Student Profile: Audrey Yu, MPP Class of 2023

First-year MPP student Audrey Yu doesn’t hesitate when asked what motivates her academic pursuits. “Everything in my education goes back to my mom,” said Yu. While her mother never completed her degree, she continued working towards it into her 40s before passing away when Yu was 20 years old. “My mom taught me to value my education and focus on it,” Yu continued.

Only a few days before Yu’s mother passed from breast cancer, the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. “That was a huge way I saw that federal policy was holding back the ones I love from being able to do what they wanted and what could be good for them.” Yu’s mom and stepmom were together for 15 years.

For years, Yu’s mother wanted to work, “but she was disabled and could only work so many hours and still receive the disability check. She was limited in that way and had to declare bankruptcy. If she were able to marry my stepmom, or if there were better safety nets in place, could it have all been different?”

Interested in issues surrounding equity, Yu earned her bachelor’s in environmental design with a minor in water and sanitation for health and sustainable development from University of Oklahoma. While earning her bachelor's, Yu also participated in a study abroad program in Uganda, where she helped host a women's peace conference. “That was one of my first introductions to policy and getting community input on what locals want for their community.”

After graduating, Yu was interested in city planning and public health but unsure of how to combine the two, so she decided to do two years of public service with City Year. “City Year was transformative. I not only gained knowledge and experience but also the opportunity to give back to the community.”

Seeking to make a greater impact, Yu searched City Year’s university partnerships for graduate degree programs and found Harris. “I had never heard of a Master of Public Policy before, but I realized it would be a huge way to combine city planning, public health, and education, all in one for a broader purpose.”

Yu said Harris impressed her with its focus on data science, intellectual freedom, and diversity and inclusion. “I've met so many people that are really cool and interested in the same things as I am and have similar values and beliefs. I've also met people who have extremely different beliefs but we're still able to be friends. It makes me feel really welcomed and included to an extent I’ve never felt before.”

Interested in eradicating poverty and inequality, Yu intends to continue to dedicate herself to public service at Harris through Harris Student Organizations, such as Harris Community Action and South Side Civic.

As for her plans after Harris, Yu aspires to implement policies that lift the lowest classes of society. “If we lift them up, we lift up everybody.” She added that the Certificate opportunities at Harris, such as Survey Research, Municipal Finance, and Policy Analysis may help support her goal of amplifying voices that go unheard. “I hope to help create the kind of opportunities that right now not everybody in this country has.”