• 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 have worked in the public sector during my entire career, mostly in municipal government. Because of my work experience, I knew that I wanted to focus on Public Administration, thus the decision to pursue the MPA degree. So my situation worked somewhat in reverse – my career facilitated my decision to pursue graduate school and the MPA degree.

Any work or internship experience during graduate school?

> I worked for the City of Little Rock as Manager of the CDBG and Housing Programs and then at ADFA as Vice President for Housing. I was able to immediately use information and procedures learned in the MPA courses in my work environment.

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

> Politics and Bureaucracy, followed closely by Organizational Theory

Were you a Presidential Management Intern?

> No.

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

> As a non-traditional MPA student, my career was initiated prior to my graduate degree. In hindsight, that situation worked well for me, because I was more familiar with the real world situations facing a public administrator. I was able to learn more effectively and assimilate that information into both my public service and my career.

I am confident that I’ll continue in public service, hopefully in positions where I can fully utilize the years of experience, expertise, and education I’ve earned.

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

> The reward of helping low-income Arkansans purchase their first house or rent suitable housing for their needs. Everything we do in the Housing Division at ADFA is driven by those goals. Without affordable housing, citizens are hampered in their abilities to work, have families, and grow economically, which is essential to the growth and economic vitality of Arkansas.

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

> Definitely! Knowledge and information obtained in my MPA classes are a constant resource for the skills and abilities necessary to do my job every day. Understanding and addressing the political considerations of my work, being a better supervisor and leader in my organization, adhering to high ethical standards – all those functions of my position were enhanced by my MPA curriculum.

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

> If you plan to pursue a career in the public sector, an MPA degree will be a big bonus for you, both in securing better jobs and in being able to maximize your performance in those positions. An MPA degree ensures that you are fully trained in the most important aspects of a public service career. Coupled with on-the-job experience, an MPA degree should serve you well in achieving your public sector career goals.