• 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?

> At age twenty-eight, I enrolled at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and attended classes during the evenings and weekends for six years to receive my BA. That education, and my strong sense of commitment to public service, enabled me to attain higher-level positions with the state. UALR welcomes non-traditional students such as myself and was the obvious choice to continue my education. The MPA program offered a curriculum that I needed to meet my goals, a class schedule that enabled me to continue working full time, and a faculty that was extremely responsive to my needs.

Any work or internship experience during graduate school?

> I was employed full-time by the state during my MPA program and I was able to utilize what I was learning. I completed many course assignments that not only contributed to my knowledge base, but were also worthwhile projects for my agency. 

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

> The Politics and Bureaucracy course was certainly an eye opener for me. Since then, I have been fascinated by the political culture of our state. In my job, I am primarily responsible for getting resources for my agency. I think it’s essential that I understand the relationship between politics and the institutions they govern.

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?

> My five-year plan during my MPA program was to be the CFO of a small to medium size state agency within five years of graduating. I met that goal and within two more years, I was promoted to CFO and Assistant Director of the Arkansas Department of Correction, one of Arkansas’ largest state agencies. My current goals are to gain greater knowledge of correctional policies and strategies utilized across the county, reinforce and enhance my leadership skills, and establish relationships with correctional practitioners to increase my chance of promotion within my agency.

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

> I serve on an upper-level management team under the leadership of a tenured and knowledgeable director. I play an active role in helping to analyze issues and make decisions on all aspects of our operations. I receive great enjoyment from my contributions, and I learn something new every day. 

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

> Most definitely. I utilize what I learned and the networking the program afforded me on a daily basis. 

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

> Public service is a very rewarding way to earn a living. Employees that work for public agencies are more professional than they once were, but there is still a big demand for exceptionally trained and prepared leaders. If public service is something you think you would enjoy, then the MPA/MPP program would serve you well.