Tag: New Student Self-Interview

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Fall 2017 New Student Series: Jungwoo Lee

Kaitlyn Wells

In our final installment of this season's New Students Series, we’re welcoming Jungwoo Lee, from Seoul, Republic of Korea. Jungwoo has an MBA degree from KAIST and spent the last decade as a consultant for a securities company. Jungwoo, very self-aware of his career trajectory, became dissatisfied with private sector work and how his character was changing for the worse. So he left it all behind and trekked across four continents over two years to find his calling in life---which led him to a desire to help those less fortunate.

Meet the SIPA Community

Fall 2017 New Students Series: Lan Hoang

Kaitlyn Wells

In today’s installment of our New Students Series, we’re welcoming Lan Hoang, from Hanoi, Vietnam. Lan's interest in international affairs began with a senior thesis project about Vietnamese refugees while studying at the University of Hong Kong. After graduation she spent some time with the United Nations in Bangkok, where she worked on migration-policy issues in the Asia-Pacific region. Lan's background pairs nicely with her chosen concentration, Human Rights and Humanitarian Policy. Attending SIPA has been a lifelong ambition, as she grew up flipping through the pages of Columbia University publications. How'd she get access? Well, Lan's father is actually a 1995 SIPA graduate. Despite her preparedness for the program, she said she was surprised to read her acceptance letter and jumped for joy upon reading the good news. Lan, we're happy to have you here, too!

Meet the SIPA Community

Fall 2017 New Students Series: Poorvi Goel

Kaitlyn Wells

In today's installment of our New Students Series, we're welcoming Poorvi Goel from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. Poorvi studied economics at St. Stephen's College in Delhi. She also earned a degree from the London School of Economics and she's been working as an economist at the Planning Commission of India and the UNDP. She's nervous about readjusting to life as a student, but looks forward to getting her "hands dirty" in the development process instead of just being an onlooker. Welcome Poorvi!

Meet the SIPA Community

Fall 2017 New Students Series: Dian Dong

Kaitlyn Wells

In today's installment of our New Students Series, we're welcoming Dian Dong from Hangzhou in Zhejiang, China. Dian studied sociology at the University of Maryland in the United States, and is currently working on education and student privacy issues. While working on US-China relations, she found her calling in international affairs and technology and hopes to strengthen those skillsets while at SIPA. Dian describes reading her SIPA admission letter as "one of the happiest moments in my life," and she plans to make every second at SIPA count.

Meet the SIPA Community

Fall 2017 New Students Series: Sukirti Vinayak

Kaitlyn Wells

In today's installment of our New Students Series, we're welcoming Sukirti Vinayak, from Delhi, India. He studied engineering at the University of Delhiin 2011, and is currently working pro bono for the Common People's Party. He joined SIPA (instead of another policy school we won't mention) to gain stronger quantitative skills. While he's not sure which employment sector he wants to work in next, he looks forward to learning from SIPA's world renowned faculty and all about governance innovations in NYC. Using a gambling analogy, he's a self-described "Jack" and believes there are no winners when it comes to climate change.

Meet the SIPA Community

Fall 2017 New Students Series: Katy Swartz

Kaitlyn Wells

In today's installment of our New Students Series, wave your virtual hand at Katy Swartz. Katy is a Texan (ditto!) who moved to the frigid north in Massachusetts to attend Smith College. She has a degree in Jewish Studies, and taught English in Bulgaria for a year. Today, she lives in Brooklyn and works for the NYC Department of Education as a data specialist. Overall, she's lived in five U.S. states and three different countries. I'm sure her experience abroad will serve her well in a future career as a Foreign Service Officer. Hook 'em, Katy!

Meet the SIPA Community

Fall 2017 New Students Series: Esteban Angel

Kaitlyn Wells

In today's installment of our New Students Series we're welcoming Esteban Angel from Bogota, Colombia. Esteban studied mechanical engineering at Universidad De Los Andes, and he hopes to be a leader in the energy policy field one day. He admits that he cried after reading his acceptance letter, and he is excited about living in his dream city. We're excited to meet you, too, Esteban!

Sierra standing on a large grass hill in Patagonia, Chile while on a hike.
Meet the SIPA Community

Fall 2017 New Students Series: Sierra Robbins

Kaitlyn Wells

In our next New Students Series installment, I'm introducing you to Sierra Robbins, from San Diego, California. Sierra works in the women's reproductive healthcare field and wants to learn how to be more effective in the field by joining SIPA'S MPA in Development Practice program. One thing she really looks forward to in the fall is connecting with her new classmates and picking their brains. Welcome Sierra and good luck soaking up everyone's knowledge!

Karl Hendler sitting at a bistro table holding a large glass
Meet the SIPA Community

Fall 2017 New Students Series: Karl Hendler

Kaitlyn Wells

This week I shared we're gearing up for our annual introduction series featuring the incoming Fall 2017 class. To get us started, please welcome Karl Hendler from Richfield, Ohio. Karl was a philosophy major from the University of Southern California, and joined the US Marine Corps upon graduation. (Thank you for your service, Karl!) He's joining SIPA to change gears and focus more on designing policy rather than executing it.