Posts in the Academics Category at Heller Admissions Blog

Category: Academics (page 1 of 9)

Surviving the Spring Semester

Brielle Ruscitti, MS GHPM/MA SID’24

The spring semester at the Heller School is an amazing time: the weather is starting to warm up, nature comes back alive, everyone is excited about summer opportunities, graduation, and starting a new chapter. However, all the new excitement and good weather brings its own set of new challenges. This spring, I have selected to take a wider range of course offerings and exploring some of my interests. I have found that in taking a wider range of course materials, it can be a bit harder to focus in on some of my readings and longer term assignments. I have also found it difficult to find a new balance of exploration and dedicating time to fine tuning my current skills, research and still searching for my summer practicum.

To combat these challenges, I first started setting time aside to be outside and enjoy nature. Spending time outside is a priority to me, so I make sure to carve time out of my day to enjoy nature as the seasons change, and go for a daily walk. I think getting outside is a great way to take time for yourself and listen to your favorite podcast, music, or audiobook, or call a friend or family member. I always have audiobook recommendations, so if you are ever looking for a good listen, feel free to reach out.

I rely heavily on my calendar and course syllabi to keep track of due dates and keep my time management accurate. I try to break up my day to make sure I am able to get tasks and assignments done during the morning, as this is when I focus best. Then, in the afternoons, I take time to work on things that I find interesting and are related to my elective courses. Additionally, as I’ve talked about in previous posts, I am searching for my summer practicum. I have been adding this into my weekly schedule by saving positions that I am interested in applying to, and setting aside time one or two days per week to submit my application and continue my search.

I have found that these tactics, and remembering to put my phone away, work for me and my preferences and work style. It’s important to take into account your own working style, habits and preferences, so these tips might not work for everyone. My best suggestion is to try and find a balance that works for you, your priorities, and your interests!

Day in the Life of a Social Impact MBA Student

March 21, 2023 / cmcquarters / 0 Comments

Calah McQuarters, MBA’23

Hello! Welcome to a day in my life as a Heller grad student. I am so happy to have you here. While you’re here, please don’t touch anything. My life may look messy, but it is organized. And though it is organized, it is currently balancing delicately on a tightrope and very sensitive to the slightest disturbances. So hands to yourself. And no judgment either! Let’s get started.

7AM: My alarm goes off

7:01 AM: Snooze my alarm (Remember, no judgment!)

7:15 AM: I get my day started to make sure I’m out of the door on time. Every morning usually starts with a cup of coffee and a weather check. Surprisingly, winter hasn’t been bad this year. For a person that loves winter, I am disappointed. But for everyone else, it’s been nice.

8:30 AM: I head out and start my trek to campus. I moved to Massachusetts with a car, but I also moved with my sister who works in Arlington. So most days she takes the car and I get a workout. Fortunately for me, I only live about 20-25 minutes from campus (depending on how fast I want to walk that day). Unfortunately for me, about 15 of those minutes are uphill.

9AM: I arrive at Heller to start my shift as a Graduate Assistant in Admissions. This semester I work Mondays and Tuesdays. I answer emails, do some assigned tasks, and conduct an admissions interview for an MBA applicant (one of my favorite parts of the job). Because my shift is only three hours, time flies by.

12PM: I pack up my things and try to find a quiet corner to spend a few minutes studying. Why? Stay tuned and find out!

12:20 PM: I head downstairs for a meeting that starts in 10 minutes, but I don’t quite make it there because the Zinner forum is all decked out! It’s not just any Tuesday. It’s Valentine’s Day. There are chocolates, cupcakes, and coffee galore! And directly in the middle of Zinner is a table for people to stop by and write affirmations for the special people in their lives. I see a couple of my friends/cohort mates and take the opportunity to grab a treat!

12:30 PM: I head to Heller Alumni Lounge for the Board Fellows Orientation. Social Impact MBA students have the opportunity to serve as a Board Fellow starting their second semester. The program lasts one year, during which students are matched with a local non-profit and serve as a non-voting board member. Though many of us have already attended our first board meeting, this is an opportunity for all of the Board Fellows to come together, talk about our experiences and get insight from the Career Development Center on how to take full advantage of the year. Today, we also get to speak to Sean C. Rush, who serves on the Board of Advisors at Heller. This is a prime example of unique opportunities made available to students.

