EMU Today

The Harvard Public Policy Leadership Conference (PPLC) serves as an exclusive opportunity for students from backgrounds underrepresented in careers in public policy to participate in policy workshops and learn from distinguished speakers. The PPLC garners hundreds of applicants, but only 75 students from across the nation are invited to attend each year.

EMU Honors sophomore and political science major TaMeka Lawrence was accepted into the Harvard PPLC program and traveled to Cambridge, MA, in October to participate. While there, Lawrence expanded her professional network, learned more about graduate school in public policy, and obtained information regarding fellowship and scholarship opportunities.

Lawrence found that every day at the conference provided a new learning opportunity.

“I was able to have conversations with people in esteemed positions. On the first night, I spoke with Boston’s city council president Ruthzee Louijeune and former NAACP president Cornell Brooks,” stated Lawrence. “These two conversations stuck out to me as being motivational since I was able to see people who looked like me be held in high esteem.”

Initially, Lawrence struggled with the application, as she found it difficult to articulate why she should be picked from among all the applicants vying for a spot. Lawrence found assistance from Ann Eisenberg, dean of the Honors College.

“Dr. Eisenberg was an amazing mentor and motivator for me during the process. I was extremely nervous and a little confused, but knowing that she had my back and was willing to help made me feel a lot better,” remarked Lawrence.

Visit the PPLC website to learn more.