Sparking consensus

Thousands of miles from home, two international students came to the University of Delaware with the same goal: Learn how to build better public policy for the communities that shaped them.

Both Irene Rodriguez and Gema Otheliansyah were deeply motivated to study public administration at the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration because of their firsthand understanding of the transformative power of opportunity. This shared perspective led them from Belize and Indonesia to UD, where they have turned their personal histories into a professional mission to advocate for marginalized communities through equitable public policy.

Otheliansyah, a Fulbright Scholar from Indonesia who graduated this May with a Master of Public Administration (MPA), arrived at the Biden School with a background in government finance and a desire to learn how to create policy for the underprivileged.

"That's why I chose public administration, to deepen my understanding of how to create a good policy for many people, especially for the underprivileged community in my country," said Otheliansyah.

Similarly, Rodriguez's path was paved by the very policies she now studies in the MPA program. Coming from a low-income household in Belize, she credits nonprofit scholarships for her own education - a gift she is determined to pay forward for other students. After years in HR management in Belize, Rodriguez was inspired to pursue public service, ultimately selecting UD's top-tier MPA program after extensive research.

"When I got here, I quickly realized that IPA and UD were a welcoming, heartwarming community, and I found great mentors and people who continue to push me forward and motivate me," said Rodriguez.

As fellows at the Institute for Public Administration (IPA), a research and public service center in the Biden School, Rodriguez and Otheliansyah credit the school's welcoming and exploratory environment with sharpening their expertise in managing teams, evaluating programs and drafting policy.

"I'm really interested in educational policy and how that impacts marginalized communities or underrepresented communities," said Rodriguez.

As a fellow in the Conflict Resolution Program at IPA, Rodriguez has mastered the human dynamics of policy, learning to "navigate group conflict" and propose solutions that move communities forward. In fact, her commitment to social equity was recognized with the Biden School's Pauline E. Loessner Memorial Award, honoring her academic excellence and dedication to advancing human services and community development.