David Leal ’26 is planning on a career in public service working in state or local government. So, when he found out about the opportunity to apply for a spot in the highly competitive 2025 Public Policy International Affairs Junior Summer Institute at the University of Michigan, he jumped at the chance. David is a politics and government major with a minor in international studies and turned to his department chair for guidance. “Dr. Katherine Owens helped review my application essays, and has helped me orient my professional goals,” he says.
David is now one of 24 undergraduate students from throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico attending the summer institute at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. According to the institute, the purpose is to prepare the students for graduate programs in public policy and international affairs. David is planning to pursue a Master of Public Administration upon graduation. His participation in the program is helping him get a head start by taking graduate-level coursework, building leadership and communication skills, and engaging with experts and practitioners in public policy.
“This fellowship consists of a mix of policy modules, expert Q&A's, professional and academic supports, and courses in writing, microeconomics, and statistics,” says David. “My favorite part so far was a day trip to South Haven, Michigan, where we engaged with the town's local leaders on elections, tourism policy, and municipal service needs.”
As a first-year student, David became immersed in the state lawmaking process when he completed an internship with the Connecticut General Assembly. As a sophomore, David worked as intern in the Washington, DC, office of U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. “I was grateful to be on Capitol Hill where I was directly engaged with a variety of constituent concerns,” he says.
One of David’s favorite courses so far is Campaigns, Elections, and Voting with Associate Professor Bilal Sekou. “This was a very informative course where he shared his experience and expertise from Common Cause Connecticut and its push to get early voting approved in Connecticut. He has given me valuable advice and is a fantastic professor.” David emphasizes that he has thrived academically at UHart because of the interdisciplinary nature of the University. He says it has allowed him to become a well-rounded student and a more informed global citizen, citing a study-abroad course he took in China last December.
David serves as a Red Key Campus Tour Guide through the admissions office, is an executive board member of the UHart Lighthouse Men's Ultimate Frisbee Club Team and is a political reporter for the student television network, STN-2. “I love the community of students, faculty, and staff who have been there for me.”