The Benefits of ASPA Student Membership: Rashmi's Story

I joined ASPA in 2015 and attended my first ASPA Conference in Seattle in 2016. This Conference was a unique experience as an ASPA Founders' Fellow. The distinction of being an ASPA Founders' Fellow has been a matter of privilege and honor for me. It was a gratifying and exciting experience to socialize, collaborate and bond with the past and present Fellows who participated from around the world.

The program has also been an educational experience as it has brought forth relevant and required career development opportunities, valuable feedback of my research and offered a perfect platform to building long-term professional relationships with both young and senior scholars. One of the best parts of this program for me has been a year-long professional relationship with a senior scholar who has served as my mentor for the Fellowship year. I hope to continue this professional relationship long after the Fellowship is over.

It was during the Founders' Fellow career development workshop this past spring that I learned about the International Young Scholars Workshop (IYSW). I promptly applied and was selected for the 2016 IYSW held in Cape Town. IYSW gave me the much sought after opportunity to share my research and gain constructive feedback. I was awarded the Best Paper-Honorable Mention Award, which is an important recognition for me as a Ph.D. student.

I would highly recommend more young scholars leverage this platform to engage in various student activities, hone research and professional skills, and—most importantly—build a strong network within the public administration community.

Rashmi Chordiya
Ph.D. Student and Teaching Assistant, University of Texas at Dallas

Helpful Resources

• Founders' Fellows Program
• International Young Scholars Workshop
• Young Scholars Photo Stream (via Flickr)
• ASPA Annual Conference Information
• Student Webinar Series