{"id":48363,"date":"2021-07-15T20:32:19","date_gmt":"2021-07-15T20:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/?p=48363"},"modified":"2024-10-16T18:55:40","modified_gmt":"2024-10-16T18:55:40","slug":"the-advantages-of-ppia-advice-from-natalya-arevalo-20-and-zakariya-abdullahi-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/2021\/07\/15\/the-advantages-of-ppia-advice-from-natalya-arevalo-20-and-zakariya-abdullahi-21\/","title":{"rendered":"The Advantages of PPIA: Advice from Natalya Arevalo &#8217;20 and Zakariya Abdullahi &#8217;21"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Many Augsburg students come to URGO for help in applying to a wide range of fellowships, awards, and programs (think Fulbright, Boren, Pickering, etc.). One such program that deserves special highlight is the Junior Summer Institute (JSI), facilitated annually by the Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA).<\/p>\n<p>What is JSI by PPIA?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>An intensive seven-week graduate-level preparation program for undergraduate juniors committed to public service careers.<\/li>\n<li>JSI was made to address the lack of diversity in professional public service.<\/li>\n<li>Its purpose is to prepare its fellows to obtain a master\u2019s degree in public policy, public administration, international affairs, or a related field.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>This program is an incredible opportunity for all majors as many disciplines relate to public policy. To illustrate PPIA\u2019s remarkable impact, we asked two students to share their experiences in the program.<\/p>\n<div>\n<dl id=\"attachment_48372\">\n<dt><a href=\"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2021\/07\/image_6483441-min.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2021\/07\/image_6483441-min-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Zakariya Abdullahi posing for a picture on a concrete step with his hands folded and resting on his knees.\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><\/dt>\n<dd>Zakariya Abdullahi &#8217;21<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n<p>Augsburg Experience<\/p>\n<p>Zakariya Abdullahi \u201921 and Natalya Arevalo \u201920 both majored in political science with a second major on the side (international affairs and philosophy, respectively). While balancing major coursework, these two students also became deeply involved in campus life. Abdullahi served as the president of the Pan-Afrikan Student Union (PASU), a head justice for Day Student Government, and an editor for The Echo (Augsburg\u2019s student newspaper). Arevalo served on the board for Augsburg Latin American Students (ALAS) and founded the student group Women for Political Change. Their interest in social change and public policy made them perfect candidates for PPIA.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had very close friends at Augsburg and Hamline who did it. They told me I had to apply,\u201d recalled Abdullahi about his initial exposure to PPIA. He did his own online research and, based on the graduate school skills the program promised, decided to apply. Arevalo, on the other hand, received an email from URGO with general information about PPIA. She had a general meeting with Dixie Shafer, the director of URGO, to learn more and was drawn to the research opportunity embedded in the program. \u201cI knew I\u2019d be doing my senior thesis the year after, and that [PPIA] would be give good skills to complete it,\u201d Arevalo said.<\/p>\n<div>\n<dl id=\"attachment_48374\">\n<dt><a href=\"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2021\/07\/image_6487327.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2021\/07\/image_6487327-300x276.jpg\" alt=\"Natalya Arevalo posing for a picture in front of a blank wall.\" width=\"300\" height=\"276\" \/><\/a><\/dt>\n<dd>Natalya Arevalo &#8217;20<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n<p>Why UMN&#8217;s program?<\/p>\n<p>An important part of the PPIA application process is choosing where to complete the program. JSI is hosted at five participating universities: Carnegie Mellon University, Princeton University, University of California Berkeley, University of Michigan, and University of Minnesota. Both Arevalo and Abdullahi chose the University of Minnesota, which hosts the program in the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, for its focus on community. \u201cI wanted to be directly tied to my community and to be able to make an impact at home. Community is important \u2013 if you don\u2019t have that connection, you can\u2019t build it,\u201d Abdullahi said about his choice. Arevalo\u2019s sentiment was similar; UMN was the only PPIA partner school that mentioned social justice and community work which made her choice clear.<\/p>\n<p>A Typical Day<\/p>\n<p>Arevalo attended JSI in 2019 while Abdullahi completed the program virtually in 2020. Although their programs happened at two very different times, they completed the same amount of hard work and learning. Our two Auggie alums describe it as \u201cgrad school bootcamp.\u201d The seven-week intensive begins with a weeklong orientation before coursework commences. JSI fellows are busy from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with 2-3 classes during the day and cohort study sessions in the evening. Additionally, various workshops and speakers break up courses during the day, targeted at building career skills and strengthening relationships between students. A few of Abdullahi\u2019s favorites from last summer were a speaker session about education in Africa and a House of Representatives simulation conducted by the students. The biggest piece of advice Abdullahi and Arevalo offer about attending JSI? Do not have a job.<\/p>\n<p>Why PPIA?<\/p>\n<p>What makes JSI worth all that hard work? Arevalo and Abdullahi say the skills, opportunities, and networking PPIA provides are invaluable. \u201cI took classes I never would\u2019ve taken in undergrad. [They] made grad school feel doable,\u201d said Abdullahi. He also says that he honed his writing and research skills. Networking is another important part of PPIA; fellows build deep relationships with their peers and are connected to an expansive network of alumni. \u201cI\u2019m still in contact with some of my classmates,\u201d said Arevalo. \u201cHaving conversations about careers with people of a similar mindset makes my network huge and inspiring.\u201d The largest advantage of PPIA, however, is the significant financial advantage it gives its students to enter graduate school. \u00a0PPIA offers fee waivers for schools in their consortium, as well as substantial scholarships that can reach upwards of 50% to full rides. Abdullahi is extremely grateful for this assistance. \u201cWithout PPIA, I wouldn\u2019t be going to grad school,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Advice for Current Auggies<\/p>\n<p>Arevalo and Abdullahi offer advice to future applicants:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Apply! \u201cJust apply even if you think you can\u2019t. I didn\u2019t think I would get it and here I am,\u201d says Abdullahi. \u201cI would encourage especially Black kids to apply. I know when I went last year I was the only Black man and that needs to change.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Use it as an opportunity to shape your future. \u201c[Your future plans] do not have to be set in stone. PPIA is about identifying strengths and how to best use them. It doesn\u2019t pigeonhole you,\u201d advises Arevalo.<\/li>\n<li>Lastly, take advantage of PPIA\u2019s resources. \u201cDon\u2019t take it for granted. There\u2019s more to it than a good resume item. Learn about other people, connect with professors, and learn the content,\u201d implores Abdullahi.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Interested in applying? Find application information on <a href=\"https:\/\/ppiaprogram.org\/page\/junior-summer-institute-eligibility-and-benefits\">PPIA\u2019s website<\/a> and contact the URGO office (&#x75;&#114;g&#x6f;&#64;a&#x75;&#103;s&#x62;&#117;r&#x67;&#46;e&#x64;&#x75;) for help with your application!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many Augsburg students come to URGO for help in applying to a wide range of fellowships, awards, and programs (think Fulbright, Boren, Pickering, etc.). One such program that deserves special highlight is the Junior Summer Institute (JSI), facilitated annually by the Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA). What is JSI by PPIA? An intensive &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":435,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/435"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48363"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48363\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49070,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48363\/revisions\/49070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48363"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48363"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/urgo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}