Living in Bangladesh, a relatively newly independent country facing political strife, Tawsif Anam witnessed strikes, curfews and demonstrations for peace. He heard debates about elections, foreign aid, domestic interest groups and bureaucratic controversies.
When Anam and his parents migrated to the United States in 2007, Anam encountered some of the same debates about similar conflicts. “The degree of struggle varies,” he says, “but people in both countries are unhappy with government, interest groups, their public servants and the private sector.”
Tawsif Anam, right, interviews Middleton mayor Kurt Sonnentag as part of an energy audit of the mayor's house. Middleton Times-Tribune photo by Matt Geiger
Public Service in Action
During the summer and into the fall, Tawsif Anam served through AmeriCorps with the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group to conduct energy surveys and promote energy efficiency. “I was in charge of promoting our campaign in the Madison area,” he says. “One of the highlights was leading an energy efficiency assessment of Middleton Mayor Kurt Sonnentag’s house. I managed to get coverage for our campaign in the Middleton Times-Tribune. I also completed an assessment of the National Mustard Museum in Middleton and gave several presentations at events such as the monthly Get Moving Middleton meeting organized by the Middleton Chamber of Commerce and the meeting held by the Rotary Club of Oregon, Wisconsin.”
The debates and policy problems influenced Anam’s education. “In Bangladesh, I became curious to learn about government policies and how they affect the society,” he says. As an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, he studied comparative international politics, graduating in May 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Anam’s interest in political science and economics coalesced into a strong desire to focus on public affairs and to work on fundamental policy questions that emerge in society, and so he started the La Follette School’s master of public affairs degree program in fall 2011. “Now I am here in the United States and know this is home, and the government has granted me permanent resident status,” he says. “I am still discovering the United States and its policymaking process, learning how the government works. Everything is different from Bangladesh, from how the president is chosen to the state legislature.”
Health care is one big difference he found when he had to figure out health insurance. “The health-care systems are very different,” Anam says. “In Bangladesh, you just pay for care as you go. There is no insurance. I did not even know what a deductible was.”
His curiosity piqued, he took an undergraduate health policy course taught by La Follette School political scientist David Weimer. When Anam started looking at graduate programs, that learning experience coupled with the school’s ranking helped him to choose the La Follette School. “Also, I love this town,” he adds. “It is the first place I settled down in the United States, and I am glad I was able to stay.”
Anam appreciates how the small size of the La Follette School facilitates contact among students and faculty. “Especially compared to the large undergraduate classes, it is easier to make connections and ask questions with La Follette’s small student-to-teacher ratio,” he says.
Nearly all new La Follette School students take two introductory courses together, the statistics course Introduction to Quantitative Methods for Public Policy Analysis and Microeconomic Policy Analysis, with about 50 students in each. His Public Management course is even smaller, one of two sections with about 20 students each. By the second week, Professor Susan Yackee had her public management students assigned to groups to work on projects, Anam adds.
“I will be with these students for all four semesters,” says Anam, who received a fellowship for his first year of study. “I value the personal connections I am making. Since the semester started, I am with at least one or two students from La Follette almost at all times. I feel that the La Follette School is my home now and I just go home to sleep.”
The students’ and school’s use of social media also brings people together. “The students are always planning social events,” Anam says. “I receive an invitation on Facebook every day. This makes the bond among us stronger.”
Anam looks forward to making the most of the La Follette School’s quantitative skills courses, especially Advanced Quantitative Methods for Public Policy and Cost-Benefit Analysis.
After he graduates, Anam expects to seek a position as a policy analyst, perhaps in state or federal government and perhaps in health policy, but he is keeping his options open. “A benefit of the La Follette School’s curriculum is that we receive thorough training in quantitative skills that can be applied in any field,” he says.
“I want to be a part of that important relationship between the people and government,” Anam says. “The best way is to actively participate in public service. I want to use my knowledge of politics, economics, mathematics and statistics to gain a strong foundation in learning and understanding complex policymaking tools, and then eventually pursue a profession in public service.”
— posted November 16, 2011