Student Profile: Finnegan Keilty, MPP Class of 2027

“I am fascinated by the intersection of policy and municipal finance,” said Finnegan Keilty, MPP Class of 2027. “Cities are complex places requiring support from municipalities and those who work alongside them to make budgeting decisions connected to policy. At Harris, I’m hoping to gain quantitative skills and a better understanding of the municipal finance relationships so I can help cities—and their communities—thrive.”

After graduating with his BA in political science from Carleton College in Minnesota and teaching English in Spain for a year, Keilty returned to the US and secured a job as a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors—which turned out to be a pivotal experience.

“One day, I asked my manager—who was one of my favorite managers I've ever had—about what Series 50 and 54 FINRA licenses were. He told me they were for municipal finance and municipal underwriting and weren’t really used in what our branch of the firm did. He said, ‘If that's what you're interested in, maybe there's a faster way to get there…but it might not be here.’ And that changed my way of thinking about how I could make the impact I wanted to. After I began networking to learn as much as I could about the field of municipal finance, I ultimately decided a career shift of that caliber would require me to go back to school.”

When applying to the Harris Master of Public Policy program, Keilty said, he recognized his employment history was somewhat nontraditional. “It’s a bit…wonky,” he said with a laugh, “but it truly laid the groundwork for my interest in municipal finance.” 

Outside of teaching and his financial advisory work, Keilty’s employment has been solely focused on outdoor leadership and guiding. “Before and during summers in college, I led backpacking and bikepacking in Costa Rica, various countries in Europe, and across the U.S. I also worked as a kayak guide, leading day trips and multi-day trips on the Mississippi River and in Wisconsin.” 

Travel, Keilty said, exposed him to cities around the globe. “I loved seeing how the built environment and publicly-owned infrastructure and urban planning coalesced. The benefits that can come from people living together and developing connections within their communities and their neighborhoods is important to me. Finding ways to influence our built environment and support these communities so that they can continue to connect is my motivation—why I care so much about how these institutions and organizations make budget decisions.”

While exploring graduate programs, Keilty said the quantitative focus and expertise in municipal finance set Harris apart. “I didn't take many quant classes in my undergrad, so Harris’ quantitative strength was definitely appealing. And when it comes to municipal finance, I’ve listened to Professor Marlowe’s Public Money Pod podcast since college.”

Asked if he was familiar with the recently launched “Careers in” Courses—no-credit, no-cost courses designed to support student’s professional growth—Keilty said, “I signed up for the fall one on municipal finance earlier in the summer!”

Unsurprisingly, when it comes to post-graduation plans, Keilty aims to work in the public sector at the city or state level. “At that level, the choices you make can move a little bit faster, you have a bit more flexibility, and you can see the impact more readily than you can in federal positions.”

Keilty said for now, he mostly looks forward to joining the Harris community. “With all the travel I’ve done, finding community in the places that I am is important to me. I’m excited to find ways to connect with my classmates at Harris and the surrounding neighborhood, and to foster those connections more broadly.”