SIPA and Careers in the U.S. Government COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

SIPA and Careers in the U.S. Government COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog The Admissions Committee continues to work away and today I present the following student entry.   The following was prepared by SIPA student Joshua Huneycutt, a second year MIA student concentrating in Energy and Environmental Policy. ___________________________ So you’re interested in working for the U.S. Government, but are worried that SIPA may be too far from Washington, D.C. for you to effectively work your way in.   Well, have no fear â€" SIPA has a strong track record of placing graduates in civil service positions and a large (and friendly) alumni network within government. For those students at SIPA seeking government jobs, opportunities abound for networking and gaining entry to special career development programs at various agencies.   SIPA career panels frequently feature U.S. government-employed alumni, and the annual D.C. Career Fair features site visits with alumni to various government agencies. Another great way to gain access to a career in government is through the Presidential Management Fellows Program.   Thanks in part to the dedicated effort of the Office of Career Services and the various workshops, guides, and one-on-one consultations, 18 SIPA students were recently named as PMF Finalists for 2010. Below you can find the employment statistics for recent graduates, provided by the Office of Career Services.   A link to the information is here. Program Year # of Hires % of Program Graduates Median Salary 2009 Graduates MIA 32 15.6 $55,000 MPA 5 3.5 $73,100 2008 Graduates MIA 23 11.36 $55,000 MPA 6 3.3 $72,500 In addition to SIPA being a great “in,” you will also have the pleasure of enjoying all that NYC has to offer, prior to beginning your days as a resident of the lovely, yet very culturally different, city of Washington D.C.   Policy schools in D.C. certainly have many things to offer, but a significant advantage over SIPA for government positions is not quite one of them.