On March 18, during spring break, I turned the day into what I would describe as a mini policy adventure. I began in South Jersey at the Trenton Country Club, where I attended a business and commerce breakfast focused on how to build an advisory board. As the owner of Policy Over Politics Consulting, I have been thinking carefully about expansion, long-term structure, and what it means to build with intention rather than simply move quickly. After the breakfast, I made my way to New York well ahead of an evening event at the United Nations, allowing myself time to move through the space, take the public tour, and sit quietly for a moment of reflection on school, purpose, and the kind of work I hope to contribute to in the future. My academic and professional interests sit at the intersection of urban development, women’s empowerment, theology, and public policy, so opportunities like this feel especially meaningful because they place those commitments in conversation with the people who are top contributors and institutions working in the global sphere.
Later that evening, I attended the NGO CSW70 side event, Power in Every Voice: Women Leading the Fight for Justice and Equality, which featured Hon. Tiffany Williams Brewer of The Esther Institute for the Advancement of Women & Girls; Jennifer Jones Austin, Esq., of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies; Chitra Arora, Private Client Advisor at J.P. Morgan Wealth Management; Dr. Sherri Johnson, author and founder of the Nexus Nursing Framework; and Hope Nankunda of Raising Teenagers Uganda. Listening to these women speak about equity, advocacy, leadership, and the ethical work of expanding opportunity for women across the globe was both affirming and instructive, particularly as they reflected on the ways personal experience, culture, and faith shaped how they navigated influential spaces and remained grounded in purpose. Along the way, I also met a professor from Saint Peter’s University who had written a theology-based article on Ukraine and Gaza, which served as another reminder that these spaces are often smaller and more interconnected than they appear. Experiences like this are part of why I strongly encourage students to attend panels, workshops, and public events whenever possible, since the value extends far beyond what is learned in the room; a single conversation can expand your thinking, strengthen your network, and begin a professional relationship that may open doors later on.
Here is a link where you can find UN events open to the public:
https://www.un.org/en/