We all know that our MPA alumni believe in public service, so much in fact they are willing to spend their Saturday improving the homes and lives of low-income homeowners. Before the MPA Alumni Picnic, a group of 24 MPA alumni and students spent the day working with Rebuilding Together of the Triangle. Rebuilding Together is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing home repair and renovation services free of charge to those in need.
The original idea for the Day of Service originated last year with Justin Amos (UNC MPA 2006) when he was seeking a way to celebrate his cohort’s 10th anniversary. Justin said his cohort wanted to “find a group event that would symbolize the reason we came to Chapel Hill for graduate school to begin with: to serve the public.”
After the success of the first Day of Service in 2016, Justin was determined to open this event up to all UNC MPA alumni. Justin partnered with Executive Director of Rebuilding Together of the Triangle and fellow MPA alumni, Dan Sargent (2010), to make this event a reality for students and alumni. Current student, Andrew Cutler enjoyed the opportunity to meet alumni and work beside them. Andrew said, “The recipients were super appreciative, and I think the work we did made some kind of valuable contribution to improving their circumstances.”
Justin believes the Day of Service “perfectly encapsulates the reasons many of us chose to get a Carolina MPA: to serve others, to meet new people, reconnect with friends, and to make a difference in their community.” Dan encouraged alumni that live and work in the triangle to “engage their workplaces, faith communities, and civic organizations to help serve homeowners in their neighborhoods to ensure low-income families in the Triangle have safe, healthy places to live.” Dan hopes that the Day of Service becomes an annual tradition that continues for many years.
By Sarah Dickson and Jim Hemphill
On Saturday, August 12, 2017, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) honored the UNC School of Government with their Distinguished Service Award. Established in 1970, the award celebrates an individual or an entity that “has rendered a truly outstanding and distinctive service to the cause of improving local government above and beyond his usual duties or occupation.”
Dean Mike Smith accepted the award during the President’s Banquet at the conclusion of NCACC’s 110th Annual Conference, held at the Durham Convention Center. “This award is intended to honor faculty and professional staff at the School for all of their work for counties over the years. They deserve it, and so do many of our former colleagues. I’m humbled to accept the award on their behalf and heartened by the strong partnership we have both with the Association and officials at all 100 counties,” said Smith.
Other award recipients included county commissioners, former NCACC board leadership, and Director of NC Emergency Management Michael Sprayberry. Durham County Commissioner Brenda Howerton—a graduate of the Advanced Leadership Corps, which is one of the School’s premiere leadership programs—was sworn in as president of the Association.
Founded in 1908, the NCACC serves as the counties’ advocate before the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of state government. The School partners with the NCACC and the NC League of Municipalities to offer leadership training for elected officials through the Local Elected Leaders Academy.
For more information, view the NCACC’s news release or Dean Mike Smith’s blog post.
Photo courtesy Chris Baucom/NCACC.
Nearly 200 are enrolled in MPA@UNC, the online format of the Master of Public Administration program housed at the UNC School of Government. One of those students, Lorrie Fair Allen, is returning to UNC more than a decade after her undergraduate tenure at Carolina, which included three NCAA women’s soccer championships.
Allen, an olympic silver medalist and FIFA World Cup champion, works for the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project and volunteers as a sports envoy for the U.S. State Department. She expects to complete her master of public administration degree in the summer of 2019.
“This MPA will prepare me for life,” Allen said. “It’s preparing me for how to attack the advocacy side, the policy side. I know it’s going to help me be better at my job.”
The online format of the MPA program gives Allen flexibility to complete her degree while juggling a full-time job and a family. Allen had an opportunity to interact with students from both the online and on-campus formats at a special weekend of instruction in November 2017.
Learn more about Allen’s story at UNC’s YouTube channel.
To learn more about MPA@UNC, visit onlinempa.unc.edu.
On Thursday, March 8, the UNC School of Government will host a discussion on “Administrative Courts in the Polish Legal System” with Agata Hauser, PhD, a lecturer at the Constitutional Law Department of the Adam Mickiewicz University. Hauser’s research focuses on judicial protection of individuals by the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU) and the European Court of Human Rights as well as interactions between the EU and the Council of Europe and application of the EU law by national courts of member states.
“This is a special opportunity to hear directly from a teacher and scholar in a country that has undergone and continues to see dramatic constitutional and institutional change,” said School of Government faculty member Charles Szypszak. “Hauser is among the brightest in Poland who daily consider fundamental issues that we often take for granted here in the United States.”
Hauser is visiting the University of North Carolina and participating in a series of events with support from UNC’s Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies. She will be speaking on Judiciary Reforms in Poland as a Threat to the Principle of the Rule of Law, 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 6 at the FedEx Global Education Center.
The following message was sent by School of Government Dean Mike Smith to employees and students the week of June 1, 2020.
