‘Ronunique Clark’ Articles at Heller Admissions Blog

Tag: Ronunique Clark (page 1 of 3)

Reflections on my Letter to my Future Self

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

Alexa, play Teyana Taylor’s “Made It”! Whew, where did the time go? Two years ago, I accepted my admission offer to attend Heller, and now I am sitting here two years later to tell you that I have completed all program requirements and will be graduating May 21st, 2023. I have written many, many, many blogs to you all before, but let’s take a trip down memory lane to my second blog post of my time here at admissions, “Letter to my Future Self”, and let’s respond back to little ole me from a year ago:

The time has final come! It is May 2023 and you were able to complete not one, but two degrees during a global pandemic. Cheers to that! Even when everyone thought you were crazy for going into a Master’s program 3 months after graduating from undergrad, you were able to overcome and prove them wrong. – Yessssss, cheers to that! 23 years old with two degrees. Yes, you did go back to back and you did the darn thing, even if you broke a sweat or two. You overcame every difficulty faced and proved everyone wrong!
Another exciting part is that not only have you gotten your Master of Public Policy, but your first best friend, Mom, is graduating at the same time with her bachelor’s degree. Please hold the tears for after the ceremonies. – After 20 years, my mom finally got her bachelor’s! I am extremely proud of her and it is unfortunate that our ceremonies ended up being a day a part from each other, so we are not attending hers. She has told me I am the one who inspired her to go back and get it done, but in reality she is and has always been the true inspiration and I would have not made it this far without her everlasting love and support. A lot of people doubted us, doubted our journey, doubted the outcomes, but here we are mother and daughter with degrees! 2023 is our year for sure!
You have gained all this incredible knowledge on how to combat social inequities, where do you go from here? I hope that you stuck with your dream of creating an initiative that will educate formerly incarcerated individuals in California on why voting matters, how to register to vote, and making sure that their votes are counted! Do you plan to go back home to the Bay Area to assist your community in the fight to end violence? Have you taken your gems elsewhere to another community in need? Are you helping the fight for access to adequate government programs? – Even though I have not kicked off my initiative, I know that it is never too late! But I am happy to say that I will be returning to the Bay Area this coming August with a offer to partake in the City and County of San Francisco Fellows program, working in the government public sector, which I have always loved. My biggest goal was to always bridge the gap and fight for access to adequate government programs and within the fellowship program, I will be able to continue this process. Massachusetts degreed me, but the Bay Area raised me, and being able to take my gems back to my community is truly the best part.
Do not forget to always be your best yourself in every situation. You have always been more than enough. I know you have not only impacted your own life, but others as well, which has and will always be your number one purpose in life. You were adaptable, strong, and resilient. I can not wait to see where and what you do in this next chapter. The price was high but the reward was greater. – I always admired how you always stayed true to yourself, no matter the situation or circumstance. You have shown endless resilience that maybe you sometimes felt wasn’t recognized. But even when you doubted the recognition, someone was always watching and appreciative. This program has showed you why you have always been more than enough and how your presences alone can fill a room. You prayed and manifested this next chapter: the reward was always greater than the price.

Thank you Heller for seeing my potential and trusting my skills that has led me to completing this program on time. Thank you to my cohort for showing up every day and inspiring me in more ways than I ever imagined. Thank you, Heller Admissions, for providing me with this opportunity to be able to share my story and insights to prospective students through emails, ambassador meetings, and the Heller Blog. Thank you to my family and friends for the continuous love and support as I navigated higher academia. So excited to become a Heller Alumna!

True Life: Reflections of 2nd Year Graduate Student

April 20, 2023 / rclark / 0 Comments

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

Graduation is a little less than a month away, and I am not sure if the time is moving faster or slower… but it is moving! When I began my journey to graduate school, it was a stressful one. I questioned myself a lot: is this the right move? Should I just wait another year or so? Did I choose the right field to go into? Every doubtful question went through my mind as I navigated statements of purpose, interviews, and gathering all the required application materials. I only applied to 5 different programs, because I learned my lesson applying to multiple schools in undergrad and being on a time crunch. The Heller School was my first acceptance letter into a graduate program. I was proud but I was also terrified, maybe because the acceptance letter made it real. I said to myself, “Oh, we are really doing this, actually?” And that we were!

