Author Archive for Kathleen Vital-Herne

Attend Our Virtual Mini Lecture Series

Posted by Kathleen Vital-Herne 
· Tuesday, September 15th, 2020 

We are officially one week into the fall semester, and it’s proven to be unlike any other. We moved all our courses online and implemented Hyflex classrooms for a small number of classes. These specialized classrooms allow professors to teach students simultaneously online and in-person.

With these modifications in place, we moved our standard Class Visit program to a virtual mini lecture series. These live lectures will provide prospective students an opportunity to virtually experience what a class is like at SIPA. These lectures will be delivered by our esteemed faculty members on their current class topics, followed by a moderated Q&A session. Here are a few upcoming sessions:

Be sure to check out this schedule and reserve your spot!

Categories : Academics

The 2021 Columbia SIPA Application is Open

Posted by Kathleen Vital-Herne 
· Tuesday, September 1st, 2020 

We are excited to announce that SIPA’s 2021 Application is officially live.  We strongly recommend providing yourself with ample time to prepare a complete application that best represents your academic abilities. To help you get started, we encourage you to consider the following steps:

1. Review the Application Requirements. Be sure to read through the checklist thoroughly. One important update to note for the 2021 application is the GRE/GMAT requirement. For more information, see this recent post.

2. Be mindful of deadlines. Our deadlines are final, so make sure you submit your materials by each respective deadline.

Program Term Early Action Fellowship Consideration Final Deadline
MIA, MPA, MPA-DP Spring 2021 Oct. 15, 2020
MIA, MPA, MPA-DP Fall 2021 (application available in Aug.) Nov. 1, 2020 Jan. 5, 2021 Feb. 5, 2021

3. Attend a Q&A session. The Admissions team is offering small-group sessions for applicants who need additional support in preparing their application materials. If you have specific questions about the process, you are encouraged to register for an upcoming session.

4. Look for funding! The best time to begin a financing strategy is now. It’s important to do this in tandem with your admissions application as many fellowships will require similar materials. Check out this database we’ve compiled.

5. Subscribe to the Admissions Blog. Our blog posts will give you tips and advice on essentially each part of the application.

Remember to allow your authentic voice to reflect in your application. We want to see your unique qualities shine through. Best of luck!

If you have any questions, email us at [email protected].

Categories : Admissions, Application Tips
Tags : ,

We Want to Meet You

Posted by Kathleen Vital-Herne 
· Friday, July 31st, 2020 

While the last few months have introduced a number of different challenges, the Admissions team continues to demonstrate our unwavering support for our prospect population. We will be participating in several virtual graduate fairs and panels to meet prospective students from all around the world. We hope that we can sustain communication and be a resource to you as you consider your options for graduate study. See below our list of upcoming fairs, and visit their website to determine which session will be most advantageous to you:

Summerfest III
Wednesday, August 12 at 12:00 PM

Summerfest features a panel of alumni from Columbia SIPA, Georgetown University- Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, and Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Attendees will be able to explore the various graduate programs and career opportunities.

Foreign Affairs Open House
Wednesday, August 19 at 11:00 AM

Foreign Affairs is a publication by the Council on Foreign Affairs, promoting the understanding of U.S. foreign policy and international affairs. Visit their website to learn more about the represented organizations.

Idealist Fair (Northeast)
Thursday, September 10 at 1:00 PM

Idealist Fair (West)
Wednesday, September 23 at 1:00 PM

APSIA Online Graduate Fair II
Wednesday, September 30

Idealist Fair (South)
Wednesday, September 30 at 1:00 PM

Idealist Fair (Midwest)
Monday, October 5 at 1:00 PM

Idealist Fair (Pacific Northwest)
Wednesday, October 14 at 1:00 PM

Additionally, as we continue to work remotely, we will be offering virtual information sessions every Monday throughout the fall semester. This is your opportunity to learn more about what makes SIPA unique, our application process, and student life. Our admissions representatives will be able to address any questions you may have.

We’ll continue updating our recruitment calendar throughout the next few weeks. Be sure to monitor our website for new events and opportunities.

As a reminder, our Spring 2021 application is also live. We encourage you to review our application requirements and an update on the GRE/GMAT for Spring/Fall 2021.

Categories : SIPA

Columbia SIPA Spring 2021 Application Now Live

Posted by Kathleen Vital-Herne 
· Friday, July 17th, 2020 

We are happy to announce that our Spring 2021 application is live for our MIA, MPA, and MPA-DP programs. For the first time, we are enrolling a spring cohort for the MPA-DP program. While the application process can be quite overwhelming, here are some helpful resources to support you:

Application Deadlines

Program Term Early Action Fellowship Consideration Final Deadline
MIA, MPA, MPA-DP Spring 2021 Oct. 15, 2020
MIA, MPA, MPA-DP Fall 2021 (application available in Aug.) Nov. 1, 2020 Jan. 5, 2021 Feb. 5, 2021

Applications are due by 11:59 PM EST on their respective dates. Make sure you provide yourself ample time to submit and complete your application.

Application Requirements

For the 2021 academic year, the admissions office will be accepting applications without GRE or GMAT scores. Due to the global impact of COVID-19, applicants will be able to submit a waiver request to the admissions office. In doing so, it is crucial to note the Admissions Committee will rely more heavily on other areas of an application to determine academic preparedness. For more information on submitting a waiver, check out this blog post.

Next Steps:

We encourage you to familiarize yourself with SIPA and our application process prior to starting an application. The following resources will help answer and clarify any questions you may have.

If you are ready to begin, click here to start your application. If you have any additional questions, please contact us at [email protected]. We look forward to reviewing your application.

Categories : Admissions, Application Tips
Tags :

Meet new team member Kathleen Vital-Herne

Posted by Kathleen Vital-Herne 
· Friday, June 12th, 2020 

My name is Kathleen Vital-Herne, and I’m elated to be the newest member of the SIPA Admissions and Financial Aid team.

I was born and raised in Queens, New York as a second-generation Haitian. I earned a Bachelor’s in Sociology from Stony Brook University, and a Master’s in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Columbia University’s Teachers College. During my graduate studies, I explored research that highlighted the disparities among racial minorities in their pursuit of higher education.

I’ve been in the Columbia community for six years, previously working at the School of Engineering and Applied Science. I have also worked at other institutions including Stony Brook University, Baruch College, and Fordham University. In my free time, I enjoy reading, traveling, and learning about different cultures. One of my favorite trips took place in the summer of 2015, where I taught English to third-graders in Ankara, Turkey.

As you weigh your options for graduate study, I would encourage you to explore the opportunities that SIPA may have for you. In my role, I’m looking forward to communicating with prospective students as they navigate the application process. I will also be upholding the School’s mission to support underrepresented populations. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email.

Categories : Meet Seeples

"The most global public policy school, where an international community of students and faculty address world challenges."

—Merit E. Janow, Dean, SIPA, Professor of Practice, International and Economic Law and International Affairs

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