tip of the week is to definitely go to these networking events as much as you can!

Finally!

I've finally completed all of my final exams/projects/papers!  And it feels very good.  I'm looking forward to getting my grades next week.  I hope my hard work will pay off!

In the meantime, I'm updating my resume and working on various cover letters to send out in hopes of securing an internship for the summer.  Since I'm very late in these efforts, I may not be able to get my ideal internship, but I'm still hoping that I can find something that will at least strengthen my resume in one category or another.  On the careers page of the Institute for Public Service's website, there's information from Suffolk's Career Services office for job seekers.  One of the links, www.suffolk.experience.com offers job/internship postings and was recommended to me by a fellow classmate.  I signed up and so far it's been very helpful.  When you sign up you indicate what types of jobs you are looking for, etc. and as new jobs that fit your interests are posted, you receive an email so that you can check them out.  It's also given me ideas about other organizations I may want to look into for further internship opportunities.  I would certainly recommend this service to all current MPA students.

On another note, the weather in Boston this week has been simply perfect.  And I've been inside for about a week doing nothing but work!  I can't wait to get outside and walk around the city.  I love to walk around the Charles River and Boston Common and the Public Gardens.  If you are new to the area you should definitely take a walk around the city in the Spring.  It's so pretty!  Here are some photos I took in the Boston Public Gardens last year:

 

 

Final stretch

In the next eight days I have to complete a 20-page paper, construct a series of Excel spreadsheets for a budget project, draft a paper explaining the budgetary decisions I made in those spreadsheets, and finish a 10-page essay-based final exam.  Luckily, I've already completed a final paper and a final exam, which were due last week.  The professors I've had so far are mindful of end of semester deadlines and try to stagger their deadlines so that everything isn't due all at once (which is much appreciated).  I also have a handful of projects for my fellowship work that I need to wrap up before heading out for the summer break.

My first semester of grad school turned out much like I expected it would.  The work level is definitely in line with my expectations.  I think the hardest thing for me has been adjusting my routine.  Going from a life where I had two very separate environments - work and home - to one where work doesn't really have an end-point in the day, has been difficult for me.  I've had to re-learn how to be productive when I'm at home (and not shut my brain off for the day as soon as I walk through my front door).  What has worked best for me is to do as much work as I possibly can during the week so that I can still have "weekends" for personal and social time as much as possible.

Anyway, I need to cut today's post a bit short so that I can get back to my paper.  I'm definitely looking forward to summer!  I'm hoping to have an update on my summer job/internship plans by the end of this week... 

Mission: Find an Internship

Since the beginning of the semester I've been trying to decide what I want to do for an internship this summer.  Because I began the program in the spring, I actually have two summers available for  pursuing internship opportunities.  (I'm required to complete an internship as part of the MPA/MSPS program, and because I don't have experience in the public sector).  Here's a quick list summarizing what I'm learning so far in my search:

1.  Start looking and applying as soon as possible!  It's become clear to me that I should have begun applying to internships in February and March (for a summer internship).  Earlier in the semester I was looking at options and trying to think about what I might want to do, but I should have pressured myself to make more time to focus on actually applying to those internships that sounded interesting.  I kept putting the internship search aside (while focusing solely on my assignments) but now I'm realizing that I've missed application deadlines for internship opportunities that I would like to pursue.  So, lesson learned - be sure to find the time, early on in the semester (before things get very busy), to do your research into internship opportunities, so that you can apply as soon as possible.

2. As an MPA/MSPS student, I am looking for an internship in government.  I would like to find one in a federal or state agency, and I've noticed that it's better to directly go to an agency's website to research opportunities than it is to rely on general job sites such as mass.gov and usajobs.gov.  While these sites are helpful, and have some internships listed, there are many more details and opportunities listed on an agency's own website (from what I've seen).

3. Meet with the internship coordinator and your advisor as soon as you can.  They have great ideas and are very helpful.  You can bounce ideas off of them and they can help you refine your search.

I will keep you posted on more things that might come up as I continue with my search efforts.

Tip of the week:  Be in the city on Monday for the Boston Marathon!  This is a long weekend for many in the city of Boston, since the Boston Marathon is held on Patriot's Day.  I've always wanted to go, so I'm hoping to finally watch my first Boston Marathon in person on Monday.  I've heard it's a great time!

The most valuable resource

Whoops - I disappeared for awhile, sorry about that!  I hit a stretch during the past two weeks where multiple papers and projects were due at the same time for all my classes, but that's to be expected at the end the semester.  Because of that, it's been harder to juggle all my responsibilities and I dropped the ball on my post last week! 

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've been working on a project as part of my fellowship with the Institute for Public Service that involves reaching out to various MPA program alumni to find out about their careers and how their experiences at Suffolk helped them to achieve their goals. I asked each alum to identify what aspect of Suffolk's MPA program has been most valuable to them both during and after the program.  The overwhelming response to the question has been the people involved in the program, both students and faculty.  This point was reinforced this week  in one of my classes. We were asked to write a career development strategy, which included listing our current skills and experience and indicating the skills and experience we would like to gain in the future.  Our professor used the exercise to illustrate to us how valuable our fellow classmates are to achieving the goals we listed in our strategies.  The skills and experiences many of us wanted to obtain/gain overlapped with skills and experiences that others in the class already had.  For example, my professor pointed out that some of my classmates wished to work in the statehouse or a legislative office in the future and some of my other classmates already have such positions.  Also, many people indicated a desire to improve their public speaking skills, and one of my classmates actually teaches programs on public speaking.

