Students Embark on Climate and Energy Career Trek in Downtown Chicago

The Career Development Office recently hosted a Climate and Energy Career Trek in downtown Chicago for Harris Public Policy students to learn firsthand from alumni working in the climate and energy sectors. The day consisted of a trip to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC)—which regulates public utilities including gas, electricity, and water—followed by a networking lunch with alumni. Students ended the day with a visit to the Natural Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit whose stated purpose is to “combine 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 700 scientists, lawyers, and other environmental specialists to confront the climate crisis, protect the planet's wildlife and wild places, and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.”

At the ICC students heard from Nick Hromalik, AM’19, Policy Advisor to Illinois Commerce Commissioner Ann McCabe, AM’82.  Hromalik said the skills he learned in the Evening Master’s Program at Harris have been key to his work on Illinois’ green energy transition, especially as his office worked to implement the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, joined COP’26, and worked on initiatives related to deforestation and electrifying public transit. “The analytical thinking, critical analysis, and the ability to synthesize complex issues that I learned at Harris has been essential to my work. Program evaluation was most useful to me because it taught me to sift through data from multiple stakeholders to make regulation decisions,” he said.

“There is so much that needs to be done in the energy sector. We need more bright, engaged individuals committed to public service and public policy, and this trek gives students an opportunity to learn about our work while helping us to ensure we have high quality applicants. My advice to Harris students would be to attend as many events as possible and make connections with your classmates. I’ve built lifelong friendships and met Ann McCabe—now my boss—through the Harris alumni group. So use that network.” 

Following Nick’s introduction, students worked on a case study in which they used policy frameworks to determine if a requested rate hike from a utility to build new facilities would meet the IIC’s standards of being prudent and justified. “I really enjoyed the ICC case study,” said Christine Tsai, MSCAPP Class of 2027.  “It was a fun, hands-on way to learn about what the ICC does and to directly engage with an ICC policy advisor and peers in interesting, impactful conversation.”

At the networking lunch after their visit to the ICC, students met with alumni working across sectors in climate and energy. “My personal ‘highlight’ from this trek was getting to meet all the alumni working in different roles and types of organizations within the climate and environmental space during lunch,” said Donna Tin Sun, MPP Class of 2027.  “It was a great way to get a snapshot of various types of careers and opportunities within the industry. It would have taken me reaching out to multiple people and setting up multiple 'coffee chats' over multiple days/weeks to make the connections I made in one afternoon.”

After lunch, students walked to Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC). At NRDC, they heard from Chakena Sims, AM’22, Senior Policy Advocate for the Safe Water Initiative and Environmental Health. Sims has worked at Chicago Public Schools, and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District in Chicago. She took the Evening Master’s Program while running for office and was appointed Commissioner at age 28 by the governor. She is now at NRDC leading projects related to water reclamation and also leads the Black Environmentalists Seeking Transformation group.

Sims shared about her work advocating for environmental justice, ensuring access to safe drinking water for marginalized communities. “Water is a human right and there are people who don’t have access to it. This disproportionally impacts low income black and brown people,” said Sims. She added, “Water is a bipartisan issue and regardless of party lines, people believe that folks should have access to drinking water.”

Students also heard from a panel working across climate and energy, litigation, workplace strategy, communications, and campaigns. Sims emphasized that a Harris toolkit can lead alumni to success in a wide variety of roles pertaining to policy.

Reflecting on the trek overall, Bhavya Sharma, MPP Class of 2027, said, “Our alumni, Nick and Chakena, were very welcoming and continued to engage with us after the event through LinkedIn. This trek motivated me to further explore opportunities in the U.S. energy sector, and I am even more excited to attend similar sessions in the future.”