2PM: As all interesting meetings tend to do, the orientation starts to go a little long, but we end just in time for all of my cohort mates to scramble to an open room and take 20 minutes to panic and study. Why?

2:20 PM: Managerial Accounting. We have a quiz. I go in, sit, get my quiz, say a prayer, and get to work. I finish and go back out to Zinner, where I eat more sweet treats and write a couple notes on the affirmation cards. As my classmates get done, one by one, they start the conversation of “what did you get for this answer” and “I got all A’s for multiple choice”. Normally I don’t engage in these conversations. It is a trap to make you doubt everything you know in the world. I especially don’t engage in this particular conversation because I did not get A as an answer for any of the multiple choice… Eventually, everyone finishes and we all file back into class for the second half, where we learn new information.

5:10 PM: Class is over and I hitch a ride back down the hill to my apartment.

5:20 PM: I take some time to do nothing. This is very important in grad school. Life cannot always be go go go. That is the easiest way to experience burn out early in your grad school journey. Remember, it is a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself.

6PM: I get dinner started. I love to cook! So this activity doubles as a hobby outside of school and a requirement to stay alive.

7PM: I sit down to eat and check emails. In addition to working at Heller, I also have a part time job as a program manager for a local non profit. This job allows me to set my own schedule. So on days my schedule is a little more packed, this work gets reserved for the evening.

8PM: I start reading for my Thursday class. My general rule for grad school reading is to start at least two days before it is due. If you start the night before, chances are you won’t get to everything.

10PM-11PM: Do more nothing. One thing I truly hate is dreaming about what I am studying at the time. When this happens, I never really feel rested the next morning. So I like to take time before bed to do more nothing, whether that’s watching a show, scrolling on Tiktok, or talking to my parents. Remember, nothing is important!

11PM: Fall asleep thinking about all the things I have to do tomorrow.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into my life. As I said before, it is messily organized and hectically balanced. But overall, I love it. I’m still trying to schedule in a few workout sessions a week in addition to my hike up the hill. And I did choose to ignore my laundry today, but all of the doing and not doing comes together to make an abstract picture of me.

The Ultimate Balancing Act: School and Work

March 7, 2023 / cmcquarters / 0 Comments

Calah McQuarters, MBA’23

The most common question I have been asked during panel discussions, prospective student visits, and interviews is “Is it possible to work and go to school at the same time”? Well, I am here to answer this question once and for all for everyone: it depends. I know, I know. That is likely not the answer you were anticipating or wanting to hear, but it’s the truth! Every person is different. Every person’s capacity is different. Every person’s needs are different. Because of this, there is no one answer to this question. However, today, I will tell you about my experience balancing work and school.

This semester, in addition to taking 6 classes (20 credits), I also have two part time jobs. (I got exhausted just typing that out!) I am a Graduate Assistant for Heller’s Admissions department, hence the beautifully written blog posts you all receive from me regularly ;). I also work as a Program Manager for a local non-profit organization dedicated to healthy aging. I started both jobs in the same week and about a month after classes started (it was a very busy September). Combined, my jobs take up about 20-25 hours of my week outside of class and each requires something very different of me. As a GA, I spend the majority of my time talking to you all through emails, visits, and interviews. As a Program Manager, I am responsible for making sure programs run smoothly, grant reporting, meeting with local stakeholders, and whatever else is needed (such as being a website designer…). My GA role is in person while my other role is remote. As a GA I have a structured weekly schedule, but as a program manager I set my own hours. (Side note: flexible, remote jobs can be equally amazing and tricky. While you can work when you want and in whatever attire you want, the battle between napping and productivity is real and difficult every day. If I am transparent, napping has won more daily battles than productivity…) These two jobs are very different in so many ways. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and each is teaching me something new almost daily! I share this information for two reasons: to show it is possible to work and be a full-time student and to also show the range of jobs accessible at Heller and the greater Boston area.

