Summer Intern Spotlight: Natasha Sood, Public Administration
Tulane School of Professional Advancement graduate student Natasha Sood is working toward her Master of Public Administration (MPA) as well as a Certificate in Nonprofit and Strategic Philanthropy Management.
Sood will complete the program in December 2021 and is currently gaining the experience necessary to be competitive in the workforce. As part of her MPA capstone project she is working with the State Fair of Texas' Community Affairs and Strategic Alliance Department. Let’s see how it’s going!
Did you find the capstone placement on your own or did you have assistance from someone at SoPA?
Professor Barnes and Dr. Leak Francis found my capstone placement. They made sure to pair me with a host and project that aligns with my interest.
Tell us about the work you are doing this summer.
This summer, I will be evaluating how the organization can measure the impact of its philanthropic initiatives. This project will aim to provide recommendations on how to measure the organization's impact throughout the community and understand if its grants result in community transformation.
How much time do you spend on the job?
My role is to act as a consultant for my host organization. I dedicate about 5-8 hours a week to this project. During this time, I conduct my own research, meet with my capstone host, and connect with experts in the field who can help inform my final project.
What will be the greatest strength you'll take away from this position?
The greatest strength I will take away from this semester's position is the ability to formulate my own solutions to a very real-world problem.
What do you love most about being a SoPA student?
It's honestly hard to pick just one thing that I love most. One of my favorite things about this program is that REI work is embedded into every class. I also love the flexibility of completing my coursework online and that most of our assignments are modeled after projects we would be assigned in the field. I truly feel like this program is giving students the tools and experience needed to be Public Administrators.
Related links:
Summer Intern Spotlight: Samantha Daberkow, Kinesiology
Summer Intern Spotlight: Kasandra Schemel, Emergency and Security Studies
Summer Intern Spotlight: Emma Schneider, Digital Design