I graduated from Boston University May 2021 and began my semester at Heller in August 2021; orientation was on the day of my 22nd birthday. I know what you are probably thinking: only a 3 month break between undergrad and grad school? I mean, what can I say, I was working off momentum and under my own philosophy that if I do it all now I won’t have to do it later. However, please be reminded this is what worked for me and everyone’s journey into higher education is different.

My time at Boston University really shifted my prospective on navigating a campus and courses. I had to constantly remind myself that I could not bring any academic doubts or baggage that I faced in my undergraduate program to this one. This was a new opportunity, a new place, new people, a new chance to test out my knowledge, and new avenue to work on my passion. I remember sitting in my first semester classes, listening intently to the introductions of my cohort and professors. I noticed that many people would end their introductions with what their field interests and passions were. I realized I did not really categorize my interests just yet. I knew I came to graduate school to bridge the gap between government services and resources for communities however what does that mean exactly. I had to ask myself what government services and resources? Who are the communities I plan to serve? How do I ensure that I am providing solid recommendations and support when cultivating policy solutions for said communities? Once I was able to answer questions, it became easier for me to navigate courses and utilize the skills being taught connecting them to my passions. I have been able to participate within my class discussions and courses on the impact of insufficiencies with our government services and resources, understanding how to address the problem, what is the solution, and how the solution will be beneficial in the long term.

Another important aspect of navigating the Master of Public Policy program here at Heller is realizing the importance of networking amongst faculty, staff, and peers. Heller has a wide range of students, faculty, and staff who come from different cultural backgrounds and have different career fields and interests. Networking is key because you are able to connect with individuals from a array of backgrounds and are able to ask for guidance or assistance in your career goals and initiatives. When I had to start thinking about my final capstone project, I was concerned I would not be able to find a reviewer who had the expertise I desired. When my capstone professor suggested I speak to a particular professor, I was extremely nervous to reach out. They don’t even know who I am, so why would they even want to assist me? Come to find out: it was never that serious! Staff and faculty do not care if they only met you in passing or if an email is the first encounter, as long as you approach respectfully, curiously, and politely, they love to connect and/or assist if their schedule allows. Putting yourself out there can feel daunting and scary, but once you do it, you will not regret it.

As stated earlier, Heller is a place of many different people from all across world, representing 62 countries! When in a space this culturally diverse, it is easy for differences to arise in the way you may speak, write, present, and connect. While I love the staff and faculty, it was my peers who taught me the importance of creating safe spaces in the classroom, in organizational roles, and within the larger Heller community. No one should ever feel as if they are less than or behind because they do not have the same culture or cultural understanding as someone else. To me, creating safe spaces means: 1) acknowledging someone’s culture respectfully, and not making someone feel uncomfortable if they write or speak a certain way, 2) remembering that everyone’s background is different, so just because you believe or know something, that does not make the other person incorrect, and 3) never belittle someone for not knowing, teach them instead. As some who constantly practices creating safe spaces, coming to a small diverse program like Heller challenges me to always treat others the way I want to be treated and to embrace not only my own culture/background, but to do the same with my peers as well.

This blog is typically out of scope of what I normally chat about, so thank you for taking the time to reflect a little about my graduate school journey :). Thank you Heller, for the last two years. I have grown not just as an academic but as a overall better person.

Event Recap: Heller Alumni Networking Night

April 4, 2023 / rclark / 0 Comments

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

Last week I had the opportunity to invite one of the graduate assistants from the Heller Career Development Center, Nijimbere Lahayiloyi, to step into the admissions blog room to provide us with more insights of what the career development center is, breaking any myths about the career development center, and how the team can be benefititial to you and your career goals. This week I had the amazing opportunity to attend the Career Development Center Alumni Networking Night!

