MACON – Mercer University junior Macire Aribot was recently accepted to the Public Policy and International Affairs Program Junior Summer Institute (PPIA-JSI) at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The PPIA-JSI is an intensive seven-week program that focuses on preparing students for a master’s degree in public policy, international affairs or other related fields.
Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz College has hosted PPIA-JSI since 2004, and students who successfully complete the institute and earn admission to any of the College’s full-time master’s programs will receive a full-tuition scholarship and stipend.
Aribot will participate among as many as 30 rising seniors selected for this year’s institute as a result of a highly competitive, nationwide application process. They will take courses in statistics, economics, domestic policy analysis and international policy analysis, and receive intensive training in quantitative skills, communication skills and leadership skills.
“I am excited to participate in the PPIA Junior Summer Institute program. My interests lie within poverty reduction, and particularly how policies and development work impact the lives of those living in poverty,” Aribot said.
Aribot, from Lithonia, is double-majoring in international affairs and global development studies. She aspires to attend graduate school and ultimately pursue a career in public policy in order to work towards establishing a more equitable global society.
“Participating in the PPIA Junior Summer Institute will provide me with the opportunity to gain further insight into the frameworks of public policy while preparing me with the tools to apply what I learn into a career of development policy,” she said. “Throughout this program, I hope to build relations with passionate individuals and professionals who have devoted their careers to public service and prepare myself for graduate school.”
At Mercer, Aribot serves as the president of the Mercer International Affairs Organization and a member of the Leadership, Education, Awareness and Diversity Committee for QuadWorks, the University’s student-led programming board.
She is an ambassador and mentor for Mercer’s Opportunity Scholars program, which provides mentorship and support for first-year students by hosting career, personal, financial and academic support workshops throughout the academic year. She is also treasurer of the Iota Eta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and social chair for the Caribbean Student Association.
Last summer, she participated in a Mercer On Mission trip to South Africa, and during the summer of 2017, she interned with the Atlanta International Rescue Committee’s Economic Empowerment team.
“While serving students in Cape Town, Macire showed passion, compassion and enthusiasm for making a positive difference in the lives of others,” said Dr. Eimad Houry, professor and chair of international and global studies. “As a Junior Summer Institute Fellow, Macire will complete several courses intended to equip future policymakers with the skills and capacity to make informed and well-reasoned decisions. I know Macire will take full advantage of this opportunity and greatly improve her prospects of being accepted by some of the most selective graduate schools of international affairs in the United States and beyond.”
