CU's public affairs program fits in well with this senior's aspirations

Terron Hill, overlooking Ho Plaza. He is a sociology major with a concentration in economics in the College of Arts and Sciences. Hill is from Detroit. Charles Harrington/University Photography

By Franklin Crawford

If someone back in Detroit had told Terron Hill four years ago he'd be exploring a career in public regulation of utilities at Cornell, Hill would have dissented. After all, few first-year students know exactly what's ahead, and "utility regulation" doesn't have the ring of legend.

But along the way here, Hill became fascinated with public policy. He speaks with passion of state and federal energy regulation. Although, he said, "I fell in love with the campus the first time I came here," his path wasn't exactly clear until he met a student in the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs (CIPA) program. Hill applied for the program, and during his junior year was accepted into CIPA's accelerated master's program. This summer he will intern with the electricity transmission company National Grid Transco in Washington, D.C., then return in the fall to complete his master's in public administration with CIPA.

CIPA's accelerated program for Cornell undergraduates allows students to apply to CIPA in their junior year, begin coursework in their senior year and complete the MPA in just one year beyond completion of their undergraduate studies. CIPA students, or fellows, study within a structured framework of required courses that offer flexibility through student-selected electives.

"Given the breadth of the CIPA program, we want a good balance of students with experience and knowledge in both the domestic and international fields," said David B. Lewis, CIPA director. "Given Terron's background in domestic social policy, and his academic promise, he is exactly the type of young professional that we see representing the future of CIPA."

"I was first attracted to Cornell because I saw that you could study just about anything and still be with some of the best professors in the world," Hill said. "That, along with the beautiful campus, made Cornell an excellent decision for me."

Along with his academic work, Hill also plunged into Cornell community life. He is a student manager for Campus Information and Visitor Relations (CIVR), where he conducts visitor walking tours of campus and manages more than 60 other students. Hill also is a Meinig Family Cornell National Scholar, a recipient of the Marion A. and A. Percy Undergraduate Fellowship; a Delta Kappa Epsilon (DEK) Robert Trent Jones Memorial Scholarship recipient and former rush chairman for DEK; and he was a co-chair of the Cornell Ambassadors program in the Undergraduate Admissions Office. He also is a participant in the Detroit Metropolitan Big Brothers and Big Sisters program during the summers.

On top of all that, Hill received a Bartels Undergraduate Action Research Fellowship and the Sage Fellowship. In his Bartels participatory action research, he worked to fine-tune teaching methods for education programs for Cornell service employees as well as students in the Cornell Community Learning and Service Partnership program.

"I am looking forward to continuing with the CIPA program," Hill said. "Although Cornell does not have an official school of public policy, Cornell offers more than most public policy schools do. The diversity of programs on campus will allow me to pursue my many interests and will enhance my career opportunities in government regulations."