Great Grads - Irene Castro

MPA, Public Service Management

"Like many City College students, Irene Castro was the first in her family to attend college. The child of Dominican immigrants, the Queens native earned a BA in political science and philosophy from CCNY in 2010.

Initially, she wanted to study psychology, but her involvement in student government led her to switch to political science. After a term as president of the Undergraduate Student Government she realized her passion was in public service. Consequently, after graduation she enrolled in CCNY's public service management MPA program.

"I chose this program because I know and like City, so why not stay at home?" Irene explained. That choice proved to be a wise one. Not only is Irene receiving her masters in June; she has been accepted into the prestigious New York City Urban Fellows Program. This highly selective, nine-month fellowship combines work in mayoral offices and city agencies with an intensive seminar series that explores current urban issues impacting public policy.  

The knowledge Irene gained from the graduate program helped her secure the fellowship. The program's extensive training prepared her to construct excellent personal statements and policy recommendations that led to her acceptance.

Irene also credits the MPA faculty with giving her the skills necessary to succeed. As a graduate student, she held a summer internship in Washington with the National Disability Rights Network, where she conducted research on policy issues affecting the disabled community. This experience helped her develop research skills and familiarity with the policy-making process. "I appreciate City College because it has given me a lot of opportunities," she said.

Irene plans to eventually go to law school because she wants to help fight social injustices. With the exceptional education she received at City College, her goal seems well within reach.
 

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