Emilio Castaneda

Pronouns: He/Him
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Program Pathway: Full-time
Expected Graduation: 2026

Emilio is a 2nd year MPA student heavily involved at and around Evans. Before coming to Seattle, he earned a bachelors degree in Business Administration with a minor in Economics from Governors State University in Chicago’s south suburbs. Despite not coming from a policy-related background, he is excited to dive into public service leveraging the Evans skill set. Emilio is specializing in environmental policy and policy analysis, while also pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Climate Science from the Program on Climate Change. He aspires to launch a career in environmental/climate policy analysis in the public sector. When not roaming around Parrington Hall, he can be found running/biking around Seattle or photographing nature.

What has been your favorite part of being a part of the Evans community?

I am constantly amazed at the dedication of faculty and staff in their commitments to students. In both my academic and extra-curricular endeavors, everyone I reach out to is responsive and eager to support, collaborate, listen, and engage in dialogue. The Evans core values of equity, courage, and service are consistently on display and unwavering in numerous facets of the work here.

What surprised you most when you started the MPA program?

There was much more overlap from my undergraduate career and past work experience than I expected, which I think speaks to both the accessibility of the degree and combating imposter syndrome.

What advice would you give to someone considering the program? Why did you choose Evans?

During my policy school search, I only considered Master of Public Policy (MPP) programs since I thought the degree was better suited for someone leaning towards a policy analysis career goal. Evans became the one exception by demonstrating that it’s just as rigorous as many other well-known programs. I ultimately chose Evans because on top of the rigor, the school maintains a policymaking framework that combines empiricism with equity, which I did not get the same sense of anywhere else.

What has been your favorite class so far, and why?

My favorite core class was Policy Analysis (as a future policy analyst), and my favorite electives have been my economics courses; Applied Benefit-Cost Analysis and Economic Approaches to Environmental Management.