Now, before you run to start submitting job applications, let’s all take a step back and remember what I said in the beginning. Everyone is different. It has taken much trial and error to learn how to semi successfully balance school and work (not to mention extracurriculars). I have three different calendars and alarms galore to help me manage my time, and even with all of that, some days I still get behind. So why do I do it? Two reasons: capacity and need. As a person that loves being on the go, I tend to be energized by doing. I love being a busy bee and I haven’t run out of capacity (yet… we’re coming close). Also, life in the Boston area can be expensive (especially for a girl coming from Oklahoma!). As I said, everyone’s needs are different and right now, mine require a little extra money for monthly movie outings to keep me from going crazy :).

So there ya go! Is it possible? Yes. Is it necessary? That’s up to you, your capacity, and your needs. Either way, make sure what you’re committing your time to is serving you just as much as you are serving it.

A Day in the Life of a Second Year MBA/SID Student

March 2, 2023 / amendez / 0 Comments

Andy Mendez, MBA/SID’23

Now that we are nearing the end of Module 1, graduation is just over three months away! I thought this would be a great time to share what life is like for a Heller student wrapping up their studies and preparing for a postgraduate career. Today, I’ll walk you through what a typical Tuesday looks like for me this semester.

8:00am-10:00am — This is the first and only semester where I have my mornings entirely free. I use those extra hours to catch up on 4 semester’s worth of lost sleep!

10:00am-11:00am — By this point in the morning, I’ve left my bed and started my morning face cleansing routine. Gotta be extra vigilant in the winter when the air is dry. After that, I generally spend some time answering emails and posting or responding to posts on LinkedIn. Now that I’ve been named a Class of 2023 Finalist in the Presidential Management Fellows program, a lot of my time goes into setting up virtual coffee chats with PMF program alumni and other professionals to learn more about the different federal agencies where I might like to be placed.

11:00am-12:00pm — I head to the kitchen, where I usually pass either my MPP or PhD roommate, and make an early lunch. Since I have both an afternoon and evening class on Tuesdays, I make sure to pack dinner and some snacks in tupperware to take to campus.

12:00pm-1:00pm — At this point, I pack up my backpack and get dressed for the day. I double check that I have the required items for that day’s weather forecast, be it an umbrella or a scarf and gloves. I’m only a 20 minute walk to campus so as I’m heading out the door, I choose a podcast or music album on Spotify to listen to during my commute.

1:00pm-2:00pm — I join the other elected board members of the Heller Student Association for our biweekly meeting. We use this meeting to plan Heller-wide events, discuss concerns brought to us by students, and share our progress on special projects.

2:00pm-2:20pm — After gathering my belongings, I have a quick snack before going to claim my seat in the classroom for my afternoon course on Women, Peacemaking, & Peacebuilding. This is technically a COEX class, but I’m joined by a lot of my fellow SID classmates, who have a concentration in gender. The course is taught by Nanako Tamaru, the Executive Director of the Boston Network for International Development (BNID). BNID was one of the organizations I interviewed with when I was searching for a fall MBA internship last semester. While I ended up being placed with the Social Innovation Forum, I did have the opportunity to attend a few networking events sponsored by BNID. Another reason I was drawn to the course was Nanako’s work on the democratic process in Tunisia. As someone who worked next door in Morocco and is currently in the running for a Fulbright grant in Algeria, I was curious to learn more about her work on gender and peacebuilding in that region.

2:20pm-5:10pm — During the class session, Professor Nanako gives a brief lecture introducing that week’s topic and solicits the class’s response to that week’s readings. We spend time learning about the art and science of Op Ed writing and we end with a small group discussion. Before packing up, Professor Nanako reminds us of any upcoming assignments that are due before next class.

5:10pm-6:00pm — It’s dinner time! I usually head to the ground floor, where there are a set of round tables set up next to the microwave. As I’m eating dinner, I usually skim through that week’s readings again, to refresh my memory.

