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Laurence "Brock" Boddie, MIA 2009: Economic and Political Development
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Brock Boddie graduated in 2009 and during the time of the interview was working with the Open Society Institute as their Senior Web Advocacy Advisor.
What were you doing prior to attending SIPA?
"Working as a Senior Web Project Manager at SIRIUS Satellite Radio."
What are you doing now?
"I’m working for a non-profit in CT called buildOn as their Web Manager and for the Open Society Institute as their Senior Web Advocacy Advisor. "
Why did you choose to attend at SIPA?
"Because I felt like my skills would be valuable to sectors other than the private sector, but I couldn’t convince anyone that I was sincere, so graduate school seemed like the best way to not only verse myself in the issues, but also to show potential employers that I put my money where my mouth is."
How would you describe your experience at SIPA? Do you have any advice for new students?
"My advice to incoming students is that because SIPA itself doesn’t provide job skills that, perhaps, a lot of students may be expecting, it’s important to develop those before you arrive. SIPA does a lot of great things: it gives you history; it gives you context; it gives you frameworks that can be helpful towards decision-making in your future area of professional focus. But, because it doesn’t give you actual professional skills (you don’t “work for SIPA), it’s important to have those before you come so you can identify what’s realistic and what is more theoretical."
What’s the most valuable thing you took away from your time at SIPA?
"The most valuable thing that I took away from SIPA were the relationships with my professors and other, professional contacts. The relationships that I made with other students were great, but I’d say that the relationships with professors have proven to be the greatest asset of all."
Did SIPA help you find suitable employment upon your graduation?
"While SIPA didn’t directly help me find suitable employment, I can say with confidence that it was my relationship with SIPA that helped me get my foot in the door with five of the last six jobs that I had. It could have been coincidence, but I really think that going to SIPA has such a broad base of graduates across so many organizations, that the name alone can help open doors for you. "
[July 2010]