Student Profile: James Harren, MPP Class of 2026

A native of the Chicago suburbs, James Harren has always been focused on environmental studies. “For me, treating the environment with respect leads to the ability to live a meaningful life.” 

As an undergraduate student at Carleton College in Minnesota, Harren majored in environmental studies and spent three years as a resident of Farm House, a sustainability interest living co-op. “We explored what living a sustainable life meant and helped tend the college’s garden. In exchange for this work, we were able to use some of the harvest for our own cooking.” 

During his junior year, Harren also decided to pursue a public policy minor. “I realized I wanted to work in policy to make a concrete, tangible difference. I was always discussing ways to live sustainably, and these conversations showed me that larger-scale solutions, along with personal changes, were important in making an impact.”

After graduation, Harren joined the AmeriCorps VISTA program and worked with the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. “I was proud to be part of that organization, working on a long-term project to encourage the state to support local farming. I interviewed farmers, assisted with fundraising efforts, and contributed to a large research project about grant funding. This position spurred my interest in government relations work related to agriculture and sustainability.”

Harren then transitioned into government—first in the Minnesota State Senate and then to California for a role with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “These positions helpe me understand what working in the government is like and what I would need to be successful. My work with the EPA allowed me to exercise my knowledge about pollution and grant management. However, it also showed me that I needed to further develop my technical skills to contribute to the policymaking process rather than staying on the administrative side working with policy that has already been created.”

With this in mind, Harren decided to pursue a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. “I knew policy was the right field for me because I want to create large-scale solutions to big problems; this is the most meaningful way to work toward bettering the world, in my opinion. Harris provides opportunities for students to become involved with cutting-edge research, and I look forward to working on climate impact work with EPIC [The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago] to learn how to prepare for the changes happening in the environment.”

The MPP degree specifically interested Harren due to its focus on data analysis and coding skills. “I had some basic statistics and economics experience during undergrad, but I hadn’t yet used those skills in a professional setting. I want to learn how to do that, while also taking more advanced courses in econometrics and coding.

“I also know that this degree will lead to opportunities for leadership positions. When networking at AmeriCorps and the EPA, I quickly learned how much higher education is valued.”

Harren plans to take the skills he learns at Harris Public Policy back to the government in some capacity. “After Harris, I hope to balance my desire to stay in the federal administrative field with working in the policymaking world—maybe working on the Hill or in a government relations role at a nonprofit.”

Harren provided advice for any prospective graduate students in policy. “Don’t be afraid to network and learn from as many people as possible. Policy can be an amorphous field at times, so learning from practitioners helps to make it more concrete.”