Dylan Senkiw ’21, a Macaulay Honors student double majoring in Political Science and Computer Science and Information Technology, was recently accepted into four Public Policy master’s degree programs. “I’m deciding between the University of Texas, the University of Wisconsin, Georgetown University, and Duke University,” he says. Senkiw hopes to one day bridge policy and technology to create solutions to real-world problems. “Throughout my undergraduate career, I learned that I truly want to contribute to global sustainable development. Through the courses I took for my majors, I have found an intersection between technology and policy. In the future, I hope to encourage the use of human-centered technology to benefit communities all over the world,” he says. Senkiw shared with us how his experiences at John Jay College have set him on a path to success.

What made you want to come to John Jay?
I became a student here because of the common pursuit of justice shared by all students, faculty, and academic departments. John Jay’s environment stood out to me because it felt like a place where meaningful change takes place. Every class is unique because of our specific lens of justice and improving the community around us. I have met so many people from different backgrounds, beliefs, and circumstances. Being located in Manhattan has also opened up a variety of opportunities and experiences that I would not be able to get anywhere else.

When you first came to John Jay, what were some of your biggest challenges? How did you overcome them?
One of my biggest challenges was finding a community. I’m grateful that I was able to find an extremely strong community on the John Jay Men’s Volleyball team since my freshman year and throughout all of John Jay Athletics. I have been able to meet so many amazing people. On the team, we were constantly working toward a common goal of being the best players we could be.

If you had to point to one organization, cohort, person, or place at John Jay that made your experience especially fulfilling, supportive, and/or productive, what/who would that be and why?
The Honors Program at John Jay has made my experience extremely enriching and valuable. In the Honors Program, we are encouraged to think about the common good and what that means to us. In many ways, I think this outlook has shaped my future goals. One of the best parts about this community is that everyone is genuinely interested in what they are studying. Before the pandemic, it was so motivating to talk with my peers during community hour about what they were working on or how their internships or lab projects were going. The people in the program encourage you to be better and work harder, and many of the people I met through the Honors Program will be my lifelong friends.

Living through the pandemic has been a challenge for everyone—especially students juggling jobs, family responsibilities, classes, and the mental stress of living through a global health crisis. Can you describe what your experience has been like? What was especially difficult? What was especially inspiring?
It has been difficult to fully adjust to a virtual-learning environment, but my classmates and I have been finding new ways to stay consistent with our coursework. Despite the challenges, it has been inspiring to see how the various communities that I’m a part of have remained strong. The Honors Program and the Athletics Department at John Jay have been able to remain in close contact. Not only have they both been constantly reaching out, but it still feels like there is a sense of community, even though we haven’t actually seen each other in person for over a year.

If all goes well, where do you see yourself in five years? Why is this your current goal?
I’m looking forward to gaining real-world experience in policy creation. In five years, I hope to be in a new career in Washington, D.C. working on technology policy. D.C. is the national hub for politics, think tanks, NGOs, and international organizations, and there is no better place to be involved in policy creation.

Is there someone special that’s particularly proud of your accomplishment? Who are they and what would you like to say to them?
My mother has always encouraged me to be the best that I can be. I could not have done it without her, and my success is because of her continued support. She taught me that it is important to dream big and take every opportunity that is in front of you because you never know where it will lead you.

Please finish this sentence: Because of John Jay…
Because of John Jay, I’m driven, motivated, and excited to enter a career in public policy, and I’m determined to bring positive change to the world.