At the beginning of this year, students from the Columbia University School of Professional Studies M.S. in Political Analytics program travelled to Washington, D.C., for an immersive experience in the world of political data.
The annual D.C. trip serves as an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings and forge new industry connections. During their visit, students connected with representatives from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and polling and consulting firm Impact Research, toured key political sites, and expanded their networks by engaging with professionals across fields.
Here, three students reflect on their experiences from the trip.
Students learn about polling from Luke Martin, Vice President at Impact Research.
Chisom Adubasim
M.S. in Political Analytics Student
The Political Analytics program at Columbia is an invaluable resource for professionals seeking the right tools to succeed in the political arena. My experience in Washington, D.C., further reinforced this, as the program provided access to a wealth of resources and connections with influential figures in politics.
A standout moment was the networking dinner at the Bombay Club, a private event where we had the opportunity to meet four successful professionals from diverse areas within politics. Through this dinner, I learned about polling, advocacy, union work, and political analytics. The experience broadened my perspective, showing me the many different pathways available in the field of politics. It was empowering to realize that there are numerous opportunities within this space, making politics feel less intimidating and more inviting.
Current student Aminah Mouza Al-Jaber and alumna Jordan Scmidt network with congressional staffers at Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C.
Marie Pesch
M.S. in Political Analytics Student
One of my favorite parts of the trip was our visit to the polling and consulting firm Impact Research. Polling has become a controversial topic, most people associate it with electoral predictions and believe that because it has been wrong a few times in recent elections it's not a useful tool. In this meeting we were able to see the reality of polling in politics and some of its more common uses. It can be extremely helpful as a tool for the internal functions of a campaign by guiding strategy and messaging.
One example that stuck with me was the role of Impact’s polling in the creation of Gretchen Whitmer’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign slogan, “Fix the damn roads.” They got the original idea from responses within focus groups they conducted to find out which issues were most important to Michigan voters. Once the wording was developed, they used polling to understand how the slogan would come across to voters. Would it be too harsh or outrageous to curse in a political ad that kids might see, or would it come off as genuine and just bold enough? The polls concluded that most people would be fine with the slogan, and those who weren’t were unlikely to vote for Whitmer anyway.
This kind of information is key to making hard decisions in a campaign, and can have a huge impact on the way an election turns out. This visit provided a great example of the importance of data driven decision making in politics.
Students take a tour of Impact Research office space and hear about the work they do in polling and campaign management.
Kayla Willis
M.S. in Political Analytics Student
During the Political Analytics D.C. trip, we had the pleasure of meeting with Genny Mayhew, a director for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). This one was my favorite of all the individuals and companies we met with. I enjoyed learning about the scope of labor unions and how their work bridges many aspects I am interested in. It made me think about the diversity of the field of political analytics, and it was a breath of fresh air.
This networking opportunity showed how analytics plays a part in many individual lives. As a labor union, SEIU must find ways to advocate for their members, whether that's through recruitment strategies or even policy-based initiatives. Their work may seem more progressive, but it is the people who are at the forefront of their purpose. Data analytics plays a large role in how it's performed.
This inspired me and has changed my perspective on the types of roles I can work in. I was impressed by how SEIU uses data skills to make the service worker experience easier, something that I can see myself playing a huge role in. Compared to some of the other organizations we visited, SEIU’s approach stood out because of its connection to improving individual lives, which allowed me to connect my degree to ways of its impact. It became one of the core moments of my entire trip, and an opportunity I will not forget.
Students visit Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to hear about their work in advocacy in union labor.
Gain an inside look into the Political Analytics program’s visit to D.C. in this video:
Views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Columbia School of Professional Studies or Columbia University.
About the Program
The Columbia University M.S. in Political Analytics program provides students quantitative skills in an explicitly political context, facilitating crosswalk with nontechnical professionals and decision-makers—and empowers students to become decision-makers themselves.
The 36-credit program is available part-time and full-time, on-campus, and online. The fall 2025 application deadline for the M.S. in Political Analytics program is June 1. Learn more about the program here.
For general information and admissions questions, please call 212-854-9666 or email politicalanalytics [[at]] sps [[dot]] columbia [[dot]] edu (politicalanalytics[at]sps[dot]columbia[dot]edu).
