Miranda is currently a Content Operations Lead at Spotify.
Miranda Da Costa, MPA
Before the MPA I was working at the NYC District Attorney's office and thinking about going to law school. When deciding on my future studies I looked at multiple programs, but chose the MPA programme for the Capstone project. I valued the opportunity to solve real-world problems and make an impact on a real-world policy project.
When choosing my favourite aspect of the programme I could mention so many things, but I’d have to say the people. LSE allowed me to forge meaningful friendships with individuals all over the globe. The MPA fosters an incredibly diverse network of people who all care about making the world a better place. During my time in the MPA programme, I learned more from the people in my cohort than I did from the academic work; and that's saying a lot, because studying at LSE is a challenge!
Since leaving, the MPA program has opened doors to many different types of opportunities. I've worked for an international development org, a certified B-corporation (benefit corporation) and now I'm at a tech company. I've moved from research into operational roles and now oversee a large, distributed team. I can credit the MPA's multidisciplinary approach and strong analytical foundation for helping me with these transitions: it was a challenging program that constantly forced me to learn quickly, manage my time, and actively engage with the material that was presented to me. All of these things are essential to success in my current role.
To any incoming students, I would advise you to do as much of the reading as you can! I learned so much from the papers that we were required to read. Take classes outside of your areas of interest, and outside of the MPA core if possible. It's a great way to gain exposure to the other departments that LSE has to offer. Enjoy London, make friends, and mind the gap!
Miranda is happy to connect via LinkedIn.