The Alumni Networking Night is a space for current Heller students and Heller alumni across all our programs to connect with one another as Alumni to share their expertise, insight, stories, and connections. This year’s Networking Night was hosted at Time Out Market in Boston, near Fenway; if you have never been, I highly suggest that you write this one on your list of places to try. The Time Out Market has an array of food and drink options to choose from— my favorite of the night was the sushi bar GoGo Ya, and the most delicious mushroom bento bowl I have ever tasted in my life. Oooooh, my mouth is watering just remembering it! But enough about the food, you will just have to try it to believe me, let’s talk about the set up.

What I liked most about the Networking Night this year versus last year is that Time Out Market has tons of space. Instead of shuffling to around to meet an alumni and yelling over one another, you are able to find a location on the outside (weather permitting) or inside the location. This gives you the opportunity to connect one on one with Alumni, or even in small groups if you like, without the worry that the person standing directly beside you can’t hear you. Having so much space to freelance is very helpful because you do not have to feel the pressure of being too crowded, or if it becomes a little overwhelming for you, then you are able to sneak away and give yourself a break if needed.

Let’s not forget, however, that this night is about networking: meeting with alumni who were in the same program as you and possibly working in the career field you could be interested in. But let’s not limit ourselves here, right? Even if you do not have the chance to meet with an alumni who is directly connected with your program, most Alumni have connections to people within in your field of study or work. You know what I love to say: closed mouths don’t get what? Fed! So never stop yourself from having fruitful conversations with people all because what they have on paper doesn’t match what you have on paper. You never know who knows what and who knows who.

Another amazing part of Networking Night is that not only do you have the chance to network with alumni but also it is the perfect opportunity to network with your classmates as well. Being at Heller, sometimes we can get really caught up in just being around our own program’s cohort majority of the time. The Networking Night provides you with the space to finally be able to engage with your peers across the different programs that Heller has to offer. You can learn more about why your classmates decided to join Heller, what are some interesting classes they have taken so far, have they participated in any field practicums or internships, or just enjoy each others openness and presence at the event. Your peers are your first chance at showcasing your networking skills, so connect with your classmates and utilize one another as a support and resource.

I really enjoyed myself at the Networking Night and can not wait to see how future Networking Nights go for the Career Development Center at The Heller School. Thanks to everyone for making this event happen, and I will truly miss being able to apart of this experience hoping I can return as an alumni who shares their stories, insights, and connections :).

Meet The Heller Career Development Center: Nijimbere Lahayiloyi

March 14, 2023 / rclark / 0 Comments

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

First, I graced you all with the presence of my current classmates in my mini blog series: Meet My Cohort. Today…. well, let’s just say I’m introducing a slight spin off. In this blog post, we will be chatting with a graduate assistant in the Heller Career Development Center. Let’s welcome Nijimbere Lahayiloyi to the Heller Admissions Blog room!

Nijimbere Lahayiloyi is 27 years old, born in Burundi, East Africa, and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. In undergrad, he majored in Political Science, Global Politics, and International Affairs. He is currently in the dual-degree MA in Sustainable International Development/MA inConflict Resolution and Coexistence program. He is one of three Graduate Assistants in the Heller Career Development Center.

What is your role at the Career Development Center? And why did you decide to work at the center?

I work as the Career Center Graduate Employer Relation Assistant here at Heller. I chose to work for the Career Development Center because I had prior professional and personal experiences that aligned with specific skills, knowledge, and qualifications the center was seeking. On a personal level, I was very interested in learning more about career opportunities that emerge from the center and how these opportunities are shared with students in different programs.

What is the Career Development Center at Heller?

In general, the center is a team of highly talented individuals who work to educate, advise, and connect students with employers, alumni, and other professionals with an aim to unlock high-impact career opportunities for all Heller students. Within the center, we have programing such as Information Sessions, International Career Clinics (Help with Resume, Cover letter, Networking, all for international students), and many more. The office is managed by Dr. Jasmine Waddell, who also in charge of the programing for MPP, MBA, and PhD students. Bryan Kanney, our Assistant Director, works mostly with programing for the Global Programs: MA in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence, MA in Sustainable International Development, and MS in Global Health Policy and Management. We currently have three Graduate Assistants: Fabiola Mejia, Meghan Gragg, and myself.

What do you think are the most common myths of The Heller Career Development Center?

