Empowering others and supporting cities with a public policy career change
Growing up in the suburbs of Detroit, Lauren Evasic always wanted to be a writer. She also loves her home state, so it seemed a natural fit to attend Michigan State University and major in journalism. But the journey after her undergraduate study revealed that a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) from Northwestern University could not only offer new professional options — it would open up the possibility of giving back to her home town.
Starting off in journalism then becoming interested in public policy
Evasic performed well as an undergraduate in journalism, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities followed. She was offered an internship with a major fashion magazine in New York, taking on demanding work in an exciting new city. She then accepted an editorial position with the Chicago Tribune, moving to another new city and becoming immersed in the historic paper’s fast-paced environment.
But in the background, she was hearing about what was happening in her own city: Detroit was experiencing revitalization, but also persistent challenges with poverty, infrastructure, housing and other public services.
Choosing a new, public policy path by pursuing an MPPA
She decided it was time to move back home and began working for General Motors handling their social media. She then took on a role with a local, government-sponsored health insurance organization — and that’s when the idea of public policy took hold.
“These programs provide a lifeline,” she says. “The policies have to meet a wide range of needs for very diverse groups of people. The challenge interested me, and I saw that I could make a real difference working directly in public policy.”
Evasic was soon promoted, but made the tough decision to leave her job—and the idea of writing professionally —for the one-year accelerated MPPA program offered by Northwestern SPS.
“It was a tough decision, but I knew that with the accelerated Master's in Public Policy & Administration program I could jumpstart a new career and return to the job market sooner,” she says. “I researched other programs, but two years for those programs was too long. For many reasons, including the chance to study in Chicago, Northwestern University was the right choice.”
Finding the right MPPA experience at Northwestern SPS
With both online and onsite classes and a small cohort of students who stay together, the Northwestern University MPPA model matched Evasic’s needs well. She became close to the other students, and they planned get together and even virtual study sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was great to make connections during the program with people from so many different backgrounds—everyone brought something unique,” she says. “As a visual and social learner, I also benefited from having some onsite classes and events such as homecoming.”
Other key experiences for Evasic were her statistics class and the policy lab course, which allowed her to present a proposal to the Chicago Department of Housing.
“These were great introductions to real-life policy and seeing the need for fact-based evidence and research,” she says. “After graduation, I’m hoping to return to Detroit and give back to a city I love. There’s a strong need for better policy in housing, the environment, and many other areas.”
Northwestern University School of Professional Studies offers many degree and certificate programs, with evening and online options available. To learn more about how the Northwestern University Master's in Public Policy and Administration program prepares graduates to advance their public policy and administration careers, fill out the form below and we will contact you soon.