6:00pm-8:50pm — I head to the big auditorium room where I have Fundraising and Development with Professor David Whalen. This course draws a mix of MBA and SID students and attracts those either wanting more experience writing grants or those looking to grab the attention of funders. In the course, we not only look at the current landscape and trends in philanthropy, but spend time interrogating the impact philanthropy has had, for better or worse, on society.

8:50pm-9:30pm — After six hours of class, I can finally head home. Along the way, I sometimes stop at the Hannaford for groceries or the Walgreens for a few household items.

9:30pm-11:00pm — Once I’m home, I shower and have a small snack. On Wednesdays, I work as a Course Assistant for Financial Management, a required class for first-year MBA students. I spend the evenings making sure I’m ready for the next day’s class session. Since I have no evening classes on Wednesdays, I usually head to Brandeis’ Gosman gym for that evening’s group fitness class, so I pack my gym clothes and shoes on Tuesday evenings. Before Financial Management, I have my weekly check-in meeting with my supervisor at the Social Innovation Forum, where I’ve continued on as an intern. I make sure I have any necessary prep materials ready for this meeting.

11:00pm-12:00am — When I’m ready to call it a night, I double-check that my alarm is set, then head to bed.

A Day in the Life of a MS GHPM/MA SID student

February 28, 2023 / bruscitti / 0 Comments

Brielle Ruscitti, MS GHPM/MA SID’24

This semester, alongside my coursework, I am interning at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and working in their education portfolio. I am currently working on projects related to program evaluation and outcomes. Today, I will be taking you through what a typical day looks like for me.

8am – I’ve had my morning coffee and packed up for the day so head out to campus, and start my day with my applied econometrics class at 9am.

10:30am – After my class ends, I start a bit of work on my internship. My work varies from day to day, but recently, I have been doing some analytics on survey data from the Global Schools program, which helps teachers implement education for sustainable development curriculum for schools across the world. I am investigating the relationship between the sustainable development goals and values that teachers think are most important. I am also working on some paper editing and communications with teachers involved in the Global Schools program.

12pm – I wrap up my internship work and head up to the Admissions desks where I start work. Somedays I work on blog posts, like this one, or meet with prospective students, and complete other tasks in the office.

2pm – My shift ends at 2pm, and I have a short break before my afternoon class starts, so I eat my lunch, take a mental break and go outside if the weather is nice. Then I head over to my introduction to demography class, which is only 7 weeks long, and I will have a new class starting in the middle of March. I have really enjoyed this class so far, but am excited to start another new topic in just a few weeks.

5pm- Shortly after 5, my class wraps up and I head home for the day. I usually make dinner and relax before heading to sleep after a busy day.

This day is definitely one of my busiest days but not all my days look like this. I have some days where I do not have any class and some days where I do not work, for my internship or at the Admissions office. I hope this gives some insight into what my days looks life and what you can do in your time as a Heller student.

A Day In The Life of a 2nd Year MPP Student

February 21, 2023 / rclark / 0 Comments

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

Most students would probably like to spend their weekends either resting, catching up on their favorite hobbies, or hang out with friends. I, on the other hand, find myself trying to balance all of the above… and a little extra. Come along with me as I take you through my typical Saturday as a 2nd year MPP student, working as a part-time Support Staff member at Father Bill’s and Mainspring House in Quincy:

9:00am: After a very busy week of classes and extracurriculars, I wake up in the morning and start my house chores that I wasn’t able to get to during the week. A clean house is a clean mind!

11:00am: I finish up house chores, and then take time to go through any assignments that have an upcoming due date. When I’m planning out my weekend work, I attempt to prioritize my assignments by the day of class and deadline of assignment. I get started on some of the assignments.

1:00pm: I note whatever assignments I could not get to, in the hope that I can complete them during my scheduled shift (this is a hard hope), and then start to get ready for my upcoming shift.

2:00pm: I am all dressed and ready for my shift at the shelter. I spend time catching up with my roommates who (lucky them!) spend most of their day working from home.

3:30pm: I head out for work, as the shelter is about a thirty minute drive away from my home in Dorchester.

