Feature
February 1, 2010Panel Series Channels Mentors
The Mentor Program has been part of the Harris School since the beginning. Initiated first by Irving B. Harris, after whom the school is named, it matches students in one-on-one relationships with leading policy practitioners with wisdom to share.
But with about 100 volunteers, the program’s greatest strength (giving students the attention of seasoned professionals) was also a weakness. Mentors wanted to connect with more students, and students wanted access to a greater range of the diverse perspectives that are essential for shaping well-rounded policy leaders.
Three years ago, the Harris School Career Development Office created an annual panel series to bridge the gap.
The “Real World Perspectives for Policy Students” series features mentors from a wide range of organizations that share industry-specific career advice. Half student-led Q&A, half freeform discussion about relevant policy issues, each event addresses a broad topic to help connect classroom theory to practical application.
“Our mentors have an incredible wealth of knowledge about how things really work,” says Gail Zurek, executive director for career development. “Students sit in class all day and learn how it’s supposed to work, but these panels tell you what that really means.”
Of the four panels scheduled this year, two were held in January. One tackled the realities of working in the public sector and the other focused on the future of health care—it was held the day after Republican Scott Brown won the Massachusetts special Senate election and promised to block Obama’s health care bill.
Among the health care panelists was Robert Christie, vice president of government and legislative relations at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, who has been lobbying for that bill in Washington. Zurek says listening to Christie’s experience is exactly the type of on-the-ground insight students need.
“Hearing you can work an entire year on something and then in a matter of an evening have it change is important for policy students to understand,” she explains, adding that Christie is just one of the many panelists sharing such lessons.
The next event will be on February 17 and highlight the challenges of urban policy, an area the Harris School will focus on in a speaker series starting this month hosted by the Urban Policy Initiative.
Moderated by McCormick Professor Jens Ludwig, the February panel will feature Don Laackman, principal of Civic Consulting Alliance, and Hoy McConnel, executive director of Business and Professional People for the Public Interest, as well as Mattie Butler, executive director of Woodlawn East Community and Neighbors, and Andrew Geer, vice president and executive director of Heartland Housing, Inc.
The 2010 series also includes a fourth panel on education funding.
By Steven Yaccino
Contact Information
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Phone: 773-702-7681
