Thanks to advice and support from her F&M alumni mentor, Erin Corrigan ’22 is helping to plan initiatives at the highest levels of state government just a few years after graduation.

Corrigan, assistant deputy secretary of policy and planning for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, got her start with an internship and a job offer from Franklin & Marshall College Trustee Akbar Hossain ’13, secretary of policy and planning for Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

As a high school student, Corrigan was drawn to F&M by the College’s academic reputation and the success of the Diplomat field hockey team under head coach Kaitlyn Eager. The opportunity to join in that team’s success and the quality of F&M’s government program quickly put the College at the top of her list.

From her first semester, Corrigan started learning what building and shaping policy actually meant. Following classes and advising by The Honorable and Mrs. John C. Kunkel Professor of Government Stephen Medvic and Assistant Professor of Government & Public Health Hollie Tripp, she began to consider what a career in the field might look like, beyond uncertain plans for law school.

“I ended up taking as many government classes as I could in my first year,” said Corrigan, who would soon major in government and minor in environmental studies. “Really getting into the weeds and asking, ‘what does good policy actually look like? What does a functioning government look like? What's the international landscape?’”

Tripp encouraged her to explore policy work during the summer between her sophomore and junior years. Corrigan found an internship posted by the College’s Center for Career and Professional Development and applied for the position. 

Shortly after applying, Hossain offered her an interview and then a position. Corrigan became one of the first interns on the gubernatorial campaign of then-Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a role she kept for a year.  

After graduation, Hossain introduced Corrigan to what would be her next employer, and she began work with a Pittsburgh-based political fundraising firm. There, she helped campaign and gather support for Pennsylvania’s state and federal candidates. Hossain kept in touch, congratulating her on her new role and guiding her through the question of whether or not law school was her answer to career indecision.

“Akbar was looking out for me throughout my journey, whether it was to discuss the proposal of law school, building my network, interview prep, and even how to properly negotiate and respond to job opportunities,” said Corrigan. “In Pennsylvania politics, everybody knows everybody. It's not a huge field. He helped me get in touch with different people, from other F&M alumni to his Pennsylvania politics network. He connected me with people from his time in the White House, he introduced me to government consultants and lobbyists, and he helped talk me through what might come next.”

When Shapiro won the election in 2022, Corrigan followed Hossain’s advice to keep in touch with your professional network. She sent him a congratulatory note on the campaign’s victory and his appointment to the governor’s cabinet. He quickly responded and asked if she’d like to join the team as his special assistant. She accepted, and when Shapiro took office in January 2023, she joined the administration at Hossain’s side, soon earning a promotion to assistant deputy.

In her role, Corrigan handles day-to-day operations for the Governor’s Policy Office: speechwriting, developing strategy memos, and conducting policy research and planning. She’s directly involved in a number of the administration’s policy initiatives, including artificial intelligence, conservation policy, disability employment, and adult-use cannabis. And she works closely with another F&M graduate, Executive Deputy Secretary of Policy & Planning Stephen D'Ettorre ’99, to manage hiring for the Governor’s Policy Office, which employs more than 200 individuals. They’ve repeatedly selected F&M students for internships and graduates for jobs due to the consistent quality of candidates.

“Two things that F&M alumni do better than anyone else are read critically and write,” said Corrigan. “And F&M graduates come into jobs knowing how to write well. That’s not a skill most people have.”

Corrigan and Hossain also coordinated with Medvic to develop and launch F&M’s Semester in Harrisburg Program, designed to develop a talent pipeline for entry-level careers in state government, a role she feels F&M is uniquely qualified to support.

“We wanted to ensure that students knew that they could stay here and make a huge difference in the community where they went to school or grew up,” she remembers. It was a perspective she didn’t have when first exploring roles in state government. “When I was looking for jobs, I had no idea what state politics were. I thought there was a lot more you could do at the federal level than you could at the state level, and I could not have been more wrong. F&M’s Semester in Harrisburg program shows the good you can do for your constituents, your neighbors, your friends, and your classmates.”

The support Corrigan received from Hossain and other F&M alumni helped her realize similar opportunities for today’s Diplomats.

“Akbar and I talk to any F&M student or alum who reaches out,” she shared. “We share what it actually means to work in state government. We can help you connect to the right policy directors, the right people. Do you want to engage in public health policy? We have an F&M alum there now. Are you interested in digital? We have an F&M alum there. Our team continues to bring on F&M students because they are that good.”

Corrigan wants current students to know that F&M alumni are a resource for them now and as they navigate changes throughout their career.

“College can be stressful as finding a new job can be too. F&M alumni are here to help support you, from referring you for different jobs to connecting you with others who are committed to providing their expertise and advice,” she said. “It’s F&M’s culture to help lift up the next generation. I had a great time at F&M. I learned a lot, I loved playing field hockey, I loved the friends I made. And I want to ensure that the people who are at F&M now continue to have positive experiences during their undergraduate journey.”