4:00pm: Arriving at the shelter, I greet the guests who are in line, waiting for check-in. The majority of the guests have same bed status in our shelter, but some are coming to receive a first-come, first-serve bed. I enter the shelter and say hello to my co-workers who were working the 8am-4pm shift, before clocking in for the day.

4:10pm: The people working on the 8am-4pm shift gives us, the 4pm-12am shift, a report of the day: do we have any guests who have received a warning or suspension? Are we out of any materials? Is the house laundry done for the day? Any major updates from management?

4:15pm: I check the bedsheet for any guests who may be entering the shelter late, have an approved night out, or suspension, and I make sure to mark this on the spreadsheet. After checking the spreadsheet, I go outside and begin checking guests in. Since most guests have same bed, they will tell me their bed numbers. For guests who are waiting for a bed, I ask if they are able to climb to a top bunk so I can allocate the proper accommodation. I write them in on the bedsheet by first and last name.

4:30pm: Official check in has begun. It should be four people on shift, but today there are only three of us. Another staff member and I start letting guest in pairs or groups of three. We check their bags, and ask them if they have any open food or water, any harmful items, or if they have any medication they will need to lock up. If they pass the full check in, they are allowed to enter the dorms, grab a blanket and sheet, and set all their items on the bed. For guest who have medication, it will need to be locked away in their med box.

5:00pm: Dinner time for guests.

6:00pm: First fresh air break for guests.

6:30pm: Guests are allowed to watch TV in the dining room, or they choose to get a head start on sleep. Staff spends this time in our office space, also known as the bubble, and cater to any guest needs: if they need any hygiene products or clothes, collect any mail, and guests who need to take medication, takes it.

7:30: Second fresh air break for guests.

8:00pm: Final medicine call for guests who would like to take their medications before lights out.

8:30pm: Begin filling out guest folders, taking notes if guests are in the shelter or not.

9:00pm: Third fresh air break for guests.

9:30pm: Guests assist staff with cleaning up dining room so that guests who were not able to receive a bed can sleep.

10:00pm: Lights out for all guests in the shelter

10:30pm: Final fresh air break for guests

11:00pm: We made it to the final hour! My co-workers and I normally spend time doing dorm checks and retracing the day spent.

12:00am: Overnight shift 12am-8am relief arrives, and my co-workers and I brief them on the status of day: do we have any guests who have received a warning or suspension? Are we out of any materials? Is the house laundry done for the day? Any major updates from management? After, I clock out for the night and head home.

WHEW isn’t that a shift? I bet you’re exhausted from reading all of that. For most, this may not seem like the ideal job to have as a graduate student and some may way want to know what made me agree to a job like this in the first place. As a public policy student ,I believe the only way I can make a direct impact and provide my support is when I am on the ground doing the work. Often times, shelter support staff are overlooked and most certainly can be overworked, and there is currently a shortage on these kind of workers. If a government is going to fund something, then people will have to be there to work it. These types of workers are should be thought about when implementing new structures, policies, and procedures, because we are the ones bridging the gap between the rules and the individual it was put in place to serve. With that being said, I will continue to place myself in positions that do and will make direct client to support services, because those are that is the kind of work that makes our world of social impact go around.

Sample Semester Schedule from A Social Impact MBA Student

February 16, 2023 / cmcquarters / 0 Comments

Calah McQuarters, MBA’23

Here we are, five weeks into the semester. The New Year seems like it was just yesterday, but somehow midterms are just a whisper away. With time racing by and deadlines approaching, I thought I’d stop and take a moment to give you all a glimpse into what it’s like being a second semester Social Impact MBA Student.

Let’s start with Tuesday, Managerial Accounting (required). “Calah! What about Monday?” Well, there are no MBA classes on Mondays this semester. However, for many of us, that day is filled with work, internships, future planning, etc. But let’s not get into that right now… Back to Tuesday. Managerial Accounting starts at 2:20 PM and ends at 5:10 PM. For this class, reading and homework are voluntary, but I would strongly recommend both! When testing rolls around (like today), it comes in handy!

