On a trip to California’s capital, future policymakers met with those who are already working to make a difference in government
A group of students at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) made its way to Sacramento, California, to connect with lawmakers and explore new career paths.
Once they made it to the state’s capital, GPS students had their choice of sitting in on one of several legislative committees in either the State Assembly or Senate; it was an opportunity for students to see the lawmaking process unfold in real time in the state with the largest population in the U.S., and with the fourth largest economy in the world.
“As an international student, it showed me directly how U.S. politics works,” said Chegrun Li, a 2026 candidate for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree.
After watching state lawmakers at work,and after some lunch, the delegation of students toured the Capitol building; they also met with State Senator Catherine Blakespear and her chief of staff, GPS alum Jack Christensen, MPP ’21. They also attended a panel discussion, featuring lawmakers, committee consultants and lobbyists, to hear more about the particulars of the legislative process from different perspectives.
“This trip left me feeling more inspired and sure that I want a career in state-level public service, especially in California.”
Carina Ruscitti, MPP ’25
In addition to being an opportunity for students to learn about potential career paths that their GPS degrees open the door to, the trip also allowed members of the GPS and UC San Diego community to connect.
The day concluded with a happy hour reception, during which current students, alumni and faculty members had the chance to talk and build connections.
The students were joined by Caroline Freund, the dean of GPS; UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla; and members of the school’s Career and Professional Development Center.
“It was so heartening to see how members of our alumni community are using the quantitative skills they honed at GPS to create meaningful change for our state,” Freund said of the trip. “Chancellor Khosla and I truly appreciate our alumni and Senator Blakespear for being so generous with their time and knowledge.”
Carina Ruscitti, MPP ’25, was another student who attended.
“I’ve done a lot of legislation tracking in my career, so experiencing the legislative process first-hand was a full-circle moment,” she said. “This trip left me feeling more inspired and sure that I want a career in state-level public service, especially in California, where some of the most influential policies in the country are shaped.”
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