Sungkyu is a current second year Master of Public Affairs student in the School of Planning and Public Affairs. Sungkyu came to Iowa City from South Korea to pursue his degree. 

What led you to pursue a Master of Public Affairs degree? 

What led me into this program is my interest in understanding how policy works in the United States. South Korea’s policy system is similar to that of the U.S. and sometimes adopts ideas from the U.S. So, learning here is very important for me.  Before coming to Iowa, I worked in Seoul, South Korea, in the National Assembly, which is similar to the U.S. Congress. I am currently on educational leave to complete my master’s degree. In my position I worked in departments related to the legislative process. My main responsibilities included preparing and reviewing legislation and supporting legislative processes. I also worked with committees and other departments involved in lawmaking. 

What has your experience in Iowa been?  

Seoul is a very large and busy metropolitan city. Moving to Iowa allowed me to experience a different side of life—especially in terms of culture and rural living. I wanted not only to study U.S. policy but also to understand American society and culture. 

How has your student journey contributed to your knowledge and work? 

My experience at the University of Iowa has enhanced my professional capacity, especially in policy and legislative analysis. When preparing and reviewing legislation, policymakers often refer to international cases and academic research. I have learned that even well-intended policies can lead to unintended consequences during implementation. Studying comparative policy cases in the U.S. has provided valuable insights and lessons. The SPPA program and my capstone experience have strengthened my analytical perspective. When I return to South Korea, I hope to use these skills to develop more effective and socially valuable policies. 

Tell us about your capstone project 

My capstone project focuses on inter-organizational collaboration in Jackson County, Iowa. The project looks at the issue from different perspectives, including economic development and organizational governance. It can be framed through a regional economic development lens or a governance issue. We examined overlapping roles among economic development organizations. Based on our analysis, we will make recommendations to our partner organization, the Jackson County Economic Alliance (JCEA). 

In the fall semester of the capstone course, IISC Director and SPPA Professor Travis Kraus focused on soft skills such as identifying problems, mapping stakeholders, and developing strategic solutions. This process is very similar to real-world policy formulation. Working with my teammates was also similar to collaborating with policy actors. Policy ideas are developed through repeated discussion, participation, and trust-building. This reflects how legislation is developed in practice.