Diverse Public Service

DIVERSE PUBLIC SERVICE

Public service has been a core value for Teresita Batayola M’88 since her studies in urban administration at Bucknell. The president and CEO of Seattle-based International Community Health Services recently was named one of the most influential Filipina women in the world by the Filipina Women’s Network.

1. How did Bucknell shape your career?

Bucknell had a brief graduate partnership with the National Urban Fellows, a program for mid-career professionals who aspire to public-sector leadership. The combination of intense seminars and a placement as an assistant to a federal department secretary refined and focused my desire to be in public service.

2. What class opened your eyes the most?

Seminars on economics with Professor Steve Stamos drove home the impact of macro and micro financial policies and actions on businesses, governments, communities, families and individuals.

3. If you could go back to college, what would you do differently?

I would participate in a study-abroad program. This seemed like a luxury at the time, but international experience is now essential in our globalized world.

4. What fun moment at Bucknell is the most memorable for you?

The Urban Fellows came from all walks of life and from diverse backgrounds throughout the country. The entire experience was vibrant — competitive yet collegial. I truly enjoyed the intense seminars in Bucknell’s idyllic setting, which managed to both rest and stimulate our minds.

5. What lesson did you learn at Bucknell that you still carry with you?

The ability to adapt and thrive in very different environments has stayed and grown within me.