Student Profile: Kexuan (Kenny) Sha, MPP Class of 2025

Kenny Sha first became interested in finance and the economy because of his mother’s career. “She has a passion for teaching economics, finance, and investing. This caught my interest even before starting my undergraduate education.”

However, Sha realized that in order to understand finance and how the economy works, he also had to understand the underlying engine of the economy: people. “Lives are impacted so profoundly by the state of the economy, which is why I chose to pursue degrees in economics and psychology at Boston College. I wanted to enhance my focus on how the economy runs to include how people and policy improve social outcomes.”

In addition to the academic skills he gained as an undergraduate, Sha said he also had two formative internship experiences—one for China Merchants Fund Management Co. and one for GF Securities Co. “During each of these internships, I started asking myself: what can we do from a policy perspective to affect the economy and the people who benefit from it? My interest in policy was piqued,” Sha said. “I witnessed how policy changes impact industries and how consumer and investor expectations dictate results, and I knew I wanted to study this further.”

Sha was then introduced to UChicago and Harris by a professor at Boston College for whom he was doing economics research. “Professor Matthew Rutledge and I discussed connections between policy and economics, and he explained how Harris provides opportunities to do research and directly apply the concepts being taught." After doing some research on his own, Sha said he saw how the relationships Harris fostered with the Chicago city government provided students opportunities to advise on economic and social issues, such as law enforcement. "I'm especially interested in working with the Crime Lab and taking a policy lab course during my second year."

Making an impact is important to Sha, so it isn't surprising that he has a clear idea of his plans after completing the Master of Public Policy program. “I want to work in the nonprofit field to help with social issues facing local communities. I want to help people improve their outcomes by connecting them with employers and jobs. Since the economy affects the stability and safety of people, I want to help people get jobs and succeed. Further along in my career,  I could see myself entering the public sector as a policymaker."

Sha also shared some advice for those considering a policy career. “Having experience in different industries before pursuing policy can be helpful. For example, I was able to explore financial perspecitves through my internships, and even my work in a hotel during high school allowed me to see another way policy affects businesses. I believe there are many routes available to improve society, and I think exposure to a breadth of fields—before or during your time at Harris—will help make you a stronger, more effective policymaker.”