Stephanie Henning
Chances are you’re not going to grow up to be Angelina Jolie. I’m sorry, I know that hurts. But if you really wanted to be a movie star, you should have applied to Tisch. You can, however, get one step closer stardom and Angelina Jolie status by joining the writing staff at the Wagner Review and perfecting your opinion writing skills.
Opinion writing is one of the most powerful tools we have in our belt as public service professionals–a point that was dramatically emphasized when Jolie penned her now infamous New York Times Op-Ed detailing her decision to get a preventative double mastectomy. Her Op-Ed was discussed and reviewed by every major media outlet in the country. The debate lasted for weeks and has had a lasting impact on doctor-patient relationships and women seeking genetic testing.
Maybe you’re not interested in health policy. Maybe, like me, the thing you’re interested in isn’t even represented in the Wagner curriculum. My policy area of interest is indigenous populations around the world, and while faculty are often happy to let students direct the nature of their own projects, there’s a limit to how far I can push an assignment. Writing for the Wagner Review allowed me one, two, three opportunities to research topics important to me, and to share my views with the wider Wagner community. The Review doesn’t edit for content which means you get to write about whatever is most interesting to you.
I can’t think of a single sector of public policy where everyone agrees with each other. From national public service to end-of-life care, some people will agree with you, some will not. Winning the argument is a fight that happens not just in the committee room, or even in the halls of government. The Op-Ed sections of the New York Times, the Washington Post, and your hometown newspaper are the battlegrounds of public discourse. Writing for the Wagner Review will give you the tools you need to win whatever argument you’d like to have, so apply today!
Applications are open through Friday, September 18.
Stephanie is Editor-in-Chief of the Wagner Review. She is in her final year of the MPA-PNP program, specializing in international development. She dreams of one day owning a bookshelf ladder.
