Cornell Scholar Selected for Harvard Kennedy School Leadership Conference

Cornell University Posse Scholar Jocelyn Vega attended the Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s Public Policy Leadership Conference in February. She was selected to attend the conference, which aims to support students from under-represented groups pursuing professional degrees in public policy and international affairs, thanks to her strong academic record and commitment to public service.

“The conference explored opportunities in public policy with students who are not represented in the field,” says Jocelyn. “This is so important because we need more people of diverse backgrounds at the table making the decisions because they are the ones who will be affected by the policies.”

Jocelyn, a first-year Scholar, is the auxiliary chair for Cornell’s Women of Color Conference and works as a community advocate in Ithaca, New York, mentoring 6th-12th graders on issues related to academics, health and self-image. 

After graduating from Cornell, Jocelyn hopes to work internationally to help the United States more effectively partner with other countries. She plans to earn both a master’s in public policy and a law degree.

“It is my responsibility to be a global citizen,” says Jocelyn. “I want to work with other countries and other governments to ensure we’re making the world better.”