2011 Entering Class Profiles

Brian McKenzie , 2013, Canada

Why I chose Fletcher: I chose Fletcher over schools in New York and Washington, D.C. for three reasons. First, I felt it would be the best place for my wife and our 2-year-old daughter to live while I pursued a Master's degree. Medford is a great place to live, and the Boston area is full of things to do for families. Second, the students, faculty, staff and alumni all went the extra mile to convince me that Fletcher was the best place for me. The Fletcher community stands out for its global reach, diversity of experiences across sectors, and most of all, its dedication to helping others within the community. Last, but not least, Fletcher's Center for International Environment & Resource Policy (CIERP) and the faculty within it played a big role in my decision to come to Fletcher. Specifically, my advisor, Professor Kelly Sims Gallagher was extremely supportive of me during the application process and continues to be so now that I am at Fletcher. I don't regret my choice one bit!

On the flexibility of the curriculum: I came into the Fletcher program with a clear idea of what I wanted to do when I finished my Master's degree. That is, I want to be a clean energy entrepreneur. With a background in business and four years as a strategy consultant behind me, I wanted to develop my understanding of clean energy technologies and policy issues, and gain a deeper understanding of the law surrounding the energy sector. The flexible curriculum has allowed me to concentrate my studies in these two areas, something I could not have done as well at other programs.