Student Profile: Erik Castelan, MPP Class of 2023

“Public policy, when incorporating feedback from the community, can be a really great tool for society to uplift a large segment of the population that’s struggling…I want to be part of that policy effort.”

Growing up, Erik Castelan had to find ways to support his family while pursuing his education. “Just from my personal experience, I’m motivated by uplifting people that are struggling. I would love to help people who have similar or more challenging experiences than I’ve had.”

Castelan was born and raised in a low-income Mexican household on the Northwest side of Chicago. After high school, Castelan went to the University of Illinois Chicago, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in public policy.

“I was always interested in finding ways to contribute and help out my community, so public policy was something I was intrinsically attracted to,” Castelan said. He said a pivotal point for him started with an internship he had with then Cook County Commissioner, Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia, where he worked with his community engagement staff.

“My passion—and a lot of knowledge I gained regarding policy—started when I interned with Congressman Jesus 'Chuy' Garcia,” said Castelan. At the time, Garcia was the Cook County Commissioner. Working for Garcia exposed Castelan to community organizing and outreach. “Chuy is  progressive, and I learned from him how impactful it is to organize people and to advocate for policies that provide them the greatest benefit,” said Castelan. “I also witnessed how public policies can be really helpful tools for society and help low-income individuals prosper.”

After college, Castelan briefly worked for a nonprofit on the Southwest side of Chicago called Brighton Park Neighborhood Council. There, he did voter engagement and affordable housing community outreach where he worked with school administrators, the Cook County Assessor’s office, and other nonprofits to design financial coaching workshops.

In his last role, he was an Operations and Community Relations Manager at the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Law School. Castelan organized low-income entrepreneurs such as street vendors and home-based businesses. “I did a lot of organizing with them and listened to what they have to say about the kind of changes Chicago and Illinois could implement to make it easier for entrepreneurs like them to make a living off their business.”

“One thing I learned from my professional and academic experiences is that a lot of policies are well-meaning but fail because there wasn’t an effective way to survey the community about what kind of policies would work best for them.”

Castelan hopes to bring his knowledge and experience to Harris, which he said was his first-choice school. “Having grown up in Chicago, UChicago was well-known for its rigorous academics. I wanted to be connected to that.”

Castlen specifically chose the Master of Public Policy at Harris to develop stronger research experience and analytical skills that can complement his community outreach experience. He also wanted to stay in Chicago so that he can continue to help his community with a focus on economic development and urban policy.

Castelan said Admitted Students Week and meeting with his Polis group opened his eyes to the diversity of the student population. “They’re all really smart, and they come from different backgrounds with different pursuits. I’m really excited about the networking opportunities, talking to different people, and finding ways to get engaged in the community.” Castelan is especially excited about the Policy Labs and Harris Student Organizations, including Harris Community Action and Minorities in Public Policy.

After Harris, Castelan hopes to work for a government agency or a nonprofit to help bring economic development programs to low-income areas. “Public policy, when incorporating feedback from the community, can be a really great tool for society to uplift a large segment of the population that’s struggling,” said Castelan. “I want to be part of that policy effort.”