Student Testimonials

Anthony Hamilton, MPP Graduate 2011

Attending the School of Public Policy was a rewarding experience that has opened doors for me with non-profits, as a consultant, and now as a public servant. I have a great deal of respect and fondness for the School’s supportive staff and I am thankful for their emphasis on skills development. The skills and knowledge that I developed while in the program have prepared me to be a contributing team member and allowed me to take on leadership positions within the organizations that I have worked.

I currently work as a policy analyst in the Land-use Secretariat in Alberta’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. I support the government’s efforts to prevent land-use conflicts and draft regional plans for the province. In the new year, I will be transferring to the Ministry of Energy to work in its Resource Development Division. Regardless of where I am, I know that my skill set can help decision-makers to better understand and address the issues that they face.

Jasmine Crane, MPP Graduate 2008

After graduating from the School of Public Policy in 2008, the number of doors that have opened for me professionally has exceeded my expectations. The MPP program lays down a strong foundation to be able to explore a number of different career avenues. Since successfully defending my capstone, I have enjoyed a range of opportunities working on high profile files as a Senior Economist in Ottawa at Finance Canada and as a Senior Program Analyst at the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada (TBS). Just recently, I returned to Vancouver to accept a position as a Senior Manager within the B.C. Provincial Public working on International Trade and Investment Attraction.

Carey Doberstein, MPP Graduate 2008

A degree from the School of Public Policy at SFU has exceptional currency to public and private employers and academic institutions alike in Canada, which I have learned first-hand since graduating in 2008. This is a testament to the wide range of skills acquired in the program, the relationships one develops with well-connected faculty, and the professional opportunities embedded within the curriculum.

The reputation of the program is so strong in Ottawa and the provincial capitals that I secured a permanent position in the BC Public Service before months before I graduated--this is likewise true for many in my cohort who ended up in Ottawa. I spent a (great) year and half in Victoria working on local government finance and urban policy in the Ministry of Community Development before deciding to pursue my PhD in Political Science at the University of Toronto. Though I am one of only a few graduates that returned to academia after completing the degree, my entry into a very competitive doctoral program demonstrates the wide-ranging utility of the degree from the School of Public Policy at SFU.

William Kendall, MPP Graduate 2008

After completing the Master’s of Public Policy (MPP) program in May 2008, Will Kendall began his career with the Financial Sector Policy Branch (FSPB) of the Department of Finance Canada just as the global financial crisis began to take shape in the summer of 2008. During his time with FSPB, Will became increasingly active in the development of legislative reforms to the financial sector, including his lead role in the introduction of federal credit union legislation in Budget 2010.

After three years with FSPB, Will was selected to the prestigious and highly sought-after position of Canada’s Finance Counsellor to the World Trade Organization in September 2011. Working out of the Canadian Mission in Geneva, Switzerland, Will’s current work focuses on multilateral trade issues of interest to both the Departments of Finance and Foreign Affairs and International Trade, including aspects of the ongoing Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations.

Will credits the MPP program with helping him develop many of the skills that have allowed him to achieve a successful and exciting career in the public service. In particular, he credits the MPP with providing the practical knowledge and tools needed to assess and implement complex public policy outcomes, and he strongly encourages potential applicants with an interest in public policy issues to apply to the MPP program at Simon Fraser.

Karen Graham, MPP Graduate 2005

As someone who returned to graduate school partway through my career, I credit the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program at SFU for equipping me with the skills and exposure to take my career to the next level. The breadth of experience of the faculty and their excellent connections to the business, policy and government communities across Canada greatly assisted our first cohort to translate our education into varied and interesting careers.

My MPP degree was instrumental in securing positions in public policy analytical and advisory roles with the Business Council of BC, the United States Consulate (Vancouver), and my present role in energy and environmental policy with Westport Innovations. Throughout, the faculty members have been fantastic mentors, and many of my fellow MPP alumni have proven to be valued advisors, colleagues and great friends. SFU’s MPP program offers a practical, skill-based approach, and provides an excellent foundation for a wide range of careers that touch on public policy.

Tom McCarthy, MPP Graduate 2005

My School of Public Policy degree got my career off to a fantastic start, and has kept it moving well beyond my years at SFU.

My co-op position introduced me to Tsawwassen First Nation, a small government with, in my opinion, the most exciting and dynamic policy environment in Canada. It then took me to Ottawa, through a post-graduate internship program – the Accelerated Economist Training Program - where I spent time at Privy Council Office, the Department of Finance, and Treasury Board, learning about the federal government decision-making process. And it ultimately brought me back out to Vancouver and Tsawwassen First Nation. I’ve been with Tsawwassen First Nation since 2007. I initially managed a suite of Treaty implementation projects to prepare TFN for the Effective Date of their Treaty, the first modern urban treaty in BC. Following the Effective Date, I became the Manager of Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs. I am now the Director of Public Services, responsible for policy, government services, referrals, natural resources, and other program areas. This past summer, we also supervised a co-op student from the SPP program – full circle!

Faculty of the SPP continue to be important mentors to me today, and continue to teach and inspire me. The practical lessons and experience of the instructors was, and continues to be, invaluable. Ultimately, an education is only as valuable as the effort you put into it yourself. But the hallmark of a strong degree program is that it encourages and supports that effort, and challenges you to turn raw effort into learned skills with practical application. If you put the effort into the SPP, the program will make absolutely sure that you thrive, both in school and in your career.