2024 MPP Academic Excellence Awardee: Amaka Atuegbu

Amaka Atuegbu
Amaka Atuegbu, MPP ’24

Full Name: Chiamaka (Amaka) Atuegbu

Title and Organization: Intern, Office of the Commissioner – Connecticut Department of Public Health

SPP Degree and Graduation Year: MPP, ‘24


Amaka Atuegbu is a Masters of Public Policy (MPP) candidate whose interest in building her analytical skills and addressing complex policy problems led her to the program at the University of Connecticut’s School of Public Policy (SPP). Throughout her academic journey, Amaka has enjoyed learning about various policy issues and exploring evidence-based approaches to address them, working on empirical exercises, and interacting with classmates and professors to gain their policy insights.

Beyond the classroom, Amaka has had the opportunity to apply her skills from the program to real-world settings through internships at the Urban Institute and the Connecticut Department of Public Health, contributing to projects ranging from rural financial inclusion to firearm violence prevention. In her spare time, Amaka likes to listen to music or rewatch episodes of The Office (US).