I think some people might think that some of the platforms we embrace are difficult to navigate, but I disagree with the sentiment. Platforms such as Handshake and B-Connect are not difficult to navigate, I believe that once you familiarize yourself with it, it becomes second nature and very useful for job searchs and connection to opportunities.

Why is it important for students to connect with their career development center?

It’s very important because eventually most students, if not all, seek to put their education to a good use after graduation. It’s very imperative, in my opinion, that students connect with a career center early in their first year of their program as they plan for internship or practicum opportunities. The center has so many tools and resources to assist any student attending Heller. The problem I often see is students waiting to contact the Career Center in their last semester or just a few weeks before graduation; while it is never too late to seek assistance, there is extra strength that lies in strategic planning and connecting with available resources as early as possible. Most students that succeed are capturing and obtaining their desired position after completing their program tend to those who have connected with the center from the very beginning of their academic journey at Heller.

What should we expect from the Career Development Center this year?

We recently renewed our website to better reflect the needs of students from all programs. We used to post job opportunities on Handshake, but we have changed this, going forward all jobs will be posted on B-Connect. We plan to continue using Handshake to schedule appointments with students who are interested in crafting resume, Cover Letters, and learn more about the art of networking. This year we will also continue to have alumni, employers information sessions, career fairs, career conversations workshops, international career clinics, and more programing.

Thank you, Nijimbere, for stepping into the Heller Admissions Blog and educating us on the importance of connecting the Career Development Center here at Heller. I can also vouch that I have utilized most of the resources offered by the center, such as setting up a 1:1 meeting with Dr. Jasmine Waddell and even attending a resume/cover letter workshop! So if you hate cover letters (like myself), are stressed about the job search, or just want to learn how to navigate the platforms such as Handshake and B-Connect as mentioned by Nijimbere then do not hesitate to set up a time to meet with the Career Development Center they will be waiting :). To learn more about the Career Development Center, please visit the Career Development Center’s website.

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.

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!

3 Reasons Why You Should Schedule an Ambassador Appointment

December 13, 2022 / rclark / 0 Comments

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

As a graduate assistant with the Heller Admissions Office for a 2nd year, I can say that I have enjoyed learning the ins and out of the admissions office. Being able to assist prospective students for programs at Heller and current students enrolled at Heller has allowed me to engage effectively with the process of higher academia. One cool part about my role as a graduate assistant is that I am able to dedicate time to speaking with applicants or potential applicants through what we call Ambassador Appointments. I am here to tell you three reasons why scheduling an Admissions Ambassador Appointment may be helpful!

1. Connecting with a student who is currently in your program of interest

Currently in our office we have a student connected to the following programs: Public Policy , Social Impact MBA, Global Health Policy and Management, Conflict Resolution and Coexistence , and Sustainable International Development, with two of our graduate ambassadors in a dual program offered by the school. Speaking directly to someone who is currently a full time student in your program of interest seems like a cheat code to the game. My co-workers and I are full time students navigating our respective programs everyday, so we know first hand what our program is about such as concentrations, classes, professors, and general student body life.

2. Get the answer to your questions

We love being able to answer any questions you have regarding the application process such statement of purpose, recommendation letters, or work experience. Or answering your general questions like “Why did you decide to choose Heller?” “What did you do before coming to Heller?” Just as we do when we are responding to your emails or answering your phone calls, we always want to provide you with the most adequate, updated information. Now remember, we are employed by the Admissions office, which works directly with sensitive information, so most questions may not be answered such as “Could you tell me if I got admitted or not?” or “Has my application been reviewed yet?” To make sure everyone is on a equal playing field, there is certain information that we can not provide. In addition to this, sometimes sending emails can be hassle waiting on a response, making sure it made it to the correct individual, and just overall technical difficulties. Meeting with an graduate ambassador, you are able to receive answers to most of your questions whether they are big or small and if we do not know the answer at the moment we will work to find it and follow up with you about it.

