Neil Stein MPP’ 25 and Lauren Schmidt are my guests for the fifth episode. They both have had very different backgrounds and paths but what make them an amazing duo are  their curiosity and their courage. 
We will discuss how taking a hard decision can change your life for good and learn more about the challenges of these hard decisions!

We’re kicking off the new year with a special episode featuring two incredible guests—John (Jay) Parish and Madison Moreau. John served in the U.S. Army for 13 years before coming to Harris, while Madison grew up in a military family as the daughter of Navy Admiral Jack Moreau. Together, they share both the extraordinary and everyday experiences of life in and around the military—offering firsthand insight into what it truly means to be affiliated with the U.S. Armed Forces.

Policy People is the newest podcast from the University of Chicago Public Policy Podcast Network (UC3P). In this series, we will be interviewing current MPP and MSCAPP students on their previous experiences, their background, and why and how they ended up in Harris! There are so many stories waiting to be unfolded, and we want you to be part of it!

In the first episode, we will be interviewing two of the most well-known students here, Shivani Patel – MPP ’25 and Joaquin Pinto- MSCAPP ‘2025 on their journey so far. These two are focusing on Data science, economics, international development, and public finance.