Grant Cohen, who earned his Master of Public Affairs degree from Brown in 2024 while working a full-time consulting job, used the experience to sharpen the skills he needed to advance his career in the public service sector.

Ashley Delgado, who earned her MPA from the Watson Institute at Brown University in 2024, practices many of the skills she learned at Watson — tact, patience, program management skills and effective use of limited resources — in her current position with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Laura Cianciolo, who earned her Master of Public Affairs at the Watson Institute in 2024, credits her Watson-acquired expertise in statistics, econometrics, data visualization, problem-solving skills and interdisciplinary problem-solving with empowering her to conduct more sophisticated and meaningful research.

The combination of data analytics and policy analysis taught in Watson's Master of Public Affairs (MPA) program prepares people for real-world situations, whether they are working in government, for a think tank, or in the private sector. The mentoring and support among MPA alumni can also lead to professional development.

David Benoit, a 2023 graduate of Watson's Master of Public Affairs program, has used the data analytical and policy evaluation skills he gained in the program, along with faculty mentoring and prior experience working for then Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, to earn a position as the racial justice advocate for the American Civil Liberties of Massachusetts.

Named one of 18 Luce Scholars, a nationally competitive yearlong fellowship in Asia, Anna Lenaker reflects on how the Master of Public Affairs program prepared her for academic success and future career exploration.

2022 Master of Public Affairs graduate Adilkhan Kopabayev said the skills he developed in the program have been essential in navigating the complex job of chairman of the board of the Situational-Analytical Center of Fuel Energy Complex of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Shifting career focus and his Watson MPA Policy-in-Action experience led Jonathan Macomber to a policy analyst position with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While funding gender and reproductive equity issues in the non-profit arena, 2020 Master of Public Affairs graduate Eesha Bhave's long-term career goal is to ensure that gender and race equity analyses are included in broader policy arenas as well.

Alberto Morales, a 2016 graduate of Watson’s Master of Public Affairs program and first-generation college student, founded his own consulting firm two years ago with the goal of creating a more equitable philanthropic sector.

Benjamin Lopez ’22 MPA discusses his experience in the Brown MPA program and how it prepared him for his current role as the Digital Communications Manager / Press Assistant for the Washington office of Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández.

Victoria Reichling ’22 MPA discusses her experience in the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs MPA program and how it prepared her for her position as a Government Affairs and Public Policy Analyst with Amtrak.