Johnanthan Hill
Johnathan Hill, EMP Class of 2022

Johnathan Hill, EMP'22 shares his recommendations for prospective and incoming students as they approach the application process and graduate school experience. 

What do you do to balance work, school, and life?

First, I want to acknowledge that it's tough. But here are a few things that help:

  • Family. I have an amazing family and partner that keeps me grounded. We have conversations that recognize that I've invested myself in this program—and the program has investing in me as well.
  • Peers. If this were not a cohort setting, I do not know if I could make it. I feel like we're a family at this point and the mentality is: “we're making this—all of us—to the end, to graduation.” And that kind of commitment and camaraderie is truly meaningful.
  • Staff. From the moment I got in, my advisor told me that I need to commit to finishing. She also ensured I had the space to ask questions and know that I belong at Harris. She encouraged me to make my voice heard no matter what classroom I'm in. And if you just need someone to laugh, joke and connect with, she's able to do that, too.

Do you have any advice that you would give people who are considering the EMP for their application?

  • Connect with students. That is the best way to understand the scope of work and the time commitment. Have somebody give you real-life insight into the program.
  • Take a risk on yourself. If you're looking at this program thinking about how to make the world better, how to quantify and measure impact: these are the type of questions you’ll be able to answer.
  • Challenge yourself to think bigger. One of the things that often happens, particularly being a kid from DC, is that we stick to our silos. At Harris I’ve seen the benefit of learning how policy areas overlap, intersect, and affect one another.
  • Be authentic. Talk about why policies matter to you. I think oftentimes we talk about how policies have affected us (and that's important) but what's missing is how we want to effect policy. We’re going to be the ones to change the world, so we should talk about what we plan to accomplish.   

Read part I of the interview.