On Wednesdays I have two classes: Social Policy and Management through the Lens of Equity (elective) from 9 AM to 12 PM and Financial Management (required) from 2:30 PM to 5:20 PM. The electives you choose to take are often just as important as the required courses, but not for the reasons you may think. While you are still learning theory and/or practical tools in your elective courses, these courses are also almost like a refreshing pause. It is a time to really engage in material you are passionate about. Not to say someone can’t be passionate about balance sheets and process flow charts, but I would much rather discuss intersectionality. Reading for different elective courses may be optional, but I have found that it is often some of the most engaging material. We are always more inclined to read what we are passionate about. As for Financial Management, this class provides multiple opportunities to engage in real world application. All of the opportunities are mandatory assignments (lol), but as I recognize my understanding of financial planning and decision-making grow, I don’t mind them too much (most of the time…).

Strategic Management (required) happens on Thursdays from 9:35 AM to 12:25 PM. This is where reading becomes a little more mandatory and also a little more intensive. Recommendation: don’t start the reading for this class the night before. You will not finish. The same goes for Operations Management.

Friday mornings are for Operations Management (required) from 9:35 AM to 12:25 PM. You can’t get to the weekend without going over process flow, capacity, and bottlenecks, right! Although they are content heavy, a particular highlight of the Strategic and Operations Management courses is the field project for each class. Do you have an idea of what you want to do post-graduation and/or the organization/sector you want to work in? The field projects allow you to get a head start. While it personally feels a tad daunting, I am grateful for the challenge and the encouragement to start thinking about the future. After all, I won’t be in school forever. *asks self if that is an option…*

A common theme for all of my classes this semester and classes at Heller in general is: you choose. You choose when, what, and how much to read and engage with the material given. Most courses only have an average of 3 to 5 required assignments for the semester, but outside of those, it’s up to you. This has been one of the biggest adjustments for grad school life. During my time in undergrad, I was the all nighter, study beforer, and never reader. My, how times have changed! Not necessarily because the amount of content changed, but because I chose to change. I knew coming into Heller, I wanted to learn and take advantage of every group project, individual paper, case study, and article reading. Now, realistically have I skimmed through a handful of articles while ignoring a couple others? Yes. But who doesn’t! It is all about balance. Doing what you need to do today so tomorrow isn’t too hectic. But if you choose to take a nap instead of making a spreadsheet, don’t worry. Lack of rest can cause a bottleneck in your brain and limit capacity. I learned that in Operations. 😉

Heller 2023 Winter Highlights

February 9, 2023 / amandamiller / 0 Comments

Every quarter, my colleagues in Heller Communications put out a new issue of the Heller magazine, and at the risk of sounding like a bit of a dweeb, I always read it cover to cover. Although I would say that Heller is better than a lot of workplaces at fostering community, there’s always so much going on that it’s hard to keep up with what everyone else in the building is up to. The Heller Magazine always does a great job highlighting interesting stories from students, alumni, faculty, and even giving a bit of Heller history. Some of my favorite articles from issues past include Beyond “Do no harm”, The Best Lessons I Learned at Heller: Alumni share stories about their favorite professors, and 2020 asks us: If not now, when?.

When I came into the office on Tuesday, I was so excited to see the Winter 2023 issue in my mailbox, and have spent the last few days reading it cover to cover. You can find the full accessible PDF here, but I wanted to highlight some of my favorite articles from this issue.

Championing Social Justice – Although all of this article, which focuses on the initiatives that Interim Dean Maria Madison has implemented since stepping into the role last summer, I though the section that focuses on Heller graduates’ career outcomes was particularly interesting. Of Heller graduating class this year, an impressive 98% were employed, pursuing graduate studies, or had received competitive fellowships within six months of collecting their Heller diplomas. Our Interim Assistant Dean of Career Development, Jasmine Waddell, attributes this in part to the connections students forge while at Heller, ““The entire community is dedicated to advancing the professional development and employment outcomes for our extraordinary students. It’s not just our office — faculty in all seven programs bring in employers as guest speakers to connect the academic content to career opportunities.” In my role in admissions, I often find that many students are interested in taking classes and even whole programs online, but I think that really ignores a crucial aspect of graduate school: the ability to forge connections. As someone who earned a Master’s degree through an in-person program and is currently enrolled in an online program: an online program simply cannot compare to an in-person program when it comes to expanding your network, and I think this article really underscores something I knew but hadn’t articulated to myself: how crucial forming real world connections is to getting ahead.

