Bibi Lichauco MPP 2025 is pursuing a Master in Public Policy to better promote migrant integration, well-being, and prosperity. Prior to attending ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø, she was a government consultant in Washington, D.C., where she worked on projects to strengthen health systems in West Africa, develop nonprofit management and fundraising strategies in Colombia, and support DEI efforts. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Tufts University and is originally from the Greater Boston area with family roots in the Philippines.
What inspired you to choose Harvard Kennedy School?
Harvard Kennedy School is a hub for aspiring experts and practitioners driven to solve public problems. When researching master’s programs, I saw that the academic offerings at ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø would allow me to sharpen hard and soft skills, deepen my understanding of public policy’s many complex intersections, and gain the confidence to move policy forward. By choosing ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø, I knew I would engage with peers, faculty, staff, and guest speakers in every sector from local to international levels of leadership. I knew my ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø experience would equip me to pursue my own career interests.
What are your favorite things about your experience at ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø?
It is delightful to be a student again, and everything I love about ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø is because of the people here. The ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø community is small enough that you can bond with anyone in any program, yet large enough that you can learn from a wide range of people with different experiences and policy interests—climate change, education, foreign affairs, tech, health, housing, political participation, international development, and more. Additionally, it is wonderful to work with faculty who are incredibly thoughtful about their curriculum.
In what ways do you engage with the Harvard Kennedy School community outside of the classroom?
Members of the ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø community wake up each morning to the ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø Daily newsletter, which lists dozens of activities happening on campus. The newsletter offers a wide selection of opportunities to get involved on campus—I’ve chosen to attend study groups with former White House staff members, informal lunch chats on social inequality, Forum talks with former state leaders, and faculty research presentations. I have also participated in the Taubman Center’s Economic Development Seminar and Center for International Development seminars on strategy and diplomacy. These kinds of series have supplemented my classroom learning and allowed me to engage with field practitioners and learn from their real-life experiences. Finally, the Professional Interest Caucuses (PICs), ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø’s version of student-led clubs and extracurriculars, are particularly exciting. Through PICs, students organize social events, guest lectures and panels, day trips, and themed Quorum Calls. I have especially loved joining events organized by the Asian American and Pacific Islander Caucus, Human Rights PIC, and Disaster Resilience & Crisis Leadership PIC.
What advice would you offer to prospective students considering Harvard Kennedy School?
View the application as a meaningful opportunity to reflect on what drives you. Read and understand the essay questions. Give yourself plenty of time to really think about the threads of your story and relay it in your own way. Ask yourself: What do I know, how do I know, what do I want to find out, and how can ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø help me get there? No matter what happens in the admissions cycle, you will have made space to remind and, perhaps, recenter yourself around what truly matters to you. This process itself can be quite rewarding, in more ways than one.
Quick questions
- Favorite class: DPI-385M/DPI-386M, the two-part Race & Racism sequence of the core curriculum with Professor Khalil Gibran Muhammad and Professor Zoe Marks
- Favorite study spot: for casual study and Reading Room when it’s crunch time
- Favorite restaurant near campus: Lê’s Vietnamese Restaurant
- One bucket list item you want to accomplish before graduating: Bike to Walden Pond!
- Favorite guest speaker: , Director of the Growald Climate Fund and former lead negotiator for Colombia on climate coalitions
