June Liu is a USC alumnus. She completed a Master of Public Policy in 2015 from the USC Price School of Public Policy. Just this year, June started her new position in Portugal as an International Consultant with Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (SPI). Our conversation follows.

(Photo by June Liu)

Can you tell us a bit about your job?

I recently accepted a position as an International Consultant with Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação, a science and innovation consulting firm. I will be in charge of helping science organizations find resources and develop their innovation plan. I will also be responsible for establishing partnerships across agencies (public, private) and working on R&D projects. Most of my projects will involve working with the European Commission (Board under European union) to improve cooperation in science and technology.

Prior to moving abroad for this position, I worked with Arellano & Associates, a public outreach firm that has mostly public clients.  I mostly focused on research and data analysis. This role gave me a deeper understanding about the potential obstacles in promoting new policies and regulations and how to convey the real message to the public and help clear up any negative sentiments. I eventually decided to transition to a different field because I wanted to do something more related to technology and science.

 Would you recommend a  Policy degree? Did it help you for your current position or past roles?

I would recommend the Policy degree for people pursuing a similar career track as my own. I came from an accounting background, but wanted to develop critical thinking and quantitative analysis skills and felt the MPP was a great fit. The program helped me understand the United States government and how public sector, non profit, and private interact with one another. I felt the skills I learned were highly transferrable as I transitioned to my professional career.

I enjoyed the multicultural experiences I had while at USC. I also did an internship with my mentor on a demonstration project with LADOT. They were trying to implement a system that used real-time data from different sources to optimize the best routes between logistic companies and terminals with the port of long beach and los angeles. This was a very rewarding experience.

What did you enjoy most while you were there? Is there anyone in particular who was especially helpful or inspiring while you were at USC? What advice might you give to a current student about getting the most out of his/her education?

I liked the curriculum because it was very analytical skills oriented and those skills are very transferrable and made it possible for me to jump to different fields.  I think PPD 558 was very important for me because it helped me discover my passion towards quantitative analysis. I was taking this class with Professor TJ McCarthy. However, I want to point out that this is solely a personal experience, and I think that everyone is just looking for something that catches their eyes and I was lucky that I found it very soon.

I also found the mentor/mentee program very helpful. I was brought onto LADOT through the close relationship I developed with (Susan). I would highly recommend the mentorship program for international students.  Not only did it lead to an internship, but also helped me develop a deeper insight on US knowledge.

As an international student, I would also recommend other international students to get to know domestic students. They were really welcoming and helped my transition to USC be much easier.

What career advice might you give to a current student or early career professional?

I began my career with Arellano & Associates through my connection with Susan. The company was expanding and I  had already interned with them. I felt the firm was an easier transition for an intern to a full-time staff, especially for international students.

I would highly recommend international students to network and make connections outside of school. Students should work on their brand and self-marketing.  They should cater to their strengths and search for internships that they are really interested in. Networking is outside of international comfort zone, but I encourage international students to make connections with students within their cohort for support. I also recommend trying different internships to get an idea of what career path you would like to pursue.  It is easier for international students to get a nonprofit or private sector internship. It is important to keep in mind that the private sector usually involves a lottery system and may be more difficult when applying to stay.

Yurida Ramos

Yurida Ramos is a second year Master of Planning (MPL) student at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.  She currently interns for METRANS Transportation Center as the Events Coordinator and for Los Angeles Council District 14 as a Planning Intern. She also serves as the current Communications Chair for the student organization Associated Students of Planning and Development (ASPD). After completing her MPL degree, Ramos hopes to pursue a career in the public sector to improve connectivity through sustainable practices. She can be reached at [email protected].