Stand-out quote: “Waddell’s team runs a wealth of programs, both virtual and in person, designed to connect students with potential employers. There’s an annual career fair, now offered virtually, and a Career Trek to Washington, D.C., among other initiatives. Through the MBA Board Fellows Program, MBA students are invited to serve as nonvoting members of nonprofit boards, giving them hands-on experience and a rare window into the inner workings of organizations.

The Power of Girls’ Education – This article immediately caught my eye as a graduate of a women’s college, and it didn’t disappoint. Learning about how Beatriz Pleités, MA SID’23, spent her practicum working as a development and communications intern at SEGA Girls’ Secondary School in Morogoro, Tanzania, was so interesting– and how amazing that she learned Swahili during an internship! This article gets a lot of points from me for the feel good factor, and also the adorable photos of the children at the school.

Stand-out quote: “I come from a developing country myself, but when one of the students sought my advice after her parents asked her to get married, I realized how different my adolescence was from theirs,” Beatriz says.

Yuqi Wang, MBA/MPP’20 : Fostering equity in Kendall Square’s business center – Kendall Square is one of my favorite areas in Boston, but I’ve never thought of all the work that goes into making the neighborhood so charming. Reading this article about the work that one of our recent MBA/MPP graduates does in her role for the Kendal Square Association was so interesting. Yuqi leads programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion, corporate responsibility and community impact, including the Inclusion Drives Innovation program, which focuses on helping participants develop the tools to improve intersectionality. It’s always so interesting to learn about the impactful and interesting work that students go on to do after the graduate, and Yuqi is certainly no exception!

Stand-out quote: ““It all comes down to power at the end of the day, and programming and policy are two sides of the same coin,” Wang says. “When you’re trying to think of how [you] can be a change agent on an individual level, there is a lot of potential in programs to push people and companies forward to change policies. I find that very fulfilling and very cool.”

A Sample Semester Schedule

February 2, 2023 / bruscitti / 0 Comments

Brielle Ruscitti, MS GHPM/MA SID’24

As the new semester begins, there is always a adjustment period to the new courses and seeing all your classmates again. As a perspective student, one of my biggest questions was about how the courses were structured and what my schedule would look like. Now, as a current student, I am able to enjoy all the flexibility and course availability to design my schedule to address my degree requirements and personal interests. With that, as a dual degree student, I am able to take some of my sustainable international development courses, while technically being in my global health policy & management year. I made sure to account for my interests when planning my schedule, and now that classes have started, I’m glad I did.

This semester I am taking 18 credits, with a few half semester courses and two full semester courses. My course topics range from econometrics, to demography, to monitoring and evaluation. Generally, each of my classes meets for just under three hours, and this semester, all courses are in person. This has been great for collaboration and group discussions. My schedule has either a full day, with both a morning and afternoon class, or just a half day. Having half days allows me to work on projects, other assignments and readings for class. Most morning classes start around 9, and the afternoon classes begin around 2. Even with the longer time block, there is a break midday to hang out with your classmates, eat lunch and relax before your next course starts.

The coursework for each of course is rather variable and depends on the style, length and professor of the class. It is great that the courses often have a mix of individual and group projects, as well as assignments you create your own path for. For example, students are often allowed to chose a subject area of interest within a set of criteria. This helps keep the assignments interesting and see how all students bring in something unique to your learning experience.

Thus far in my time at Heller, I have learned that your experience is up to you and to take time to explore your interests, both in and out of the classroom. I make sure to have time for my extracurricular activities like volunteering and reading, so while each semester brings new opportunities to explore, remember to continue to growing outside the classroom too.

