“Within my first three months in the department, I was offered a student assistant role for the PSPA Exposure Training for Bangladesh Officials with Dr. Akhlaque Haque, through which I was able to compare the United States's governmental structure to that of Bangladesh and translate lessons into Hindi for some of the officials. The following year, I was encouraged by Dr. Carin Mayo to shoot for the stars and apply for a summer internship with Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-07) and the MPA Take a Leap Scholarship Award. I fortunately received both, and my perspective on policymaking forever shifted for the better.”

Faiza Mawani Master’s student in Public Administration

“My advice (to fellow students) would be to pursue what you are truly passionate about and look for opportunities to collaborate with other students in the lab, across campus, and even other institutions. Learning from and helping each other not only provide ample opportunity for personal and professional growth, but also make academic work much more fun.”

Marlon Goering Doctoral student in Developmental Psychology

“Find great mentors, have a strong support system (friends and family), and try your best. At the end of the day, there's a great deal of luck in research, but having a strong environment and doing the best you can goes a long way.”

Matthew Cheung MD-PhD graduate trainee in the Medical Scientist Training Program