Four Reasons

I was attracted to this course for several key reasons. The first reason is that being in an academic bubble for two years has made me nervous about re-entering the job market. This course provides an opportunity to work with a real client on a real project, which is the perfect opportunity to brush-up on skills and methods of working that feel part of the distant past. Equally, it provides a chance to minimise that ever-present imposter syndrome in a safe and supportive environment. I have been super impressed by the course methodology and approach that Professor Flammer adopts. The classroom environment is compassionate, creative, and constructive, with both Professor Flammer and my peers assisting with questions and overcoming roadblocks. The energy in the room builds confidence and has confirmed that the class will be a good re-introduction to life outside of SIPA.  

The second impetus for taking this course is to take the theories and lessons learned in the classroom and apply them to actual issues. Often, it is difficult to know how much you learn and retain in a classroom, so it has been wonderful to start using these skills and theories, and to put all of that reading into practice! I have found, in the first few weeks of the Project, that I know a lot more than I thought, which is reassuring and also serves to minimise my feelings of self-doubt. What was great, was on our first client call, I felt comfortable asking questions and discussing new subjects, while feeling informed and confident. Similarly, it is also nice to build a rapport with the client, who is extremely knowledgeable and supportive of our views, interested in the project, and keen to support our learning. To meet such a busy person and to see their investment in us and the Project has provided us with further determination to exceed expectations and create an excellent work product.

The third reason for taking this class is to learn about a unique area. My project combines three areas of interest: gender, finance, and sustainability. It is the perfect opportunity to combine areas that I have learned about separately; to increase my knowledge and understanding of the opportunities and challenges at this intersection; and to gain insight into what the market, our client, and others are discussing in relation to this topic. A key part of this is the semester-long independent research aspect of this Project, which is fantastic. Often, in our SIPA courses, we work in confined timeframes, with too little time and limited boundaries to fully explore a final or mid-term project. This course provides a semester to delve into a topic and build our research skills in a deeper, more prolonged way. 

Finally, I particularly value the small group set-up for each project, as it has reminded me of how wonderful my peers are, while providing a fantastic opportunity to learn from their different disciplines and perspectives. Already, we have had excellent brainstorming sessions, which inspire me to step outside of my comfort zone and think outside the box. As a lawyer, I am very comfortable in the realm of law and policy, so having my team's support on the more data or economics focused areas of the Project (that they excel at) has been great. We each bring something unique and special to the group and it makes the Project thought-provoking, but also fun. I am very excited for the coming months and the overall learning journey.