Ronunique’s Final Semester Schedule

January 26, 2023 / rclark / 0 Comments

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

Welcome back! How long has it been? Seems like it was forever ago when I wrote my first blog post for the Heller Admissions Blog. I blinked, and now we are in the final semester of my Master of Public Policy program. “Oh yeah, you made it, you made it”, just like Teyana Taylor said. So with graduation being about 100 days away, let’s chat about the classes I will be taking this semester to wrap up the Master of Public Policy Program:

Capstone Seminar with Mary Brolin

This is the most important class I will be registered for in my entire academic career here at Heller. The capstone seminar course is designed for students to highlight the policy analysis skills that we have developed throughout our time here. We generally choose a topic that is relevant to our concentration; having a topic in close proximity with your concentration makes it easier to obtain background knowledge to the policy area and any relevant literature. After determining our topic, we develop action plans to help us conduct our research, literature reviews to diagnose our policy problem, and weigh out the pros and cons for potential policy solutions. By the end of the course, we should have a 25-30 page policy brief, and in the final week of classes, we have a oral presentation on our policy brief. What makes me excited for this course is the opportunity to showcase the policies I am passionate about and what I believe to be potential policy solutions. Bet you want to know what I choose for my topic, huh? Seems like you will have to come to capstone presentations to find it out 😉

Public Finance with Sakshi Jain

This course focuses on the facts and analytical tools to help us determine and understand the theory behind public spending. Some of the focus questions for this course are: what is public spending? When can public spending be too little or too much? Is public spending properly allocated among competing uses and levels of government? As we navigate these questions we will be responsible for producing two blog posts (will I ever be able to escape writing blogs?), a group presentation with a policy brief on a tax policy of interest, and a final funding proposal which will be an extension of our group presentation and policy brief. I am hoping to leave this class with more knowledge on how we decide on public finance, like: what measures do we use? How do we develop these measures? Who has the final say? I plan to be a sponge in this class and soak up all the knowledge that I can, because a public finance class for a policy student can either make or break you.

Social Experimentation in Children, Youth, and Family Policymaking with Dolores Acevedo Garcia

This course provides a graduate level introduction to the use of social experimentation methods in policy research. When I first saw that this course was up for registration, I actually said, “Ooooh!”. Honestly, who doesn’t love a course where you can learn how to critically assess policy content, design, results and recommendations, especially when it is social policy focused? We will cover the five basic elements of social experiments (research questions, experimental design, measurement methods, implementation, and interpretation of results) through case studies. We will be responsible for producing an in class policy review, which will serve as our midterm for the course, a non-comprehensive systematic review, and a non-comprehensive review of reviews. I feel this course will really challenge my critical thinking and writing skills in order to help me understand how to design experimental studies to assess the effects of social policies.

Child and Family Policy with Marji Warfield

We have only been back in school for two weeks but I would say this course is starting to become my favorite. The course is organized in three sections: (1) a focus on discussing the definition of family, family functions, and family challenges, in addition to examining the emergence of family policies and how families with diverse identities intersect with different human service systems; (2) family policies designed to support family functions assessing this through policy models on problem definition and policy solutions in conjunction with theoretical frameworks such as critical race theory and intersectionality; and (3) implementation challenges and dilemmas will be investigated through the use of a policy implementation framework and family policy themes. In the class we will be responsible for producing three written papers (a fact sheet, a problem definition and policy solutions, and policy implementation), a individual presentation, and participate in share sessions which are connected to our in class book clubs. What I enjoy the most so far in this class is how we are able to engage with the materials assigned and be able to have open and honest conversations about what families look like. We are able to connect to the material on our personal experiences but not for it to be overpowering of our end goal of effective policy making and solutions.

I am looking forward to wrapping up my final semester here at Heller this year with these final core and concentration required courses I hope to have developed a sustainably and transferable work portfolio. Will we make it to the finish line? Stay tuned!

Heller Admissions Blog

Category: Academics (page 1 of 9)

Surviving the Spring Semester

The Ultimate Balancing Act: School and Work

A Day in the Life of a MS GHPM/MA SID student

A Day In The Life of a 2nd Year MPP Student

Heller 2023 Winter Highlights

A Sample Semester Schedule

Ronunique’s Final Semester Schedule

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