A letter to prospective students

Dear Prospective Students,

My interest and passion for public policy was born from the centre of the society I grew up in, Ghana. I had always tried to contribute to change in little ways through charitable gestures. Hence, my strong passion to pursue the Master of Public Policy degree and attain more with it on a bigger platform. Two years after completing my undergraduate degree in Pennsylvania, USA, I was certain I was ready for a new adventure in an entirely different country. During my search for schools in Europe, I hadn’t looked into Hertie initially. It was actually two researchers from a renowned policy institute in Ghana who had strongly recommended it to me. They spoke highly of the school, saying that it was the right fit for someone who wanted to pursue an MPP degree. That was when it all began…

When I saw the academic curriculum for the MPP – the foundational law, economic and statistics classes – I was sold! As much as I was nervous about taking these courses, I was ready for the challenge of gaining more knowledge in these areas and building upon my foundation for the public policy master’s. I was even more intrigued and excited about courses on public management, health policy and power and influence, as these were directly related to my interests. The combination of theory and practice that the Hertie School prides itself on is to equip students to become leaders of change who possess the necessary toolkits for doing so. This is what I desired to have.

One thing that fostered my interest in Hertie was the vast availability of resources that the school offers. As a young adult still forming my career trajectory, my plan was to leverage the school’s comprehensive career services and to attend various networking events. I had especially looked forward to learning from and working with the internationally renowned faculty of experts in the classroom, and to construct a solid thesis which addresses policies that transform the health, education and social landscapes back home and around the world.  

For most prospective students, they might talk to a previous student or even know someone who attended Hertie. This was not the case for me, as I had none of the above. Instead it was the staff that made a huge difference in my final decision. Hertie not only has the resources, but also a dedicated staff who are truly interested in helping individual students navigate these resources and enrich their journey. The caring and helpful nature of staff during my enquiry phone calls was reassuring and indicative of how my journey was going to look. This immense support and willingness to help students is a consistent theme that travels through various departments of the school. The professors, the Student Life office, the Career Development team, amongst many others – and lest I forget, the most collaborative student body I’ve ever come across.

To prospective students I say: do your research, invest time in the process and make use of the contacts on the Hertie page. You will be even more confident and reassured that you chose this path to Hertie.

Sincerely,
Jasmine

Interested in learning more? Meet Jasmine during our coffee chat on 2 December, 5:00-6:00 pm CET. Register here.