• 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 decided to enroll in an MPA program because I knew I wanted a career in the public sector, either working with a government agency or working with a non-profit. I selected the MPA program at Arkansas State University because it was a well-rounded program with opportunities to specialize the program to fit my interests through a variety of elective courses. I also selected this program because I knew the faculty would take an interest in the students’ development and help them not only in the classroom, but outside as well.

Any work or internship experience during graduate school?

> I did five internships through four different offices during the course of my two-year MPA program. I was able to do these internships because I was selected to be a part of the Community Development Internship Grant the MPA program received. The grant paid for the expenses of the students while in school and gave them an opportunity to do internships through a variety of government and non-profit agencies. The internships I completed are as follows:

Governor’s Partnership for Children & Families (Fall 1999, Fall 2000)
Through this internship, I was able to work on a variety of children and family issues related to welfare reform at the local level. I was able to get involved in the public transportation campaign, grant management, and a variety of other activities that benefited some of the most needy citizens in the community.

Beacons & Bridges (Spring 2000)
Through this internship, I worked on community and economic development of some of the poorest areas of the city. Four area churches, in partnership with ASU, received a grant to start a business incubator to help spur economic development in depressed areas of the city. I was involved in several of the projects to educate the community about the organization and increase community involvement.

During this internship, I was also able to assist with the search for an executive director for the organization. It was a wonderful experience with Human Resources and hiring processes.

Delta By-way Project (Summer 2000)
Through this internship, I worked on projects dealing with Heritage Tourism in the Delta Region of Arkansas. I did data entry for the office and worked on a campaign to encourage citizens to write their Congressmen and women about an issue dealing with the proposed scenic by-way in the area.

Jonesboro Housing Authority (Spring 2001)
At the Jonesboro Housing Authority, I was able to work on a variety of programs dealing with Drug Elimination in Public Housing. I was able to manage the financial aspects of the grant that HUD provided for drug elimination projects as well as plan events and projects. 

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

> I think the most useful or important course work I took had to be Public Budgeting and Public Policy analysis. I have been able to apply both of those classes to my past internships and current job. Understanding how budgets works has been a great help and being able to analyze policy both for its benefits and repercussions has been extremely useful.

Were you a Presidential Management Intern?

> No, I went through the interview process, but was not selected as a finalist.

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

> I am really enjoying my EIP experience. Since it is a two-year program, I still have 18 months left. I am really enjoying my current position and am looking forward to rotating soon. In five years, I will be continuing to work on my leadership and management skills. I would like to be a member of the Senior Executive Staff in future and those skills will be very important to have.

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

> I am currently an Environmental Protection Specialist with the US EPA through their Environmental Intern Program (EIP). The EIP is similar to the PMI except it is strictly for the EPA. 

The most exciting aspect of my job is working with the States to make sure the environment is protected. I am the grant liaison for my branch for Iowa and Kansas. I will be doing a rotation out to the state of Kansas this summer and cannot wait to see “where the rubber meets the road” for many of our programs.

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

> I think having an MPA has definitely helped me make a difference. I have skills and experiences that are unique and have been a benefit to my office.

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

> I would have each student think about what they see themselves doing in ten years and have them ask themselves which is more important: making a difference or making money because in the public sector you are not going to make big money, but you can make a huge difference. I would also encourage them to seek out faculty at the school they will be attending and start building a relationship with those faculty members because that is a big part of the MPA/MPP experience: the relationship you establish with your professors.