What do you enjoy most about the Public Policy program at Tech?

I love how Public Policy is a blend of theoretical and practical knowledge. The core classes explore the ethics and theory behind policy decisions, as well as the facts, the statistics, and the precedents. Both theoretical and empirical facets must be taken into account for a successful policy decision. This dual way of thinking is applicable far beyond policy-making. It is a way to perceive and think about the world.

What is it like being an Honors Program student at Tech?

The Honors Program has given me the opportunity and the inspiration to take classes I would not have usually taken. The program seeks out the best professors, gives them the opportunity to construct unique courses, and keeps classes small. This combination results in truly incredible classes.

The most unique honors course that I have taken at Tech was entitled: Race, Space, and Architecture. We met in a small section and examined the history, politics, and current struggles of English Avenue, a neighborhood adjacent to the west side of Georgia Tech. The neighborhood is facing serious challenges but is also developing significant strategies for change. Our class developed project proposals that could be implemented in English Avenue. I worked on developing a plan for a community garden in the neighborhood. My group studied gardens in many other Atlanta neighborhoods and developed a plan for acquiring property, funding, and support for the project. This project gave me an understanding of the many challenges and potential rewards in community development projects.

This class experience led me not only to an internship in the Office of Community Relations and a 300-page research report about the history of English Avenue, but gave me a deeper understanding of the past and current plights of struggling Atlanta neighborhoods and appreciation on how challenging it is to implement an effective policy in neighborhood development.

How are you involved in the Georgia Tech community?

Through Student Government Association (SGA) and my other involvements, I have learned how truly rewarding it is to be engaged in the Georgia Tech community. This past year I served as a Sophomore Representative for SGA. One of the primary responsibilities of representatives is allocating the Student Activities Fee, which comes to between 4 and 5 million dollars annually. Seeing a small-scale political process at work revealed so many parallels to the topics in my Public Policy courses from agenda setting to opinion formation to the use of precedents. I am also involved in Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, GT 1000 TL, and AIESEC, which is an organization that provides an integrated development experience comprised of leadership opportunities, international internships, and participation in a global learning environment.