Hometown: Newport, OR

Current position: Knowledge and Data Management Analyst, U.S. Department of Education

Favorite internship: Public policy assistant at Baker Donelson, a policy advising firm. I got to research topics ranging from health care to Superfund, and cover Hill briefings, the 2008 elections, and think-tank events.

Hometown: Doylestown, PA

Current position: Associate, IHS: CERA

Favorite aspect of program: I loved the ethics course taught by Professor Levine.

Career tip: Don't hold out for the first job to be perfect. Even if a job is not what you want to do for a career, having a broad portfolio is great when you get the job you do want.

Hometown: Smithfield, VA

Current position: Project Manager, U.S. Census Bureau

Favorite class: Social Policy with Prof. Jacknowitz

Career tip: Work hard and build healthy relationships with those who are working in the positions that you want to reach.

Hometown: Washington, DC

Current position: Senior Monitor, Juvenile Justice Monitoring Unit

Favorite internship: National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, where I worked as a research associate on various issues that impact Latinos throughout the U.S.

Favorite course: Public Managerial Economics

Hometown: Sheffield Lake, OH

Current position: Communications Manager, Coalition for Smarter Growth

Favorite aspect: In retrospect, it is learning to write concisely.

Favorite class: Nonprofit Management

D.C. tip: Who you know is just as important as what you know. Network, network, network!

Hometown: Billings, MT

Current position: Program Analyst, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Favorite aspect of program: The diversity of programs. I think that in the public policy field it is better to know a little about a lot of things, and I think that the class list encompasses the right types of classes needed for jobs here in D.C.