Hello Friends,
I reflected briefly in our Town Hall on Monday about the killing of Mr. George Floyd, the unarmed Black man who was killed in police custody. As everyone knows by now, a police officer held Mr. Floyd on the ground by placing his knee on his neck. He continued even after Mr. Floyd said he couldn’t breathe, and even after he was no longer breathing. Other officers helped hold him on the ground, and not a single one of them intervened to prevent his death.
Words cannot fully capture how horrifying it was to watch that video. I cannot even begin to imagine how it must feel if you are a Black person who has experienced racism throughout your life. Or if you are the parent of a Black child, especially a young Black man. My heart goes out to everyone who is saddened, outraged, afraid, and angry over the killing of Mr. Floyd. I have been incredibly angry over the last week. I haven’t written anything before now because I didn’t want it to be about me, and my anger felt incredibly self-centered.
This recent tragedy flows from systemic racism and violence that is deeply rooted in our history. Mr. Floyd is the latest in a long line of Black men, and women, who have been killed because they were Black. It is a shameful part of our country’s past and present. How do we move from feelings of pain and inadequacy to constructive action? People have been asking that question a lot over the last few days. I have been asking that question. There are no easy answers for addressing problems of structural racism that is a longstanding part of our cultural experience. That doesn’t mean we can do nothing.
As I said on Monday, one thing we can do now is take care of one another. I have been proud to see how we have supported one another throughout the COVID-19 crisis, and we need to continue supporting one another as we struggle with Mr. Floyd’s death and the aftermath that is sweeping the country. Even while many of us are apart, I hope you will take some time to check in on each other. This week the University Office for Diversity and Inclusion has offered a space on their website for #YourVoiceMatters, where you may share your thoughts, perspectives, and feelings anonymously. They have also put together a list of anti-racism resources that I encourage you to explore. Please always remember that the Employee Assistance Program is available for faculty and staff.
We will schedule a Zoom opportunity for anyone who wishes to come together and share their thoughts and feelings. I’m not assuming that everyone wants that option, and people may not be comfortable doing it. Every person processes these things in different ways. We will make the opportunity available for those who wish to come together. You will hear more about this shortly.
I also want to explore how we take action to better educate ourselves about issues around racism. We are in the process of creating a new Committee for an Inclusive Workplace, and it seems like we should do something soon before we conduct a comprehensive needs assessment around diversity, equity, and inclusion. Many on our campus have received training from the Racial Equity Institute, and Chancellor Guskiewicz today encouraged campus leaders to go through that training. I’d like to explore offering that training for everyone at the School as soon as possible, which could inform our future work on inclusive excellence.
I have no special expertise in this area. I do believe that progress is possible. I believe that if we take one positive step it will lead to other positive steps. I also firmly believe that we will make progress if we continue working together as One School. Please take care of yourself and each other.
Mike
On Saturday, May 11, 2019 the Carolina MPA program celebrated graduates from Summer and Fall 2018, and Spring 2019. The program also welcomed the 41 most recent Spring 2019 graduates to the Carolina MPA Alumni community.
Andrew Loeb Shoenig was honored with both the Deil S. Wright Award, recognizing the best portfolio paper, and the Nanette Mengel Communications Award. This is only the second time that a single student has won both awards.
‘If you can imagine it, you can make it happen.’
This year’s commencement keynote was delivered by Roger Stancil ’77, the recently retired manager of the Town of Chapel Hill (2006–2018). Stancil also spent 26 years with the City of Fayetteville, nine of them as city manager. In his speech, Stancil shared some of his 40 years of accumulated wisdom.
The Life of an Infiltrator
Stancil spoke about the idealism of his younger days. He reminded the graduates that they are our nation’s future. He informed them of their potential to make a huge impact, no matter where they end up. “You can change the world from where you sit.”
‘Life is Like a Construction Project’
Stancil also told the audience a story of how he recently built a ramp for his mother-in-law’s home and drew parallels between that project and life in general. “Life seems like a construction project through which we learn. It was the skills I learned in the MPA program that let me build that ramp…If you can imagine it, you can make it happen.”
A Calling to Serve
He also encouraged the graduates to remember that the MPA program is simply the beginning. “What you’re doing is a calling, a voice in your head that will stay with you forever,” Stancil told the graduates. “The calling is real, the challenge is great, but the satisfaction of making a difference is something you can’t feel anywhere else.”
Congratulations, Graduates!
