4th student in the Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) Honours

My name is Tina Rezaei. I’m a fourth-year student in the Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) Honours program. I started at York by majoring in Political Science, however, the program was not the right fit for me, although rich in culture and history. For me personally, it lacked connectivity. As a lost student in the sea of opportunities, countless programs to choose from, I decided to change my major to Anthropology. One year later, I was reminded of my dream and passion to become someone’s voice and make a change where it counts, to become part of the process rather than a bystander who feels neglected and unheard. The School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA) allowed me the opportunity to rediscover myself, my goals, and most importantly my ambition.

As students we experience hardship and stress, at times we feel overwhelmed trying to find the balance between school, work, social life, family, and the list goes on. I am here to say it is okay to feel overwhelmed, it is okay to take a break. Step back, rest, and try again. It is okay to take as many breaks as required, as long as you don’t give up on your dreams. After my third year, I decided to take two years off. During those two years, I focused on what I want and who I want to become. When I was ready to return and finish my degree I came back with a new perspective.

Choosing Public Administration was by far the best decision I ever made. It has taught me valuable lessons that are not only applied to our careers, but also our everyday lives. In this program you are given the privilege to network, get to know influential people who have made it their mission to help you succeed. Today, because of these wonderful people who have dedicated their lives to teaching us and guiding us, I will be starting my employment with the Federal Government of Canada upon graduation.

If I can give some advice, it would be to connect and communicate with your professors, they are here to help you grow. Attend the events that are hosted by the School, they’re designed to help you, and believe me they will. Get to know the programs and courses that are being offered. Professors Peter Constantinou, Fausto Natarelli, and John Wilkins have designed extraordinary experiential education courses to give you hands on experience. An opportunity to work with real people in a real-life setting. To not take advantage of their knowledge and experience would be profoundly unorthodox.

In conclusion, trust the process, trust the people who are there to help you, and most importantly trust yourself. Don’t be afraid to take your shot even if you feel you don’t have the qualifications listed for some of those courses. Professors Natarelli and Constantinou took a chance on me by allowing me into the Practicum in Public Administration course AP/PPAS 4995 6.0 (and yes, AP/PPAS 3190 6.0 Public Administration is a strictly enforced pre-requisite for the practicum, so please make sure to complete the course over the summer), and I can say that if it wasn’t for these amazing people, I may not have been where I am today.

Although my journey as a student is coming to an end, I look forward to becoming an alumna of York University.
-Tina Rezaei