3. Booking an appointment is easy because we are flexible!

Making an appointment with a graduate ambassador is super easy and we are more then flexible. We utilize a Ambassador Portal link that lists all of our ambassadors and our available appointment slots. Don’t see a time that works for you? No worries, we will work with you to find a suitable time. Once you have registered for an Ambassador Appointment you will receive three confirmation emails; first email is confirming that your appointment has been made the second email will be your reminder email which you will receive 24 hours before the appointment, and the final email will be sent 2 hours before your appointment time with a link to connect us via video. Yes, I know, a lot of emails but we don’t want to miss you! Also, if you do not want to utilize our virtual option we will be more then happy to chat with you over the phone. We understand life can get in a way of a lot and sometimes we do not have control over what can happen in our day. These meetings are not mandatory so you can schedule whenever you need.

What I think is the most fun part for prospective students is getting to know us, as we all come from different backgrounds in our educational and work experience sometimes you may be surprised to hear that you had or have the same career and academic goals or that are educational and work experience focused on a different path but led us here. Conversations with graduate ambassadors are suppose to be relaxed, engaging, and ultimately helpful for you as you are making your decision regarding graduate school. If this has relieved your anxiety of what an Ambassador Appointment entails then sign up for one using this link here. We look forward to connecting with you 🙂

Meet My Co-hort: Robert Hitt

December 6, 2022 / rclark / 0 Comments

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

We took a brief intermission and now we are back with another blog in my mini blog series of Meet My Cohort. Did you miss it? I hope so! This week I had the great pleasure to sit down with Robert Hitt, who is 31 years old and from Milton, Massachusetts. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston with a bachelors of science in Biology. He is now a 2nd year Master of Public Policy Student concentrating in Economic and Racial Equity.

Robert Hitt, MPP’23

What did you do before coming to Heller?

I came back to the United States a year prior to coming to Heller, but before that I was teaching English in Rabat, Morocco for four years. When I came back, I started working at Mass General Hospital as a Clinical Laboratory Assistant, which is where I worked before leaving to go to Morocco. I continued working this position during my 1st year at Heller but only part-time, 3 days a week. I wouldn’t recommend this during your first year, at least.

Why did you choose Heller?

When I was in Morocco, the pandemic had just hit, and we were in lock down. We couldn’t really leave our apartment besides going to the grocery store, and the school I was working at was shut down. This was also in the midst of the 2020 Presidential Election, and I began thinking hard about what I wanted to do with my career. I enjoyed teaching, but knew I did not want to continue with that, and I knew I wanted to come back to the United States, but at the time we were waiting for my wife’s visa to get approved. Thinking about what I wanted to do, I knew I was interested in politics and law, which left me debating between policy or law school. I spoke with a lot of my family members that were lawyers, who all told me not to go to law school. I still might, who knows, but someone had mentioned public policy, and I thought this idea was neat. If I did public policy, I wouldn’t have to try to use the law in a way that I thought was just, but to shape laws or influence how they’re made. This was appealing to me, so I applied to a couple different programs, but I appreciated Heller’s social justice bent. In addition to this, I saw that Bob Kuttner was a professor here, and I been reading his work. I reached out to him and observed one of his classes “Capitalism and Social Policy” and I enjoyed it. Bob Kuttner was really kind to me and he offered me a internship at the Prospect when I joined his class in Spring 2022. Knowing he was there, I realized the school really aligned with my values.

What is or was your favorite class at Heller?

Because I am interested in workers rights and labor power, I will say my favorite classes are Economic Theory and Economic Labor, both taught by Professor Lisa Lynch. I find the classes to be really engaging. We don’t only talk about how the labor market affects worker power but also how workers can exert their power in the workplace and gain better wages/benefits for themselves. This is what I really want to do after Heller: improve the wellbeing of workers and facilitate them in using their power.

What is or was your most challenging class at Heller?

Maybe Law and Social Justice: Constructions of Race and Ethnicity and Their Consequences, taught by Professor Anita Hill. There were a lot of concepts I was not familiar with and at times the subject matter was difficult and uncomfortable. Yet I think for myself as a white man, it was really important for me to be exposed to these subjects . I still feel like I am not fully conversant on all of the topics in terms of transformational justice and restorative justice, but at least it gave me a baseline which is really good and helpful.

What are some activities you are currently doing at Heller?

