Student profile: Martha MacLaren, MPP Class of 2025

Martha MacLaren, MPP Class of 2025, says her volunteer experiences while an undergraduate at the University of Oxford spurred her interest in education policy.

“I volunteered for Jacari, which matches university students with high school students for whom English isn’t a first language. It was a rewarding way to give back to the local community.” MacLaren also volunteered at a library in Ghana and taught English in Austria and France. “All these experiences highlighted the importance of education to social mobility, and were great ways to get outside my comfort zone and meet new people.”

MacLaren’s volunteer experiences inspired her to join the UK Civil Service. “That sense of giving back drew me to a career in the public sector, and the work I’ve been doing most recently—a professional development project for 32,000 Civil Service policy professionals—confirmed my desire to move into policy.” The goal of the project, she said, is to set standards for how much continuous training Civil Service policy professionals need and provide supporting materials. “I've also been working on a self-assessment tool where people can assess their strengths and weaknesses, learn what growth opportunities might be a good fit for them, and see how those opportunities can shape their career.”

MacLaren initially joined the UK Civil Service via a structured training program to develop future leaders of the organization.

“After completing my gap year teaching in France, I went straightaway into the Civil Service: first as a recruiter at the National Crime Agency, then as an HR Business Partner at the Ministry of Justice, and then into a private office for a Director General. Over the last year, I've worked in the cross-government Policy Profession Unit, which supports policy professionals to build their capabilities. The role confirmed for me that I could make a larger impact working in policy.”

After deciding to pursue a Master of Public Policy (MPP), MacLaren began researching and determined studying in the US was her best option. “First, the discipline is more established in the US, and second, it’s a two-year program—in the UK, it’s normally only one. The depth and breadth of what you can study in a two-year program appealed to me.”

After extensive research, MacLaren said the MPP at The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy stood out.

“First, I like the emphasis on the core skills that underpin policymaking. I would have struggled to pick up skills like data analysis, statistics, and coding if I’d stayed in the Civil Service and tried to learn them on the job.

“Second, the flexibility to explore multiple policy disciplines was important. While I'm interested in education policy, climate policy and social inequality also interest me. At other universities, you tend to choose one.”

Finally, MacLaren said the diverse student body confirmed her decision. “To be part of a cohort where people come from a massive range of work, skill, and geographic backgrounds will provide an unparalleled breadth of perspective.”

MacLaren offered this application advice to international students: “Go to as many of the admission sessions as possible. They answer questions you didn't even know that you had and provide a great sense of the vibe of the program.”