Never Far From The Nest: An Alumna's Zeal for Public Service

As a political science major, Erin Dwyer Harvard, CLA ’16, ’22, wasted no time. She not only soaked up what she learned in the classroom but made sure she’d be able to apply it in real life. In her sophomore year at Temple, she started interning at Philadelphia City Council, where she was able to work on various pieces of legislation, as well as constituent services and the budget process, all the way up until graduation. It was the beginning of knowing exactly what her passions were—government and public service—and being able to fuse them into one.

After graduation in 2016, she landed an associate position at Ceisler Media & Issue Advocacy for Larry Ceisler. She calls him a major mentor in her life and keeps in contact with him today. After two years in this role, an opportunity opened up to act as director of communications for City Councilmember Allan Domb. Taking what she learned at Temple, her internship and Ceisler, she became Domb’s speechwriter and spokesperson. She recalls her time working for Domb positively, learning about private and public sector legislation, and being a Philly kid herself, becoming his go-to person for conversations about the impact of certain legislation on different neighborhoods.

Erin had also relished being able to give back to the next generation of young people. For Ceisler, she was able to run the internship program in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, overhauling the program and working with students on resume building, cover letters and interview prep. At Domb’s office, she was able to strike connections and build bonds with the high school interns. She continued a through-line in all the work she’d done to this point by improving the lives of her constituents. Her next opportunity would bring it full circle.

In 2019, a position opened up at Temple as a program coordinator in the College of Liberal Arts, allowing her to return to the nest just three years after graduation. She was able to work on and teach professional development, as well as advise and run the internship programs in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. Erin was even able to start a city hall internship program that mirrored her own experience. Not one to slow down, she also pursued her master’s degree in public policy while back at Temple. “My mom always told me, no matter what happens professionally, you always have your education to fall back on. No one can take that from you.”

Erin’s bond with Temple never broke after graduation. Being an alumna was important to her, staying involved with the Political Science Alumni Association and the College of Liberal Arts Alumni Association. Whether she’d come back or not in a formal position, she said being engaged with Temple was “always there, and it’ll always continue to be there.” Her favorite part about returning to her alma mater was being able to do things that she personally loves, helping young people figure out their next steps and having those one-on-one interactions with students.

She found her current role as director of government affairs of the General Building Contractors Association (GBCA) through her master’s program. Her capstone project centered around diversity and inclusion in Philadelphia’s construction industry. Around the same time a colleague let her know the position at the GBCA opened up, noting that it aligned very closely with what she was working on. She reached out, applied and the rest is history.

In her position, Erin is the liaison with Philadelphia city government and Harrisburg regarding legislative policies that impact commercial construction. She mentions three major themes in her position: increasing union construction in Philadelphia, creating equitable projects, and creating opportunities for the next generation and communities that have historically not had those opportunities. In this role, she found a perfect storm of the components that she was always interested in, a career in government and helping others.

Looking back, what kind of advice would she give to her younger Temple self? “Just keep doing what you’re doing. Work hard and it will be recognized. You’ve got this.” As for what she’d tell current students, she’s adamant about three things: utilizing your professors, networking with your classmates, and always leaving a situation positive. “Your last impression is how someone is going to remember you going forward.”

Thinking back to her days on campus, her favorite spot was the Pearson pool. A lifelong swimmer, she was on the club swim team and worked at the pool. “For me, when things would get stressful or overwhelming with classes and internships, I would go for a swim.” Her favorite spot to eat? The old faithfuls: the crepe truck and the halal truck next to Tuttleman. “Those are two meals that could fill you the entire day; what more do you need as a college student?”

What does the future hold for Erin? She says she hopes to continue making a difference in the legislative and workforce spheres. “In 10 years, no matter what I’m doing, I am still going to be doing something that is attempting to make Philadelphia better. Still helping people.” She adds that she’d love to be back in the classroom at some point, teaching and inspiring people to care about government as much as she does.