This just shows that we all need to make time to chat and network with our classmates.  The knowledge we gain through our classes will help make us successful, but it's the people we know that can open up doors!

Tip of the week:  Go to a Red Sox game!  Even if you don't like baseball, but are new to the Boston area, Fenway Park is a great way to take in the local culture.  I may be biased as a Sox fan, but I think going to historic Fenway for a game is always a lot of fun.  (Being on campus in the city, you should take advantage of all the fun things Boston has to offer!)  I had a great time at the Sox/Yankees this past Sunday.  I realized, for the first time, that you can get a lobster roll at Fenway!  I tried it out and it was really good!!  Can't wait to go back for more games over the summer.  Hopefully they start doing better soon...

April (snow!?) showers

As someone that has never worked in the public sector and is attempting to make a career change, I'm definitely seeking all the advice I can get.  And, with the current job market saturated with talented individuals, I want to make myself as marketable as possible to potential employers.  The Sawyer Business School and Institute for Public Service offer a mentoring program that matches current MPA students with MPA alumni or friends of the program. I'm currently applying to participate in the program, and should be matched with a mentor in September.  The program runs from the Fall to the Spring and I'm really excited for the opportunity to establish a relationship with a practitioner in my field of interest.  Based on the feedback I've seen from participants from prior years, it seems like an invaluable experience.  The program seems particularly helpful in terms of networking, helping students to refine their career goals, and helping students to make the most effective career choices in order to move toward those goals.  I'm looking forward to writing about my experiences with this program in the Fall.  Definitely check out the Institute for Public Service's webpage if this is of interest to you! There's more information about the program under "Professional Development" and "Mentoring Program."  http://www.suffolk.edu/business/8143.html

On a completely unrelated note, we are supposed to get SNOW tonight!  I, for one, will not find it funny to wake up to snow on the ground on April Fool's Day.  This definitely feels like one of the longest winters that I can remember.  Tomorrow is opening day for MLB, so snow just doesn't seem right!  I can't wait for the Red Sox season this year - it looks like it could be a very good one :)

 

Planning ahead

I successfully made it through midterms!  I'm definitely feeling less stressed out as I cross items off my "To-Do" list.  For the first time this semester, I'm feeling like I'm in a routine and officially back in "student" mode. It's a very good feeling! It has reinforced my decision to make this career change and pursue my graduate degree and a more fulfilling career.  I'm certain that I've made the right choice!

Registration for fall courses begins this week.  I've been thinking ahead and trying to determine not only what courses I want (and need) to take next semester, but how I should plan out the rest of my time in the program.  (I'm a planner.  I think it's so important to know, if possible, what tasks await me in the future and to know ahead of time what steps I need to take to successfully complete those tasks.  I find that it can eliminate stress and I can avoid wasting time.  I don't want to take a class that is unnecessary and/or not beneficial to my career goals.)  In order to do this, I've been researching job descriptions for positions that I would one day like to obtain, and comparing the required skills and knowledge in those descriptions to the course offerings in the program.  So far, this approach has been very helpful in determining what classes would be most beneficial for me to take, and I would recommend this idea to others.  One website that I frequently go to for public service career and job information is: www.publicservicecareers.org.  I would also highly recommend this approach if you are thinking of applying to the MPA program and are wondering what you can do with an MPA.

My tip of the week:  If you haven't been to the Institute for Public Service's webpage in awhile, definitely check it out!  http://www.suffolk.edu/business/8143.html.  The Institute (formerly the Public Management Department) has made some exciting changes to the MPA program and the updates are now up on the site!  I think it's a valuable resource for not only prospective but current students, as well.

Halfway There

I can't believe I'm halfway through my first semester of graduate school! 

Last week, we had a guest speaker in one of my political science courses.  MA State Rep. Sean Garballey spoke for about 2 hours regarding some of his experiences thus far in the MA state legislature.  Rep. Garballey was the youngest (or one of the youngest  - I can't recall, exactly) representative(s) ever elected when he won a special election in 2008.  It was really interesting to hear how he's navigating his way through the legislature as such a young representative.  I thought it was refreshing that even though he has experienced some of the more difficult political realities of the job, he still maintains an idealistic view of his political goals and perhaps how they can be achieved.  He's also a current MPA/MSPS student here at Suffolk.  And I thought that I was busy!

We're going to have two additional speakers in that class, as well as two guest speakers in one of my public administration courses.  I think the guest speakers really help to put the theory we discuss in class into a "real world" and practical context.  I find their experiences and insight to be invaluable, so I really appreciate the professors inviting those in our field to come into the classroom.

Anyway, I'm excited for Spring Break!  I just have to make it through the rest of this week.  Three classes and a Lit Review stand in my way.  I have lots of work to do over the break, but this weekend I'm just going to take a few days to RELAX.  I hope everyone has a great Spring Break!

Tip of the Week: Current MPA students - The department posts job openings and internship opportunities that it hears about on its Blackboard page, under "Discussion Board."  Definitely check it out!