James Drummond
January 1, 2000 | By Public Policy Admin |
Policy Analyst, Regulatory Policy Division, OECD
Year of Graduation
2015
Prior Education
Carleton University, Master of Arts in Political Science; University of Ottawa, Bachelor of Social Science in Political Science
Prior Experience
Mortgage Agent, Dominion Lending Centres
MPP Summer Internship
Policy Analyst, Health and Safety Unit, Policy Division, Ontario Ministry of Labour
What did you like best about the MPP program?
For me, the people made the MPP program. SPPG’s teaching staff is first class, attracting a mix of the best academics and practitioners available and offering interesting courses to students. What impressed me the most is the breadth of information taught – in any given semester, you will be taking core courses that span from the philosophical to the practical economic, social and political elements that must be considered when developing and implementing policy. Students are exposed to former deputy ministers, leaders of government, top academics and everything in between. They are accomplished, knowledgeable and approachable – always wanting to meet with students and help shape their future careers. Since graduating, I have seen that mix of education applied daily and I have really enjoyed thinking back to my classes and utilizing that knowledge.
Beyond the faculty, I feel the fellow students made my experience at SPPG. My colleagues are some of the most interesting, helpful and hardworking people I have ever met. Coming from a diverse set of backgrounds, class discussions were interesting as different points of views were always expressed. When courses became difficult, I was able to rely on each of my classmates for study groups, peer editing or simply just moral support. Our friendships often extended past the classroom and into social events of many different varieties. We still meet and talk regularly, maintaining our friendships we made at SPPG and being a resource for each other as we begin our careers.
