Pursuing Work in Federal Public Service
Shannon Finnegan '03 created a POE in environmental policy and community public advocacy in order to fully incorporate the disciplines related to complex environmental issues.
“My curriculum included coursework in organic chemistry, economics, communication, political science, epidemiology, environmental geology and public health,” she states.
Finnegan’s POE provided opportunities to study international environment and development issues at American University in Washington, D.C., as well as use work from her involvement in the Pine River Community Advisory Group for an independent study.
She attributes her admission into American University as a result of her POE.
“Creating my own POE helped demonstrate that I was committed to public service,” she says. Her POE also illustrated her ability to not only understand but also apply concepts from various disciplines.
Finnegan works with the Presidential Management Fellows Program, which attracts ambitious men and women to the leadership and management of public policies and programs. She specifically works for the federal Air Marshal Service in Arlington, Va., as a program analyst.
Although Finnegan’s job does not directly relate to the environment, she feels it is an excellent first step into federal public service, as she is developing her proficiency in budget analysis —“a key component in developing and administering policy,” she says. Following the completion of this program, she hopes to receive a permanent federal position at an environmental agency.
Finnegan recommends POEs to motivated Alma College students “because it provides them flexibility to study a variety of disciplines that relate to their area of interest.”
