性视界传媒

June 2, 2026

by Elizabeth Mendicino ’26

When we say 性视界传媒 graduates are setting out to change the world, we mean it. The new Master of Public Policy (MPP) program enables those passionate about making a difference to gain the knowledge and experience they need to do just that.

The 30-credit program 鈥� which begins this fall 鈥� is designed for those interested in policymaking, engaging in public service, or actively working to create social change. Covering important topics such as climate justice, criminal justice reform, public health, and urban development, the curriculum was crafted to help scholars develop skills to address complex societal issues.

Program Director Dr. Kaitlin Sidorsky, an associate professor of political science and public policy, took up the mantle of creating the program after joining Ramapo in 2023. She was awarded Tenure by Exceptional Action in the Fall 2025 semester for her exceptional work as a professor and director of the program.

鈥淚 love researching and teaching public policy and truly believe it is the pathway to change. It is important that we train the next generation of policymakers ethically and in a way that is well rounded so they can tackle the many public policy challenges facing our communities today,鈥� Sidorsky said.

A public policy expert, Sidorsky has authored and co-authored a multitude of books, including:

• Inequality Across State Lines: How Policymakers Have Failed Domestic Violence Victims in the United States (Cambridge University Press);
• All Roads Lead to Power: Appointed and Elected Paths to Public Office for U.S. Women (University Press of Kansas);
• and Hamiltonia: A State and Local Government Simulation (Bloomsbury).

As a professor, Sidorsky said, 鈥淚t is really satisfying to work with students who are invested in their own futures and work hard to achieve it.鈥�

Students like Tyler O鈥機onnor-DiLello ’27 ’28 are ecstatic to have the opportunity to continue their education at Ramapo while pursuing the meaningful work they want to dedicate their lives to. O鈥機onnor-Dilello, an Eagle Scout from Ocean Township, NJ, is a Political Science major and Public Policy minor who intends to pursue Environmental Policy.

鈥淚 just want to make the world cleaner and safer for the people who come after us,鈥� said O鈥機onnor-DiLello, who witnessed environmental devastation first-hand when Hurricane Sandy ravished the Jersey Shore.

O鈥機onnor-DiLello said Ramapo鈥檚 location, small class sizes and mentoring professors are crucial to learning about public policy. 鈥淏eing sandwiched between New York City and the greater tri-state area, really helps you connect with important people,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he professors here are fantastic, the close-knit community that you’re going to build in this program is even better. I’m a strong believer that one-on-one teaching is better than sitting in a lecture hall full of 200 [students], you’ll learn more in these conversations with these professors than you would sitting in a lecture hall.鈥�

Tyler O鈥機onnor-DiLello ’27 ’28, center, is eager to pursue his Master of Public Policy at Ramapo College.

Ramapo鈥檚 MPP program features multiple 4+1 options for undergraduates. The 4+1 format allows students to graduate from Ramapo with their bachelors degree in four years, then with their masters degree one year later. Law and Society and Political Science students can apply to the 4+1 path to a MPP, and interested people from any discipline can apply to the Masters program alone.

The program鈥檚 hybrid format, and full-time and part-time options, makes it not only affordable but also flexible for people who are also working. 鈥淚 want to provide career promotion and skill acquisition so people can get a degree that will help them in a policymaking field and have career advancement,鈥� Sidorsky said.

No matter a person鈥檚 background or policy interests, the MPP program will provide a thorough academic foundation and practical preparation for policy work.

鈥淭he MPP can help students become ethical changemakers because a lot of the curriculum is very applied,鈥� Sidorsky said. 鈥淵es, we will learn about foundational public policy theories. But then we are going to discuss real policy programs at the local, state, and federal levels and come up with solutions. This real-world work makes people think more about the people that their policies actually influence, instead of thinking about it strictly theoretically. In addition to this the MPP requires an internship which will be an additional experiential way for students to see ethical policy making in progress and then apply it in their own work and careers.鈥�

Ramapo鈥檚 Master of Public Policy program is accepting applications for the Fall 2026 semester. The deadline to apply is July 1, 2026. For more information on the program, visit its webpage, complete the Interest Form or email Dr. Kaitlin Sidorsky at ksidorsk@ramapo.edu.