Student Profile: Sol Yoo, MPP Class of 2024

"Growing up in Korea, my family struggled financially," said Sol Yoo, a first-generation college student and MPP Class of 2024 candidate. "In my childhood, we could not afford the gas to take showers, so we had to heat water in a pot. The prospect of going to a private school or getting a tutor was simply not a possibility in that environment. However, the experiences and efforts of my mom, a single mother who works from morning to night, have encouraged me every step of the way. I want to make her proud, and her life motivates me to study, work hard, and be successful.”

During her undergraduate years at Kyung Hee University, Yoo had the opportunity to spend a year in the United States as an intern in Vermont and New York. It was while working in a food bank in Vermont, Yoo said, that she began thinking about inequality as a social issue. "As an international studies major,  I studied economics, politics, businesses, and social systems. But that internship experience in the United States got me interested in inequality, especially the role of international organizations in a global context."

After graduating, Yoo worked in Korea as a human resources generalist for a public organization focused on food resources. Then, she moved to Jeonju University, a local university, to work as a human resources generalist. "However, my mind kept going back to inequality issues. I knew I still needed analytic skills to make solid data-based decisions if I wanted to even approach researching and alleviating poverty."

While exploring options for her next steps, Yoo said some of her friends recommended Harris. "They mentioned the school's incredible analytics program, and that was immediately appealing. After doing more research, I realized Harris was where I needed to be. Although there were several reasons I chose Harris,  the intensive research opportunities and various support programs for international students were extremely appealing."

Unsurprisingly, Yoo said social inequality and international governance have been top of mind issues thus far during her time at Harris. "I hope to strengthen my data analytic skills to learn how to address social inequality and eventually use those skills to become a policy analyst.”

Yoo is also exploring certificate opportunities at Harris, including the Pearson Institute International Policy & Development Certificate, so that she can apply her data analytic skills to international governance issues.

"However," Yoo said, "one of my biggest goals has been to get involved with the Harris network." To that end, Yoo became a Harris Ambassador and joined the Public Management and Policy Student Association (PMPSA), one of many Harris Student Organizations.

"I came to Harris so I could make a social impact with data-driven decisions. My experience so far has reinforced my confidence that the academic rigor in the MPP program will provide me with the necessary analytical and quantitative skills to be an effective policy analyst.