No disrespect to the faculty or administration, but the best part of Heller is my classmates. With a group of classmates we started our own independent student magazine, The Open Air Journal. We are able to publish student work which in other cases would go to waste in someone’s computer file and constructively criticize the way things are done at Heller. In general, Heller has been open to hearing about this criticism which is a tribute to them. Through this organization, we were able to meet a bunch of students throughout the programs, COEX, SID, and I got to know a lot of my own classmates in the MPP program a little better through their writing. For me, personally, I feel like that is where I come alive and I can express myself. I really value that we are able to provide our classmates with a space to experience this in addition to improving their writing skills. We are publishing our Fall 2022 edition online this month, November 21st, and we have submissions from all different co-horts: creative, academic, and even a podcast! This is a long term project so even when I am gone there will be first years taking over, so if anyone reading is interested, let me know and I can facilitate that.

What are your plans after Heller?

I am going to win the lottery and not worry about anything. Nah, I am just kidding! I either want to work in organized labor directly or work in policy, whether that is in a think tank or government agency. I want to be helping workers rights and/or facilitating worker power whether that is in the Department of Labor, Office of Budget and Management, or a progressive think tank. I am looking all around I have a couple of target organizations in mind but I am keeping my options open as well.

Any advice you would like to give prospective students?

Believe that you are worthy of being here and that the institution has to live up to you and not the other way around.

Wow, what a strong way to end this blog post! Thank you Bob for stepping into the Admissions Blog Room. If you are interested or know someone who maybe interested in joining the Open Air Journal when arriving to Heller contact openair@brandeis.edu. See everyone soon for another blog in Meet My Co-hort!

Event Recap: Punishment Culture and the Persistence of Mass Incarceration in Massachusetts

November 1, 2022 / rclark / 0 Comments

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

In my concentration course this semester, our professor asked if we could attend a bonus lecture as part of our regularly scheduled class. I decided to attend the Joshua A. Guberman Lecture: Punishment, Culture, and the Persistence of Mass Incarceration in Massachusetts, presented by Elizabeth Matos. Brandeis University created the Joshua A. Guberman lecture to honor Guberman, who had passionate concern for individual well being and social justice. I chose to attend this lecture because I have had an interest all my life in criminal justice, mass incarceration, the school to prison pipeline, anything that involved the justice system in America. I felt that the lecture would be a good place for me to start getting my brain going about my presentation in my class and to learn more about what mass incarceration looks like in Massachusetts.

Elizabeth Matos was a an amazing speaker and lecturer, linking her life story to her current work in a phenomenal way. She walked us through the origins of mass incarceration: what triggered this mass wave of incarceration of Black and Brown people in America and connecting the historical origins to what we are seeing in mass incarceration trends today, especially in Massachusetts. America has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and Black and Brown individuals are 4 times more likely to be incarcerated versus their white peers. Even though Massachusetts is on the lower end of incarceration rate, it does not mitigate the fact that they still dedicate most of the budget to spending on prisons. According to the Department of Corrections 2020 annual report, the state spends, on average, $61,241 per prisoner at its largest prison, MCI-Norfolk, and $111,674 per prisoner at its only exclusively maximum-security prison, Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley. . Now imagine if we dedicated this money to community resources and schools in low and middle income communities. What would Massachusetts look like?

I had two major takeaways from sitting in on this lecture. The first takeaway is that Massachusetts is the only state in the country that will utilize correctional centers as places to treat people who have mental health and substance abuse issues. Individuals who struggle with mental health crises or substance abuse issues are not offered residential treatment, instead, they are sent to solitary confinement. Elizabeth highlighted the story of Ayesha Johnson, a 35 year Black women who died in the custody of Boston Suffolk Prison, after only being there for a few hours. Even though the state ended the practice of incarcerating women for civil commitments in 2016, Johnson was civilly committed under ‘Section 35’ in Massachusetts, which is meant for people who need mental support. She did not need to be locked up because she did not commit a crime, she needed extensive treatment and support. But instead she ended up becoming another statistic of our harsh criminal justice system. Prisons are not places of treatment, they are a place of discipline and often torture. It made me question where did we go wrong if we deem that having a mental health issue or substance abuse problem is a crime? Individuals who struggle with these issues are often criminalized more often, especially if they are Black and Brown: just another tactic in this new system we know as the New Jim Crow.

