Chicago Harris Core Courses Prepare Students for Mayoral Fellowship

Six students from the University of Chicago School of Public Policy spent their summer getting “hands-on” experience in municipal policy-making through the City of Chicago Mayor’s Office Fellowship Program.

As Mayoral Fellows, the Chicago Harris students – all of whom are entering their second year of the masters of public policy degree program – worked with members of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s senior staff on an array of policy issues including green initiatives, affordable housing, workforce initiatives, public safety, youth engagement, traffic and infrastructure, technology integration, and the cultivation of cultural resources. They attended meetings and interacted with commissioners, aldermen, and senior-level staff from various city departments. 

Students said the Chicago Harris “Core”—a set of required courses intended to impart an understanding of problem solving through data analysis and evaluation—prepared them for their assignments. Liz Stovall, who spent the summer working with Chicago’s Chief Financial Officer, and who is also the incoming president of PPSA, the student organization that acts as a liaison between Chicago Harris students, faculty and staff, credits the Core courses with building and strengthening the skills necessary to succeed as a Mayoral Fellow.

“[The Core] courses really helped by giving us a better idea of what is possible with data and what kinds of questions can be asked and answered with it,” explains Stovall.  “Our first year at Chicago Harris allowed us to become better critical thinkers when it comes to how to evaluate white papers, reports, and outside sources—things that we regularly encountered this summer.” 

Sam Quinney, who analyzed trends in service requests submitted through the city’s new Open311 system, said the statistical methods course bolstered his ability to correlate data and recommend solutions to his supervisors. Ana Aguilera said the microeconomics course prepared her for her work on policies designed to spur job creation. Fellows also said that the Core classes helped them develop “soft skills” that prepared them for the experience of working with the women and men responsible for running the nation’s third-largest city.

“The significant group work inherent in the Core helped us understand group dynamics and adapt to playing different roles within a group. We are now very aware of incentives and thinking about how people will respond to different initiatives,” Stovall said.  She added, “Because the Core is so busy, we improved our time and project management skills, which is really essential when you work at City Hall. We are practiced at keeping all the balls in the air!”

The City of Chicago Mayor’s Office Fellowship Program is currently accepting applications. If you are interested, visit the program’s website or contact the Chicago Harris Career Development Office.