Graduate Assistants share their MPA experiences

Three of our graduating Graduate Assistants share their experiences in the MPA program.

GetschmanBy Elle Getschman, 2016 alum

Despite the craziness of my final semester in the MPA program, I can already look back on the experience with great appreciation. I tailored the program to my interest in planning, including learning the basics of GIS software, while gaining a larger foundation of knowledge in public service and administration. This knowledge will serve well in future positions of leadership in government, or even the nonprofit sector. In my final semester I studied local development policy and public policy analysis, and I researched state payday lending policies to analyze and draft sample legislation for my final capstone project. I supplemented these classroom experiences with a variety of valuable experiential internships. I chose the MPA program because of its versatility. This is my MPA program, but yours could be totally different. Explore all that an MPA really has to offer, and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

MartinezBy Joseph Martinez, 2016 alum

I have had the opportunity to meet and work with some well-connected and important public service professionals while obtaining a Master of Public Administration at Eastern Michigan University. The program faculty are well-connected within and knowledgeable about Southeastern Michigan communities, which makes being a part of this program an excellent opportunity for somebody who wants to get involved right away. As an intern with the City of Plymouth during the Summer 2015 semester, I learned so much about what goes into daily city management, and I was given the opportunity to “spread my wings” and try a few projects out on my own. This, along with other rewarding experiences, embodies the hands-on, practical approach of the MPA program at EMU.

RosenbergBy Jeremy Rosenberg, 2016 alum

It is not difficult to look around the State of Michigan and see problems in need of solutions. Cities in bankruptcy. Poisoned water. The problems seem overwhelming at times and are not helped by the partisan divide that plagues our political system.

What is needed to help solve the deep problems that we face together is professional, objective administrators who put good government ahead of politics. Whether your personal philosophy leads you to Democratic Socialism, or Libertarianism, we all want government that competently delivers services to the people.

A Master’s in Public Administration at EMU can help prepare you to be an objective, professional administrator. An MPA at EMU will teach you the nuance of public budgeting, how to properly interpret statistics, and how to navigate public organizations in today’s murky environment.

An MPA at EMU means working to find data-driven solutions to the problems we face in society. If you find the thought of public service to be inspiring, but are turned off by the political rhetoric of the day, an MPA at EMU gives you the chance to serve the public in a way that is truly impactful.

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