IISC Alum Brings Passion for Public Service to Chicago
After growing up in a western Chicago suburb, Caleb Smith attended the UI. Smith was active not only in his home department of Political Science, but also as a senator in the Undergraduate Student Senate, chief justice of Interfraternity Council life, a member of Homecoming Court, and through multiple campus jobs. In 2022, he became a member of the first cohort of the Masters in Public Affairs program. Today, Smith continues to hone his interest in public service as part of the City of Chicago’s Office of Inspector General.
- What was your journey as a UI student?
I’m from Oswego IL, just west of Chicago. The UI wasn’t on my radar, but my aunt went to Iowa and convinced me to visit. After that, I stopped looking at other schools; Iowa just felt right. I started out pre-law but discovered that I was more interested in policy and legislation. With help from my advisor, Martha Kirby, I strung together the perfect combination for my interests—a major in political science, a minor in human relations, and a certificate in leadership studies.
2. Did you go straight from undergraduate into the School of Planning and Public Affairs?
Not exactly. I got a job with the UI’s Fraternity and Sorority Life Programs, and I’d come home from work and not have much to do. When campus shut down because of Covid, I was even more bored. I love to learn and discuss big topics, and my mother was pushing me to get a graduate degree. I’d heard that Iowa was creating a Master of Public Affairs program, and it seemed like a good fit.
3. What were the highlights of your graduate school experience?
First and foremost, grad school is so different from undergraduate. I loved the hyper focus on one area. I really appreciated the approach of Iowa’s MPA program, which starts with what I think of as “need to know” courses and builds toward more policy. Those core courses are really about governmental operations, and I came to see that I was being taught a full circle of government. I also appreciated how the faculty encouraged my peers and me, who were the first MPA cohort, to give feedback and be part of building the program’s foundation.
4. What was your IISC project?
My team assisted the Maquoketa City Council in goal setting, updating best practices for governance, and developing onboarding materials so that new elected officials could hit the ground running. As someone coming from a more urban area, I really appreciated connecting with a part of Iowa that was unfamiliar to me and learning about small town governance. I got so much out of this project and referenced the experienced a lot in job interviews.
5. What are you doing now?
Since 2022, I’ve worked for the City of Chicago’s Office of Inspector General as a performance analyst. I am in the Public Safety section, with a focus on the effectiveness, accountability, and transparency of the Chicago Police Department. We review programs and practices and give recommendations on policies and procedures.
The first report I was part of focused on police staffing and how officers are allocated across the city. The unique outcome was the creation of a data-driven interactive dashboard that allows residents to see how many officers are assigned to their block. It was a great first project that ties directly to my desire to give residents the information they need to hold government accountable. I hope to eventually work at all levels of government, including state and federal.