“What I value most is being an informed, power-literate citizen—someone who does their due diligence to ensure their work is grounded in research and delivers real impact, rather than simply holding a job title.”
Marcos Avina, MPPGA ’25, was born in Mexico and raised in Vancouver, where a lifelong connection to the outdoors shaped his interest in climate policy. After completing his undergraduate degree and spending part of the pandemic converting a school bus into a tiny home, he entered UBC’s Master of Public Policy and Global Affairs to strengthen the analytical and practical tools needed to address complex global challenges. During the program, he represented Canada at the Y20 Summit, completed a Global Policy Project on marine water governance in partnership with the Squamish Nation, and spent an exchange semester at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin. We spoke with Marcos about his experience in the program and how it has shaped his professional path.
Is there a specific MPPGA course or workshop that you found particularly useful for building your professional skillset? Why?
Yes. I took a course on Global Governance with Matias Margulis, which was extremely practical. We learned how international organizations function, how to effectively source information, and how to prepare, negotiate, and disseminate information accurately and succinctly. Shortly after, I had the opportunity to represent Canada as a youth delegate at the Y20 Summit, the youth engagement arm of the G20. I found myself applying many of the same assignments and frameworks from the course, this time for real.
How has MPPGA influenced your career path? Has it reinforced your interest in a specific sector or inspired curiosity about others?
It reinforced my interest in environmental policy while opening my eyes to the many niches within it. Indigenous policy, for example, is deeply intertwined with environmental policy. I had the privilege of working on marine water governance with the Squamish Nation for my Global Policy Project (GP2), which reshaped how I think about policymaking. Policy can be creative, visually engaging, and even involve fieldwork, sometimes quite literally being out on the water.
MPPGA allows you to work and learn within a tight-knit cohort of diverse students. What lessons have you learned from your fellow classmates?
Resilience, discipline, and perseverance. I’ve learned so much from my classmates at UBC and during my exchange abroad. Graduate school is unique in that you’re surrounded by smart, passionate, and committed individuals who genuinely want to change the world. You won’t always agree with them, but that diversity of thought is intellectually enriching and incredibly valuable. Everyone brings different strengths, working styles, and personalities, and learning how to collaborate and compromise is a crucial skill, one that the GP2 project, for better or worse, really teaches you.
What is one way you have directly applied your learnings from MPPGA to a workplace position?
Both qualitative and quantitative research methods have been incredibly practical. Learning how to collect data and draw statistically valid conclusions is highly relevant across many roles. I was involved in conducting a nationwide survey to better understand youth policy priorities. Pro tip: keep the survey short!
As a recent alumnus, how did the MPPGA contribute to your career path and where you are now?
The program equipped me with tools to think strategically about complex problems and communicate them effectively. These skills are valuable in any field. I currently work at a startup in the entrepreneurship space rather than in a traditional policy role, so I’m not your typical graduate. But careers are rarely linear, and I’m genuinely excited about where the path ahead might lead.
In what ways has MPPGA shaped the kind of policy professional you aspire to become?
I always knew nature was worth protecting for its own sake, and I wanted to be paid to advocate for it. What MPPGA gave me were the tools to actually do that effectively. In hindsight, I’ve realized that what I value most is being an informed, power-literate citizen—someone who does their due diligence to ensure their work is grounded in research and delivers real impact, rather than simply holding a job title.
If you could give advice to an incoming MPPGA student, what would you tell them?
School is important, but don’t stress unnecessarily. Prioritize your well-being and make space for a life outside graduate school. Vancouver is an incredible city—take advantage of it. I spent a lot of time snowboarding in Whistler during grad school, and I don’t regret it at all. The idea that you must dedicate your entire life to one goal is toxic and harmful to mental health. Assignments can feel overwhelming in the moment, but they rarely are in the long run. Relax—if something truly matters, you’ll figure it out.
