• How did you select your graduate school and how did it prepare you for your career?
• Work or internship experience during graduate school
• What was the most important or useful course you took in the MPA/MPP?
• Were you a Presidential Management Intern?
• What has been your career path since graduating? What do you want to be doing in 5 years?
• What is the most exciting and/or interesting aspect of your current job?
• Do you feel your MPA/MPP is helping you to “make a difference?” How?
• What advice, if any, would you give to an undergraduate thinking about going for an MPA/MPP?

How did you select your graduate school and how did it prepare you for your career?

> I selected the Maxwell School for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, I selected Maxwell for its reputation of being the nation’s premiere program for my discipline. Second, I was born and raised in Syracuse and felt being surrounded by family would be particularly supportive during Maxwell’s rigorous 13 month M.P.A. program. Third, upon visiting the Maxwell School and speaking to the faculty and students, I felt that it was a good fit for me academically, socially and professionally.

The Maxwell School challenges you from day one to not only reach your potential, but to live by an oath that has guided democracy for thousands of years – that of the Athenian City State. Ethics, professionalism and compassion are principles instilled and fostered throughout the duration of the program, and into your years as an alumnus. While I learned many valuable skill sets while attending Maxwell, I learned more about myself and others, and how people of divergent backgrounds and beliefs can work toward common goals and achieve great things. I learned what my strengths were, but also my weaknesses, and I learned how to allow them to complement one another.

Any work or internship experience during graduate school?

> I worked part time as a graduate assistant in the Bird Library government archives. While I at first thought this would be little more than a way to pay bills while working toward my degree, I later discovered it had transformed me into a very competent researcher.

Toward the end of Maxwell’s MPA program students are given the chance to undertake a real-world consulting project with a local government entity or a not-for-profit. Students are broken into consulting teams and meet with their clients to determine the scope of the issue, what the client wishes to achieve and in turn formulate strategies to achieve the desired end. This project is not a hypothetical classroom exercise, but rather the first opportunity many students have to take the skill sets learned and apply them to real world scenarios.

What was the most important or useful course you took in the MPA/MPP?

> I cannot narrow it down to one course, perhaps two would be possible. In truth, I believe that the most important “courses” were the various symposiums that allowed us to interact with senior level public sector administrators who were able to bring a real world perspective to our academic analysis. However, the most important courses I took were public budgeting and constitutional law.

A solid understanding of constitutional law is critical as public administrators are held to a higher standard than private sector administrators and must always be aware of the impact of their actions on the civil liberties of our nation’s citizens. Public budgeting has been critical for me as I worked for a state authority responsible for billions of dollars in environmental infrastructure finance and local assistance. Currently I work for the State of New York’s Department of Taxation and Finance which operates with an annual budget exceeding $440 million and is responsible for the administration and collection of more than $44 billion in tax receipts per year. Given the State of New York’s current fiscal situation, the judicious use of taxpayer resources is more important than ever.

Were you a Presidential Management Intern?

> No, I served as a Post-Graduate Legislative Fellow with the New York State Senate from 1995-1996 and was assigned to Senator George D. Maziarz.

What has been your career path since graduating? What do you want to be doing in 5 years?

> 1995-1996, New York State Senate Legislative Fellow, Office of George D. Maziarz and the Legislative Commission on Water Resources.

1996-1999, New York State Environmental Facilities Corp., Executive Assistant to the President and Public Information Director.

1999-Present, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Deputy Communications Director.

Five years from now I would like to be working in the private sector as a public relations consultant and government liaison focusing on environmentally sound economic development projects. My experiences to date have reinforced my belief that public/private partnerships have the potential to yield tremendous results when you couple the talent and resources that both parties bring to the table.

What is the most exciting and/or interesting aspect of your current job?

> The most exciting aspect is clearly being in the middle of many of the state’s most contentious public policy debates. Not only is it exciting to have the inside scoop so to speak, there is an incredible sensation when you see a story play out in the media that you had a hand in crafting.

Sometimes the job can also be exciting in a very terrifying way. On September 11, 2001 our offices in Manhattan were destroyed when the second plane smashed into our agency’s conference room in the World Trade Center. The Department of Taxation and Finance lost 40 employees to that attack. However, there was little time to mourn as our agency is tasked with operating the State Emergency Management Office’s call centers during time of crisis. Our employees fielded hundreds of thousands of calls in the months following the attacks and were responsible for helping organize volunteer efforts, donations of goods and services, collecting money on behalf of the New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund and serving as a comforting voice for people whose sense of security had been ripped from them. 

Do you feel your MPA/MPP is helping you to “make a difference?” How?

> My M.P.A. has made a tremendous difference in my life for all the reasons I mentioned above. My entry into public service was through a program only open to those with graduate degrees. The reputation of the Maxwell School, and the achievements of its alumni, set a very high standard which employers expect you to live up to. Fortunately, Maxwell will not turn you loose onto the world unprepared to meet that rigorous standard. The alumni connections, so often affectionately referred to as the “Maxwell Mafia,” go with you throughout life. We have all taken the same oath, we are all guided by the same principles and we all share a common dedication to leaving the world a better place than when we found it. I came to Maxwell intimately aware of the various theories on government and politics. I left understanding the meaning of public service.

What advice, if any, would you give to an undergraduate thinking about going for an MPA/MPP?

> Go into it with your eyes open. Know that you will be held to a higher standard in your professional life than most people ever will. Understand that you will not likely reap the financial rewards that you would from other advanced degrees. Be confident that you will make a difference in the lives of those around you and be prepared to do so as an unsung hero. Public service isn’t about awards and accolades, though you may well receive them, it is simply about service.