Huiping Li

Huiping Li

Class of 2009

When did you graduate?

Summer 2009

What are your best memories about being a graduate student in the PPOL graduate program?

My best memories are of the excellent faculty members, tough courses and supportive to go to conferences, like… Dr. Ken Godwin, Dr. Stephanie Moller, Dr. Beth Bjerregaard, Dr. Beth Whitmeyer… and other professors, who might not taught us but very kind and always available to help. Students were allowed to rehearse before presenting at conferences. Dr. David Swindell actually taped my first trial so I would know how to improve my presentation.


What are the top 3 things you took away from the PPOL program?

1. The Quantitative Method training.

2. The real interdisciplinary training. I can feel the difference compared with my colleagues. Compared to other economists, I am more sociological. When with sociologists, I focus on issues about economics and political science. Yet, when I’m with political scientists I found we are concerned with very different issues.

3. The tough theoretical training, especially in policy process class taught by Dr. Ken Godwin. I feel stronger and stronger that I am benefited from the hard training and I do think it is necessary.


What advice would you give new students about how to succeed in graduate school?

Study hard and try to write papers together with professors as many as you can, if you want to go to academia. If not, then try to get an intern at a prestigious place before graduate.

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