Written by Regina Ender
Even in today’s political climate, Brian Hawkins is able to maintain his sense of service in his work as a public policy analyst. Feeling called to effect social change, he knew in early high school he would pursue a career in public policy. Hawkins, who graduated from APU in 2011 with a major in political science and minor in communication studies, now works for Koch Companies Public Sector, LLC in Washington, D.C. In his role, he studies and analyzes legislation to see how it will affect the company’s interests, as well as manages coalitions of organizations to effect changes in public policy. Using his communications expertise, Hawkins has also been published in The Federalist, Rare, and The Huffington Post where he has written about faith, race, and a diverse array of political viewpoints, penning titles varying from “Why Is Southern California Underrepresented in State and National Politics?” to “The Christian Case for Libertarianism.”
Hawkins is also a proud Army veteran and served in both South Korea and Afghanistan and is the recipient of the Army Commendation Medal. He was a dedicated member of Army ROTC in his time at APU and recalls his experience in the program as his favorite part of his undergraduate career. Being part of ROTC instilled strong lessons about leadership that Hawkins has used both in the Army and in his professional career.
Studying at APU helped form and solidify Hawkins’s worldview, giving him a strong foundation when he entered the Army and the private sector. In his military service, he emphasized Christ’s teaching of selfless love, reflecting on John 15:13 which says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Now in his job, he relies on his faith to emphasize the importance of serving individuals, not outsourcing this duty to elected officials or the government. Hawkins’ work allows him to help set people free from onerous government restrictions that serve as barriers to personal fulfillment. In his time at APU, Hawkins was active in political debates, often engaging with peers with differing political viewpoints. Through those interactions, he learned to have a productive dialogue with people he may not see eye-to-eye with in order to achieve a common goal. His field requires that he discuss hot button issues with people from every point on the political spectrum and he is well-equipped to foster collaborative working relationships with all of them.
To help fellow APU alumni stay connected, Hawkins started an alumni chapter in D.C. in 2016. Members with all sorts of careers meet often to network and swap stories. Now looking to further his expertise, he is currently working toward his master’s degree in public administration at George Mason University and expects to graduate in May 2019.
Words of Wisdom: “Networking is tremendously important to advance your career in public policy. In this sense, networking refers to developing authentic professional relationships. Public policy is a relationship-based industry where you often have to achieve an outcome by convincing someone whom you have no authority over to complete a task on your behalf. You can only do so by building trust and communication with that individual.”
