Maggie DeCarlo

I love public policy. There, I said it, and as “geeky” as that may sound, I am not ashamed. Being Director of Admission has put me in touch with public policy in a way that most professionals can only imagine. Not only am I close to the latest thinking and research in policy but I also have the opportunity to help shape the future of policy and further the role of the Harris School in the policy community by recruiting the brightest and best students available.

In 2003, we expanded our recruitment efforts by more than 50 percent and visited more campuses and grad fairs than ever before. Our materials have been completely redesigned to better represent the high caliber of training and research conducted here. As the School’s “first face,” the Office of Admission maintains a high standard of customer service, serving as the bridge to all things Harris School.

It is our job to attract a diverse student body, to ensure that exceptional policy professionals are prepared for all disciplines and all levels of policymaking. Though there is always room for improvement, we are proud of our achievements to date. We received nearly 600 applications for the class of 2006, representing over 20 countries, more than 65 undergraduate majors, with 90 percent having previous work experience. This mix of personal and professional experiences makes for a rich and dynamic atmosphere in which students inspire each other and help shape life at the Harris School. And I can attest to this personally since in my free time, I am also working towards my MPP. Being a student here is an incredible experience, more so than I could have hoped for or imagined.

Next year, we hope to further our recruitment and outreach activities and are continually looking for new pools of potential applicants. We also hope to include more alumni in our efforts. So, check out the Web site and look for us in your neighborhood this year. We welcome your input and certainly if you know someone interested in policy, just let us know.

The father of a new student said to me recently, “The Irving B. Harris Graduate School of Public Policy Studies—now that is impressive.” That is our aim here in Admission, to let everyone know just how impressive we are.