Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management (BPAPM) (’07)
At a recent Question Period in the House of Commons, MP John Nater was on hand as the representative for the riding of Perth-Wellington in Ontario. But that day, he was also serving as a mentor to two first-year BPAPM students who were shadowing him as part of a first-year experiential learning pilot intensive course entitled Kroeger College Policy Connect.
“They had great questions and already knew a lot about the policy process,” says Mr. Nater, who brought the students to a meeting of the Standing Committee on Official Languages. “They were really looking for opportunities where they could apply what they’d learned in class to the public sector.”
It’s a topic Mr. Nater knows something about. Just eight years ago, he graduated from the BPAPM program with political aspirations. After serving as a special assistant to Conservative MP Gary Schellenberger, he went on to serve on the West Perth council and worked in the Ontario legislature.
In 2015, with Mr. Schellenberger stepping down, Mr. Nater ran for his seat as the Conservative candidate. He won, and was sworn in as a Member of Parliament on November 16, 2015. He says his experience in the BPAPM program prepared him well.
“It was the perfect program for a career in public service. They bring in subjects from across the university so you hear different perspectives on many issues,” says Mr. Nater. “It provides future policy makers with the ability to look at issues through different lenses.”
The pilot, developed with assistance from the Kimiya Project Lab, offers interested first-year students an experiential learning opportunity and is one of many examples of BPAPM alumni ‘giving back’ to the program.
Along with job-shadowing through the pilot program, Mr. Nater offers students advice, as well: “Get involved, get involved, get involved. Take advantage of the relationships Carleton has within the public sector and Parliament. It was a superb education.”
Friday, September 9, 2016 in FPA Voices, People
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