Danilo Cuevas MPP 2001

Staff Analyst, President's Office, Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)—Serving Chicago and 38 suburbs, the CTA is the second largest public transportation system in the United States with 1.56 million rides on an average workday. Cuevas collaborates with CTA executive staff and facilitates a monthly report outlining the status of all CTA projects and initiatives, which is used to brief the Mayor, other high-ranking public officals, and external stakeholders.

"I enjoy the challenge of gaining exposure and learning the industry, despite not having a transportation background. A Harris School degree offers a great deal of career flexibility, and my experience is a strong statement fo how versatile and well-rounded my policy training has been in preparing me to succeed.

"I decided to pursue a public policy degree after working on community organizaing and issue awareness for several campaigns while in college. Ultimately, a policy degree provides the tools to affect change and improve the quality of life for individuals and communiities.

"I did not have the quantitative background prior to attending the Harris School and was intimidated at first in taking those courses, but the curriculum really strengthened my skills. This exposure to quantitative analysis is integral to policy formulation, and as a result I am effective and confident in my chosen field.

"My experience at the Harris School was phenomenal. A highly supportive academic and working environment, it was very team oriented with a lot of interaction between faculty and students. One of the things I value most was being a part of Minorities in Public Policy (MIPPS), a student group that works to promote access and opportunities for students, faculty, and alumni of color. MIPPS was (and continues to be) like my second family."