MPA Alumna and Sustainability Manager at Farmingdale State College, Maia Roseval, joins us to discuss her research with Professor Mampilly on African rebel groups and uprisings, her work for the Fund for the City of New York as a Community Planning Fellow, and what drove her to pursue a second Master’s degree.

Why did you decide to get a second Master’s degree?
It was actually the pandemic that led me back to school! After graduating with my first master’s in 2019, I was in the midst of my job search – and then COVID came. Since so many hiring freezes were in place, I figured I’d use the time to go back to school and sharpen my skills.

How do you plan to connect your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental sustainability to your Marxe MPA?
My passion has always been about the environment and sustainability. However, there are a lot of different avenues in which one can take a career in the sustainability field. In my opinion, I believe the most impactful way of making widespread change is through effective public policy. I learned the core concepts of sustainability with my first two degrees, and now the MPA has taught me the skills I need to apply that knowledge in a professional setting. I believe the three degrees make a powerful combination.

Tell us about your research graduate assistantship with Professor Mampilly last year. How did you get this opportunity and what were the findings of the research project?
Upon acceptance into the MPA program at Baruch I was awarded the Marxe Endowed Faculty Fellowship Award. Part of this scholarship was a work study where I was assigned to work as a graduate research assistant for a Marxe professor. As a GA for Zachariah Mampilly, I researched African rebel groups and uprisings which would contribute to his ongoing research on the topic. It is this opportunity that led me to being offered a position as a Program Manager for The Program on African Social Research, a program he co-founded.

Can you talk a bit about your work for the Fund for the City of New York as a Community Planning Fellow? 
As a Community Planning Fellow for the Fund for the City of New York I have been assigned to work with Manhattan Community Board 3. I’m currently creating a Green Development Questionnaire that the Board will give to developers that have proposed projects within the district. The Board has recognized the need for more resilient and sustainable communities in the face of climate change. This questionnaire will allow the Board to convey their specific concerns regarding these issues and encourage developers to address them within project plans. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Dominic Berg, Associate Commissioner of Project Management at NYC Office of Technology and Innovation and CB 3 land use committee member. He has been a great liaison between the committee and myself to ensure that the project runs as smoothly as possible.