Alumni Spotlight: Joyi Mandal

Joyi Mandal graduated with an MPP from HKS in 2013. She holds an MS and BA (Honors). In pursuit of her passion, Joyi is a professional Indian classical and contemporary dancer who teaches, performs, and choreographs Indian classical (Kathak) and contemporary dance.

What do you do professionally and what impact did your studies at Harvard Kennedy School have on your career? 

I am a management consultant by profession, focusing on financial services. My studies at HKS impacted my career in three key ways. As a political science undergraduate student with a prior background in government affairs, the flexibility of the HKS program allowed me to take more technical classes in corporate finance/ advanced economics at HBS, MIT and within HKS that set me up with the skills, I needed for a career transition post-HKS. Second, classes like 'adaptive leadership' that incorporate systems, roles, and change agents in the realm of leadership are lessons that even today help me frame and respond to a conflict situation. Finally, the breadth of topics I had the opportunity to study molded me into connecting different ideas and concepts that are especially helpful in my work as a management consultant.

Throughout your time at Harvard Kennedy School, what was the most important life lesson you learned? 

That change and impact is absolutely possible if you have a group of people with a shared vision and values of how they see the world. Post-graduation, I have seen my classmates enter politics and advocate for human rights and free speech in eastern India, fight for change within the US justice department, return to their home countries to serve in the highest levels of government, and start organizations in an effort to impact social change. Our HKS Alumni Board captures this at a micro-level where we have a community of individuals from different countries, backgrounds, and professional areas bonded together by a shared vision of an HKS alumni community.

What makes you most proud as an alumnus of Harvard Kennedy School?

Community, community, community! I continue to be inspired every single day by the depth, thoughtfulness, and genuine desire to impact long-term change by the HKS community.

What is your message to other members of our New York alumni community? 

Connect, reach out and leverage the power and talent of this incredible HKS NY community that we have. Our members are active in various professional pursuits, whether it's in business, finance, law, fashion, art, state, and local government - you name it!