My second takeaway from this lecture is what we dedicate to the spending budget for prisons. I mentioned that the state of Massachusetts spends $61,241 per prisoner at is largest prison. Even though efforts for rehabilitation and treatment have definitely grown over the last decade or so, we are still far removed from what biggest goal of prisons should be: rehabilitation. When an individual is incarcerated, they give up everything they have and now they no longer own a car, or have a job, they do not see their families, they are now property of the state. Yet when the state no longer has them as property, they are released from prison with nothing to fall back on at all. How is someone supposed to become a law abiding citizen when they have to start from the bottom. I wondered, ‘How could we better support the assimilation in society after an individual is released from prison? How could we prepare an individual for this while they are awaiting release? How could we make sure they are rehabilitated and they do not reoffend?’ I asked these questions to Elizabeth at the end of her lecture, and she reassured me that this element of mass incarceration has grown better over time. The re-entry space has more resources then they ever had, because what people experience in prisons affect their reentry. Now, we have peer coaches and peer actor individuals who were also formerly incarcerated, supporting the release of individuals back into society. Yet in order to keep pushing for a more effective re-entry space, we must have all hands on deck from all aspect of our government.

I am really happy that I decided to attend this lecture. I did leave the lecture with more questions and more worries, however, I did feel I learned something new about a state I have lived in for the last five years of my life. I got to understand how this state handles mass incarceration and what efforts are being pushed, discussed, and implemented in hopes of ending the spread of mass incarceration and to really encourage a more robust restorative justice practicing society. Thank you Heller for hosting this lecture, and thank you Elizabeth for providing the knowledge on this topic and helping us as students, faculty, and peers in continuing our fight for justice in the area of mass incarceration!

Meet My Cohort: Brian Stanley

October 20, 2022 / rclark / 0 Comments

Ronunique Clark, MPP’23

Are you guys still with me in this mini blog series of Meet My Cohort? I hope you are! Huge thank you to Hannah Wilcove for stepping into the admissions blog room. Next up in this series is truly one of my favorite cohort mates in this program. Super honored to be able to sit down and chat with Brian Stanley. Brian is 25 years old, from Clifton Park, New York, and in 2019 he graduated from Boston University (hey fellow Terrier) with a bachelors in Political Science and minor in Sociology. He is currently a 2nd year Master of Public Policy candidate concentrating in Environmental Justice.

What did you do before coming to Heller?

Brian Stanley, MPP’23

Before Heller I was working at the AIDS Action Committee, which was a branch of Fenway Health. I was working as a high-need, low-income HIV case manager for Essex County, basically everything above Boston. I had a case load of about 50 people and I was the only arm of Fenway there, so I was living in Salem for two years: I started this job in 2019 and left in 2021 before starting this program. In addition to this, I was also working in food service at the time, largely because being a case manager doing social service work with a bachelors degree isn’t the greatest pay, and living in Salem, you wouldn’t be able to live off just that. Aside from the difficulty in having to work two jobs, they were both fulfilling opportunities and both of these experiences informed my route today. It was different crowds of people administratively, professionally, and socially.

Why did you choose Heller?

I applied to a lot of programs and this was one of the few policy programs I applied to. I felt between the faculty and Heller’s messaging that even if the experience was not going to be what I expected it to be, that there would be people here with the same interests in environmental, social justice and equity. Prioritizing these interests in different ways, so even if the program wasn’t what I expected it to be I knew the connections and network I would build will still be a solid motivation to continue on in the program. Like the other programs I was applying for I did not think their messaging was on point enough, their diversity statements and program directors did not have that same inclusive language, and I mean it could all be a front, but I think people who would be attractive to these certain elements in a program are the people I would vibe with. I also looked at Heller’s institutes which demonstrated their values and that someone here wasn’t just doing the talk but also walking the walk. I felt like that was another green flag, once again even if the program wasn’t what I expected, I knew there were faculty, staff, and students doing the work is what I can vibe with.

What is your favorite class at Heller?

