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Class of 2024: Sean Sukol’s journey from policy to public service
Growing up in Springfield, Virginia, Sean Sukol never imagined the winding path that would lead him to become a champion of public service and an advocate for education reform. His journey is marked by resilience, dedication, and a profound commitment to making a difference in his community. His hard work and persistence have earned him the Wilder School’s Public Administration Outstanding Public Service Award, and on May 12, he was awarded a master’s degree in public administration.
Sukol’s passion for public service was sparked by his father, who devoted his career to the federal Social Security Administration and later worked as an attorney for the Office of the Law Revision Counsel, drafting the United States Code. Sukol says his father exemplified “a deep commitment to public service. I was taught to value both the extraordinary power of our government systems to enhance and improve the lives of our neighbors and the awesome responsibility of those who ensure these systems function effectively.”
After overcoming academic challenges in high school, Sukol leveraged the Virginia Community College System and its guaranteed admissions agreement program. He earned an Associate of Science in Business Administration from Northern Virginia Community College and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from the College of William & Mary. During his undergraduate studies, Sukol’s fascination with public administration, public policy, and social organization truly blossomed.
“Embrace a wide range of knowledge, and never think ‘learning this is not part of my job.’” He emphasizes, “Our society has never been more expansive or complex, and the public administration has evolved with it. Effective administration and policymaking require a thorough understanding of not just the immediate issues, but also of demography, organizational theory, politics, coalition building, statistics, project management, budgeting and finance, and many other domains.”
-Sean Sukol
Eager to explore the intricacies of government and policymaking further, Sukol pursued a Master of Public Administration degree at Virginia Commonwealth University’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. For Sukol, “the Wilder School was an obvious choice. I appreciated the strong connections between the school, Virginia’s policymakers, and civil service.”
At the Wilder School, Sukol fully engaged in his studies and was inspired by dedicated faculty members like Associate Professor Saltanat Liebert and her Public Human Resource Management course. He is also thankful to Associate Professors Myung Jin and I-Shian Suen for their instruction in data analysis and quantitative research skills that “expanded my career horizons” and laid the foundation for his future pursuits. His advice to current Wilder students is, “Embrace a wide range of knowledge, and never think ‘learning this is not part of my job.’” He emphasizes, “Our society has never been more expansive or complex, and the public administration has evolved with it. Effective administration and policymaking require a thorough understanding of not just the immediate issues, but also of demography, organizational theory, politics, coalition building, statistics, project management, budgeting and finance, and many other domains.”
Sukol’s professional journey is a testament to his broad interests and unwavering commitment to public service. From teaching English in China, Spain, and the United States to working as a field organizer and consultant for election campaigns nationwide, Sukol’s experiences have not only shaped his perspective but also fueled his drive to effect positive change, inspiring those around him.
As a Virginia Management Fellow, Sukol gained critical insights into state government operations, working with the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Government and Regulatory Affairs and the Department of the Treasury’s Cash Management and Investments division. These roles gave him a comprehensive understanding of government systems and policymaking processes, setting the stage for the next chapter in his career.
In the fall of 2023, Sukol took a bold step by resigning from the Virginia Management Fellowship to join Data Science 4 Everyone as a data and policy analyst. This nonprofit organization, affiliated with the University of Chicago, advocates for data science and data literacy in K-12 education. The organization recently published a report by Sukol, “Beyond Borders 2024: Primary and Secondary Data Science Education Around the World,” which was highlighted by EducationWeek magazine. Reflecting on his time at the Wilder School, he says, “I am thrilled to return to the education policy field with skills, perspective, and tools that I lacked as a young teacher.”
As Sukol continues his journey in public administration, he remains steadfast in his commitment to integrity, professionalism, and service.