Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) and Senior Ambassador for Public Policy and Administration Student Association (PPASA)

For me, and for many other students, the transition from high school to university was not an easy one. I knew that I wanted to study Public Administration, due to my interest in government and law, and because I believed it to be more hands on than Political Science. To me, it seemed that the former was practice and the latter was theory. Based on my beliefs at the time, Public Administration was the obvious choice. I was pleased to find that I could pursue my interest in this field at York University, because it’s not too far from my home.

My first year studying in the Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) program at York University was not an easy time. Attempting to transition from fixed schedules, having teachers not know me on a first-name basis, and struggling to maintain a solid GPA posed a challenge for me. While my first year in the BPA could have been more successful in academic terms, I did meet some great people, whom I had no idea at the time would play a significant role in my time spent at York.

Despite the number of services offered at York University, I was convinced that I couldn’t count on anybody but myself. As such, I continued my journey on my own, trying to balance life and school, and improving my academic outcomes. By taking higher level courses, I met some professors who inspired me to strive to perform my best. It was this inspiration that changed my outlook and put me towards a successful path in university.

I began to meet more people, and I was finally feeling satisfaction from attending and participating in courses. By getting to know more of my peers, I started to hear about the Public Policy and Administration Student Association (PPASA), and the events they are involved in. I knew that some of my friends were members of the Association, so I asked them to tell me more about these events. At the same time, I started to make use of the services offered by York University, including the Academic Advisors to discuss the requirements as I slowly started to look to the future and plan my graduation. Eventually, I was personally approached by someone I knew from the program, and got invited to an event downtown. It was there that I realized how important networking was, and that I couldn’t solely rely on my academic accomplishments to consider my time at York University a success.

Soon after, I decided that it’s better late than never, and I got involved with the PPASA by securing the position of Senior Ambassador dedicated to liaise with upper year undergraduate students. I believe that my experiences along with the lessons I’ve learned could be put towards communicating to other Public Administration students the importance to make the most of their time at York.

If there is one thing I could tell every student studying Public Administration at York, it would be to get involved, to seek help if you need it, and to spread the word that the Student Association is here to support you if you feel lost. - Peter Rappai