The same commitment to public service and burning desire to give back to my community that inspired me to become a Kenan Scholar over a year ago led me to apply to the 2022 Harvard Public Policy Leadership Conference (PPLC). The Harvard PPLC is a three-day conference that provides participants with an introduction to the field of public policy and includes a series of distinguished speakers, policy workshops and exposure to possible public service careers. Through this experience, I learned about graduate education pathways to explore my passions, connected with student changemakers from across the country and reaffirmed my dedication to the mission of the Kenan Scholars’ program: advancing social impact through the intersection of the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
Throughout the conference, I learned about graduate school opportunities, fellowships, and scholarships that will serve me as a future business leader and agent of social change. I enjoyed hearing the perspectives of graduate students at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government pursuing an interdisciplinary education that will prepare them to make a difference in meaningful careers. The PPLC experience shed light not only on the value of an advanced degree, but also financial aid and scholarship opportunities to fund graduate school.
Hearing the stories, projects, and ambitions of my PPLC cohort left me feeling reinvigorated and inspired. I met student leaders from across the country who are committed to serving their communities and making the world a better place. The Harvard PPLC allowed our cohort a safe space to discuss our aspirations, support one another and amplify the voices of the historically underserved and excluded communities that we represent.
Finally, the core competencies I have developed as a Kenan Scholar—research, leadership, and cross-sector collaboration—prepared me to make the most of the Harvard PPLC experience. My breadth of cross-sector experiences supporting the nonprofit partners of Bank of America, conducting research on equitable economic development at the Brookings Institution, and advocating for AAPI communities as the co-founder of Visibility Forward brought a unique perspective to the Harvard Kennedy School. Ultimately, the Harvard PPLC and Kenan Scholars program share a commitment to advancing social impact by investing in young leaders.
I am proud to represent not only the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and Kenan Scholars program at the Harvard PPLC, but also my community as the child of immigrants and as an Asian American woman. Upon returning home from Cambridge, I know that the work has only just begun as I share this experience with the UNC community and pass forward the invaluable lessons I learned.
