Feature

Real World Perspectives on Economic Development

On Wednesday, January 16, dozens of students gathered for the first in a series of four panel discussions on “Real World Perspectives for Policy Students.” Organized by Career Services and featuring Harris School Mentors, the series is designed to provide students access to personal perspectives of seasoned policy practitioners. The January 16 panel focused on economic development both in Chicago and the United States.

Moderated by Harris School Lecturer Paula R. Worthington, panel speakers included Robert Colangelo, chief executive officer, National Brownfield Association; Andy Geer, AM’94, vice president and executive director, HeartlandHousing, Inc.; Frances R. Grossman, executive vice president, ShoreBank Corporation; Laurence Msall, president, The Civic Federation; C. Robert Sawyer, regional director, Economic Development Administration; and Jodie Winnett, AM’94, associate director, Illinois Department of Revenue.

Colangelo opened the discussion by explaining that to conserve the environment and have economic prosperity, “we need to look at how cities are designed and built.” He cited the redevelopment of brownfields—and construction of Millennium Park specifically—as excellent collaboration for public and private sectors.

“Economic development in my view is creation of jobs and wealth in communities,” said Sawyer. He cited issues key to economic development as: technology, transfer of new technology to locations where it is most needed, and revitalization of cities.

While Colangelo and Sawyer talked about economic development in city- and region-wide terms, Geer explained how HeartlandHousing’s parent organization, Heartland Alliance, focuses on an individual and family level.

“We still have many communities of extreme poverty in the Midwest and the Rust Belt,” he said. HeartlandHousing’s “From Poverty to Opportunity Campaign” is working to cut extreme poverty in Illinois in half by 2015. Heartland believes this goal can be met in part through the use of local advocates and development of low- and mixed-income housing.

Moving away from the economy, panelists dispensed plenty of career advice to the room full of eager students, which included: know how to market yourself, gain experience in both the public and private sectors, and be able to communicate and write well.

All speakers underscored one piece of advice—network and maintain relationships. According to Msall these must be “deeper” than sending the occasional email or a making phone call only when looking for a job. “I can’t emphasize networking enough,” he said. “It’s never a waste of time to keep contacts and relationships up.”

Grossman and Winnett both stressed the importance of understanding money and its relations to policy. They urged students to understand what agencies and organizations receive it and know from where the funding is generated.

“We’re excited about this series because it will provide students with more real world exposure. This will be a unique opportunity to hear from leading professionals on both policy issues and career advice,” said Susan E. Mayer, dean of the Harris School. “Students have been very receptive and we look forward to a successful panel series.”

Throughout this series students will gain firsthand knowledge of industry-specific career paths, the impact of relevant policy legislation to organizations, thoughts on the future of specific industries, and tips from the experts on how best to get involved. A January 23 panel focused on foundation management, and discussions in February will examine public advocacy and urban development.