Political Science Alum, Analyst for Government Accountability Office to Speak at Convocation Monday, August 21, 2017
Meet Anthony Costulas
Job title: Program Analyst
Employer: United States Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Degree earned: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, 2012
College activities: United Student Government and WPPJ Radio
Scholarship from Point Park: W.R. Hearst
Hometown: Ellwood City, Pa.
High school: Lincoln Jr. / Sr. High School
Now living in: Washington, D.C.
Hobbies/interests: Running and playing guitar
Twitter: @anthonycostulas
LinkedIn: Anthony Costulas
Costulas will be the keynote speaker at Point Park University's upcoming Convocation Ceremony Aug. 25 at the Wyndham Grand Hotel Ballroom.
How did you land a position with the U.S. Government Accountability Office?
I interned with the agency during graduate school and was hired full time three years ago.
Tell us about the work you do.
The GAO is tasked with creating reports on behalf of Congress. I am personally responsible for drafting major portions of the reports the agency produces and I help to create and conduct various analyses to develop evidence for these reports.
GAO reports may address a wide variety of topics such as the management of Federally-owned property or the quality of government program evaluation. For instance, I just completed a report on some potential issues with the United States Refugee Admissions Program. After the release of these reports, I work with a team to ensure that the recommendations are implemented by government agencies appropriately.
How did Point Park's political science program put you on the path to where you are today?
Today, I work directly for Congress, and classes such as Constitutional Law and various American government courses I took while at Point Park helped provide me with tools that I use today while preparing for tasks such as briefing congressional staff.
Point Park's political science program also helped prepare me for graduate school at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where I studied public policy. The professors in the political science program at Point Park were an incredible resource. I was able to establish a foundation that I have been able to put to good use throughout my career.
What key message would you like to get across to students at Point Park's upcoming Convocation?
My convocation speech is all about encouraging students to participate as much as possible while they are at Point Park. If you're not careful, it's so easy to let a lot of the available opportunities slip by. I'm someone who benefitted so much from the time I spent outside of the classroom getting involved with organizations like United Student Government and WPPJ.
For instance, while a member of student government, I helped draft several reports designed to address student concerns. This was the first time that I had the opportunity to really write for a purpose. I still do this type of writing every single day, and I wouldn't have known that it was something that I would be interested in without getting out of my dorm and getting involved on campus.
What's your favorite Point Park memory?
I think one of my favorite Point Park memories would be being a part of WPPJ's Rock-A-Thon which raises money each year for the Early Learning Institute. It is three days of non-stop live broadcast. Someone was always live on the air, even in the middle of the night. I remember taking the three to five a.m. shifts each year and staying up all night with friends playing music and trying not to fall asleep.
What are your long-term career goals?
I definitely want to keep working in public service. I enjoy working for the federal government, but I'd really like to try my hand working in local government someday. I love helping others and working to address public policy problems. My wife and I really hope to make it back to Pittsburgh eventually to be a part of a city where we've always felt at home.