Q&A: First generation grad motivated to address energy and sustainability issues
Master of Public Administration online graduate Paola Najera has a background in various sectors, including energy, finance, and nonprofit. As a first-generation Guatemalan Latina, she balanced professional responsibilities with academic pursuits. Najera, who graduated in 2024, discusses her motivations, experiences, and future aspirations just before landing her new role in Global Communications at Visa.
Q: What factors motivated you to further your education as a first generation student?
A: After five years of working in the energy sector, I decided I wanted to pursue my MPA. At the time, I was at a company that didn’t require an advanced degree. However, I did want to be part of that 7 to 8% of Latinos who held a graduate degree. The mission of Price and my passion for public service led me to choose the MPA program. My career changed drastically during the program. I attribute that to the knowledge and skills I gained through the MPA program. Being part of the Trojan nation is the culmination of a lifelong dream.
Q: What drove you to pick the USC MPA online over other graduate programs?
A: I first heard about USC’s MPA program after researching all of the master’s programs available at USC. USC was my dream school due to its reputation for excellence. The additional benefit of the MPA program was its comprehensive curriculum tailored to public administration, and the flexibility of the online modality, which allows you to balance work and study, and makes it an ideal choice.
Q: You have an interest in energy and sustainability, was this related to your outcome goals and desires for the program?
A: My primary goal is to leverage the knowledge and skills that are required to enhance strategic communication and to drive sustainable initiatives. I’m particularly passionate about researching and addressing generational issues, such as climate change, digital evolution and sustainable development goals. These problems are foundational to our everyday lives and they need those comprehensive solutions. Through the MPA program, I was able to put theory into practice and develop approaches to tackle some of these challenges. My desires are to make a meaningful impact in the public and private sector, contributing to policies and projects that improve community wellbeing and drive social progress.
Q: How was your experience in the program?
A: My experience in the USC MPA program was amazing. The online modality offered me the flexibility to really balance my professional and personal life while engaging in my academic pursuit. The virtual classrooms really facilitate meaningful engagements and interactions with your professors and also with classmates.
Q: How did you balance the demands of study with your life, both personal and professional?
A: Balancing study with personal and professional life requires time management, constant communication, and prioritization. During the program, I was also planning my wedding. Therefore, I had to create a very structured schedule that allowed specific times for course work, and then compartmentalize that with work responsibilities, and also being active with my personal life.
Maintaining open communication with employers and family members so that they understand the commitment and you can have their full support, was very important. That worked well for me.
Q: How was your interaction and experience with your professors?
A: My interaction with professors has been highly positive. They are knowledgeable but also very approachable and supportive. Their real-life experience and insights helped my learning experience. They were always willing to provide additional guidance and mentorship, making themselves available even after hours. That was one of the most invaluable parts of this program.
Q: How was your interaction and experience with your fellow students?
A: My interaction with fellow students was one of the highlights of the program. They have diverse backgrounds and experiences that they brought to the discussions, and that helped broaden my perspective. We had the opportunity to have a lot of collaborative projects and discussions that helped foster a stronger sense of community. It was instrumental in developing that teamwork and community. I became very close to my capstone team, and I was really happy to graduate with them, and see the culmination of our hard work come to fruition.
Q: Is there a project you did in the program that you are particularly proud of? How do you think it has helped prepare you for the future?
A: I took a course on public policy and formulation and implementation and I feel really proud of this white paper leveraging advanced air mobility to improve air quality in urban cities like Los Angeles. This project focused on the potential advance of their mobility technologies to reduce urban pollution and improve public health. We were able to analyze the regulatory framework, propose a new market-based environment, and toll credit trading programs for aircrafts to incentivize compliance with emission standards. This experience honed my research and analytical skills, providing me practical insights into policy development which I can see using in any role that I get in future opportunities.
Q: Is there something you learned that you think will be the most impactful in your career?
A: The most impactful lesson has been the importance of evidence-based decision making in public administration. Courses like foundations of public policy analysis, collaborative governance, economics, and the capstone course teach students to critically evaluate data and marry that to policy. I plan to apply these skills in the future by using that data analytics mindset to measure the effectiveness and make informed decisions.
Q: Would you recommend the MPA degree online to a prospective student? If so, what advice would you give them?
A: I would highly recommend the MPA degree online to prospective students. My advice would be to be fully engaged with the program, take advantage of all the resources, professors, and networking opportunities. Balancing study and personal life is challenging but manageable with good time management and a strong support system, you can do it.
Learn more about the Master of Public Administration Online today.