Seeple Snapshot: Leah Verghese, MPA 2014

“I worked in a non-profit in India working in education [before coming to SIPA.] I wanted to get an academic grounding and develop my analytical skills. I’m on a Fulbright, and over the summer, I did a fellowship called Education Pioneers. I worked in the Office of the Mayor in Bridgeport, Connecticut. I worked on education, youth development and public health. At SIPA, I’m on the board of the Journal of International Affairs. I was also on the Education Collaborative Board. I did my undergrad in law in Banglore, India. The University was called National Law School of India University. I worked in a company for four years as an in-house counsel, and then I moved to the development sector.

After SIPA, I hope to be working in public health or education, or preferably something that combines both. I hope to be doing project management so I can combine academic work with real-life applications. Since I’m in this field, it makes sense for me to be in a developing country, and I am familiar with India. My favorite part about Columbia is that I have access to all the other schools and I’ve been able to take amazing courses at the Mailman School and Teacher’s College. I’ve also taken art history and classes in the MESAAS department. There’s a lot of events that happen on campus in the different departments, so that’s been one of the most enjoyable things for me.”