Incoming student profile: Anita Kirschenbaum, MPP/MBA Class of 2028

Born and raised in New York City, Anita Kirschenbaum, incoming UChicago MPP/MBA Class of 2028, earned her bachelor’s in government and global studies at Colby College in Maine. “I had a great professor my first semester for Intro to American Government Politics, and through that class I realized how interested I was in policy—although I wasn’t sure in what way. However, since I have family across multiple continents, the global studies part came from my own interest in the way the US and other countries impact each other from a global standpoint.”

Since graduating, Kirschenbaum has worked for the Global Food and Water Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a national security think tank in Washington DC.  During her time at CSIS, Kirschenbaum said she learned how fragile global food systems are and how conflict and climate can disrupt it very quickly. “I already had some knowledge before starting at CSIS since my mom works in water security and water quality. However, the intersection between food security and water was quite new to me—I’ve learned it's impossible to talk about water security without talking about food security, and vice versa.”

Kirschenbaum’s experience at CSIS also spurred her to apply to The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. “At CSIS, I figured out my interest in the intersection between global water stress, global security, and human security, and graduate school seemed the best way to explore that more. I also recognized a gap in my research methods—I don't have much quantitative analysis experience—which is one of the reasons why I wanted to go to Harris specifically. I'm definitely excited about the research centers at Harris, such as the one led by Professor Michael Kremer on Agricultural Development. Policy Labs also seems like a great opportunity for real-world applications of my academic experiences.”

The current political climate, Kirschenbaum added, also motivated her to apply to graduate school. “Some of the most impactful work I’ve done at CSIS has been with organizations that are doing emergency-level programming by providing humanitarian aid for various food crises around the world. Seeing so much of it get cut so quickly…it's devastating that one country's decision can have such a ripple effect around the world for food and water security. I’d definitely like to learn how we make these programs more resilient, more sustainable, on a local level.”

Finally, Kirschenbaum noted, “I spoke with some Harris students who said really great things about the program, and there's a bunch of directors at CSIS who went to Harris. Those factors definitely influenced my choice as well.”

Kirschenbaum is also pursuing a joint degree program with The Booth School of Business. “Much of my work is about management and grant management, so Booth’s emphasis on management complements Harris’ research emphasis. The Rustandy Center at Booth, for example, will be an invaluable opportunity to learn how management, leadership, finance, efficiency, and strategy intersect with social impact.”

As for future plans, Kirschenbaum said, “I’m looking at how global conflicts, crises, and other situations impact human security and then have a direct impact on water and food security. That intersection is something I want to explore—and where I want to make an impact.”