I hate to be a repeat to Hannah, but my favorite class was Policy Approaches to Gender Based Violence taught by Kaitie Chakoian. The course was really phenomenal: it broke down real complex human concepts around violence, recovery, and healing in ways that were both accessible and still human. I feel some of the other courses here have difficulty translating what it means to be worthy of justice, integrity, and human value to something we can understand. Then we end up in language of federalism when we could be in the language of human terms, but Kaitie really broke down concepts well, she was engaging, and she provide extensive feedback on assignments, which I think highlighted her excellence and commitment to excellence. Super phenomenal and probably my favorite.

What was your most challenging class at Heller?

Thinking about this I break into two categories. I think for me, first, it would be Practicing Social Justice Philanthropy: Purpose, Practice, and Problems taught by Celeste Reid Lee and Sheryl Seller class directly out of the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy. It was intellectually challenging because I did not know anything from this field: I did not understand how philanthropy can relate to social justice, or even if philanthropy could relate to social justice. I thought the speakers were phenomenal but I did find the course to be challenging because of the materials. However, the instructors from the Sillerman Center were amazing in the way they coordinated the course, feedback on material, and really broke down a lot of the concepts. For me, another layer of challenging is a course I am taking right now, which is Environmental and Climate Justice taught by Prakash Kashwan. It is actually a undergraduate class I am taking. The reason why this class is challenging is because its a undergraduate course, and the instructor is working to engage meaningfully with everyone, who are all from different academic levels, and the assignment structures are very different. It’s a lot of reading response, with week to week assignments, which in some ways it becomes regurgitating information instead of synthesizing it so its a completely different flow. He is integrating some elements of graduate courses such as take home exam options to synthesize material and the way he teaches information is wonderful and his linkages of decolonization, capitalism, and climate change is astounding. He himself is great but the structure of the course is what I find challenging.

What are your plans after Heller?

I think I’m going to work on deciding between a career in research versus a career in something on the ground. I do not have anything concrete yet I have been applying though! These are all opportunities to say the least, eventually I may want to pursue a PhD, but I have to really nail down what is worth doing with the limit time that I do have. So for me that is trying to figure out where do my moral and ethics align, because I know ultimately they align with community, justice, and equity, but I have to figure out my role in that conversation. It reminds me of the quote from Audre Lorde, “the masters tools will never dismantles the master’s house” and so like how do you embody that with a masters degree in public policy, right? I have no idea, but I am really excited to find out what that looks like and surrounding myself with people who are dealing with these questions.

Any advice you would like to give prospective students?

It is very critical to give yourself to give yourself as many options as you can because things that you decide are worth doing are worth doing and no matter what decision you’re making, you will think something else may be worth it differently. I think committing yourself to principle of what you want to do and what you want to be are fundamental to succeeding anywhere. So giving yourself the most options, applying to every program, speaking to faculty, and dealing with research is what I would say is the best choice. The worst thing you could do is do one thing and feel trapped. That’s how you lose drive in a program or drive in future decision. Give yourself space to fail, there is literally no one at this school or in this program that has been committed to something 100% percent and all the time. When it comes down to it, you need to be more committed to what those principles are, even if its just making more money in the future, you need to decide if its worth it. That’s my two cents.

Thank you Brian, for stepping into the admission blog room, it is always a pleasure to have a conversation with you! What a fulfilling way to now lead us into a brief intermission of my mini blog series “Meet My Cohort”, but don’t worry I will be back with some more of my classmates and their stories.

Heller Admissions Blog

Tag: Ronunique Clark (page 1 of 3)

Reflections on my Letter to my Future Self

True Life: Reflections of 2nd Year Graduate Student

Event Recap: Heller Alumni Networking Night

Meet The Heller Career Development Center: Nijimbere Lahayiloyi

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

Ronunique’s Final Semester Schedule

3 Reasons Why You Should Schedule an Ambassador Appointment

Meet My Co-hort: Robert Hitt

Event Recap: Punishment Culture and the Persistence of Mass Incarceration in Massachusetts

Meet My Cohort: Brian Stanley

Recent Posts

Categories

Archives

Most Popular Tags

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

Categories

Most Popular Tags

Meta

Ping