Alumni network, Chicago location helped policy director prepare for career

Meet Micaela Vargas (BUS ’12). Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Mica earned a degree in international studies with a minor in business administration. She was active in several campus organizations and served as president of the DePaul chapter of Sigma Lambda Delta, a multicultural service and social organization for women. Today, she is director of policy for Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer, who represents the 10th District, which covers part of the city’s North Side.

Could you please describe what a policy director does?

As policy director, I research and write policy changes and recommendations through Cook County legislation. I monitor policy issues in the city and at the state and federal level. Each month, I review all the things that are going through the board agenda, and I make sure [the commissioner] is fully prepped. My main job is to work with coalition members. I work with outside organizations to get them mobilized around social issues. It is such a fast-paced environment. One day I could be working on a health care policy, and the next day I could be working in criminal justice or with women and children.

How did DePaul prepare you for this role with Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer?

My experience at DePaul was nothing short of amazing. DePaul provided a rich environment for me to have experiences which helped prepare me for my career. DePaul’s courses were challenging, but the university always pushed the understanding that a degree alone will not get you a job. I had to cultivate many other skills: networking, interviewing and service to others.

How did you cultivate those skills?

The number one resource that I used at DePaul was its Career Center. I was able to get my résumé critiqued and practice the skills necessary to enter the workforce, like interviewing and relationship-building.

The Career Center also connected me to alumni who helped guide me through this critical development process. The Alumni Sharing Knowledge (ASK) network, housed within the Career Center, has alumni ready and willing to mentor current students. When I was a senior, I met with a different mentor every month. Not only was I cultivating relationships with my peers, but I was able to connect with individuals down the street at corporations or different governmental agencies. DePaul’s Career Center is world-class.

How did your participation in student organizations help prepare you for your career?

While I was involved with the DePaul chapter of Sigma Gamma Lambda, I learned conflict resolution skills, budget management, leadership and how to run a small organization. When I was president, I learned how to mobilize people. To get people on board and have them feel motivated about the work was enthralling. These are skills I use daily in my career as a policy director.

How did DePaul’s Chicago location impact your academic experience and career potential?

First, there are many successful DePaul alumni in the Chicago area. As I discovered through the ASK program, they are often looking to connect to mentees like myself. I had an entire network waiting just outside DePaul’s doors.

The second factor was pure proximity. I worked throughout college. My junior year, I took on a second job working for DePaul through the student employment program. My senior year, I was able to intern for the Mayor’s Office of International Relations. I could easily work my job at DePaul’s Loop Campus for half the day, intern down the street at City Hall, go to night class, and work my other job on the off time. Overall, DePaul’s Chicago location allowed me to maximize my time to its fullest potential and gain valuable career experience.