Emiriana Stanishja MPA ‘24 Named Adams Leadership Award Recipient

June 18, 2026

Brooks student Emiriana Stanishja MPA ‘24 has been named the 2024 Adams Leadership Award Recipient by the MPA Program.

The Adams Leadership Award is presented to members of the MPA graduating class who have excelled academically and made extraordinary contributions to the field of public affairs at Cornell through service and enterprising leadership. The award was established by Dr. Samuel Adams MPA ’74 and his wife, Marlene Adams.

Emiriana Stanishja is a second-year Brooks MPA student concentrating in Economic and Financial Policy. While pursuing her MPA, Stanishja has served as vice president of external relations for the Cornell Public Affairs Society (CPAS) and vice president of the Albanian Student Association.

“My experience in the Cornell MPA Program has been transformative,” Stanishja said.

“I have grown academically, professionally, and personally. The MPA degree has helped me improve not only my understanding of policy analysis, public management, and economic principles but also my professional policy writing and public speaking skills. Being part of the Brooks School has equipped me with the tools and confidence to make a meaningful impact in the field of public affairs.”

She adds, “The campus, buzzing with diverse ideas and vibrant cultures, has become a crucible where my perspectives have been challenged and refined. At Cornell, I have immersed myself in various organizations and activities, which have been pivotal in building my network and understanding different cultural and professional landscapes. The connections I have made here are not merely professional contacts but lifelong mentors and friends.”

After graduating from Brooks School, Stanishja will join the World Bank in Washington, D.C., where she will focus on debt statistics within economic and financial policy. She hails from Kruja, Albania.

MPA students pose for a group photo at the Brooks Anniversary Party and hold Brooks trucker hats