Sadie Alexandra Amonino
Elizabeth Anderson
James Aughenbaugh
Lindsey Victoria Bineau
Kyle Bromir
Roger Aaron Brown
William Carroll
Christopher D. Chavis
Agata Chydzinski
Kim Cox
Jerald Crook
Max Dixon
Joshua Alan Fernandez
Katherine Mae Fiely
Nathalie Floyd
Angela Dawn Gravely-Smith
Kalen Frost Grosskopf
Jim Hemphill
Ashley Kazouh
Elizabeth Michal Kelley
Emily Margaret Langston
Charles Albert Lehmuller
Jordan Lynsee Marschke
Laura Elizabeth May
Laura Delaney McBryde
Claire LePage Morgan
James Gibbs Owen IV
Joshua Baer Rosenstein
Marissa Saenz
Timothy Autumn Shober
Andrew Loeb Shoenig
Ceara Valesa Smith
Colton Thomas Sobolewski
Emily Rose Stallings
Justin Stirewalt
Kimberly Shea Torres
Matthew Visser
Michael David Welker
Amanda Stafford Workman
Matthew Eaton Wright
Samuel Martin Yeager
On May 10, 2020, the UNC MPA program welcomed 78 new members into it its alumni ranks. These students have successfully completed their coursework and defended their portfolios for the 2019-20 academic year.
Due to the ongoing closure of the University’s campus for non-essential business, springtime graduation celebrations took place virtually. As Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz has promised students that they will not miss such a pivotal part of their UNC experience, plans are in the works to host graduates back on campus for a postponed ceremony. The MPA Program will share more information as soon as it is available.
We would like to congratulate the 81 individuals who successfully completed their coursework and defended their portfolios this academic year! Welcome to the Carolina MPA alumni family — we look forward to your continued engagement and support!-Joe Moore ‘05, President of MPA Alumni Association Board
Shervin Aazami
Carol Abken
Veronica Akhter
Hallie Allen
Lorraine Allen
Greg Antoine
Jennifer Arnold
Adrienne Augustus
Christy Baucom
Gary Beck
Thomas Bennett
Jennifer Betz
Courtney Cagle
Adam Caldwell
Jordan Cansler
Richard Carey
Nicholas Cerra
Mimi Clemens
Ric Cloninger
Courtney Cooper-Lewter
Charlene Cowell-Prim
Andrew Cutler
Manisha Dass
Carol Davis
Catesby Denison
Jaime DiLauro
Rachel Downey
Brandon Edwards
Ryan Eppenberger
Brynn Fann
Brian Farmer
Korey Fisher-Wellman
Jennifer Fox
Ashleigh Genevich
Lindsey Glover
Regina Hall
Sarah Hanson
Christopher Hatton
Alexandra Hulten
Matthew Hutton
Sharon Jessup
Christopher Kanavy
Lance Larsen, Jr.
Tammy Laurence
Sydney Lawrence
Stuart Leonard
Amber Lombardi
John Lowery
Alice Mahood
Sarah Manion
Dan May
Laura McCauley Enloe
Erika McKenzie
Alice McMillan
Mike Moynahan
Brian Murphy
Molly Murray
Karson Nelson
Hannah Nystrom Earnhardt
Megan Oleynik
Tereasa Osborne
Ashley Ownbey
Earl Park
Sarah Pence
Maddison Powers
Emily Schultz
Madeline Shea
Michael Silverman
Courtney Skeete
Miles Spann
Jeffrey Stapler
Rik Stevens
Lisa Turlington
Matthew Van Epps
Katherine Weihe
Glenn Woodrum
Ruiting Yang
Jahaziel Zavaleta
This past June, the UNC School of Government successfully hosted the 2019 Public Management Research Conference (PMRC). It is the leading public management and administration research conference and the keystone event of the Public Management Research Association (PMRA). PMRC brings together scholars from across the country and around the world to learn from each other and make professional connections.
Hosting PMRC is a significant opportunity for any institution to showcase their academic impact on this field of study. This year’s event showcased the School of Government to its professional peers from a faculty scholarship and research perspective and from a venue and campus perspective. Dean Mike Smith said, “It is a brilliant example of how our work depends on the talent and hard work of so many different people—faculty and an exceptionally talented and committed professional staff. In other words, we are successful because we operate as ‘One School.’”
The Path to Hosting
Becoming the host institution for PMRC 2019 was not easy. The School submitted its first proposal in 2014 to host the event in 2017. The case had to be made that the Knapp-Sanders Building could support more than 400 outside guests and that the UNC-Chapel Hill campus—and the Research Triangle in general—would be an attractive place for visitors to come from all over the world. A second proposal in 2017, led by faculty members Leisha DeHart-Davis, Whitney Afonso, Willow Jacobson, Rick Morse, and Bill Rivenbark, secured the 2019 sponsorship.
The Largest Event at the School
Although the School hosts numerous courses, programs, and events throughout North Carolina and beyond, PMRC was the largest multi-day program held at the School itself. About 450 conference participants, representing more than 140 institutions and 19 countries came to the School for four days of academic sessions, workshops, meals, and receptions. The Joan H. Gillings Center for Dramatic Art, the UNC School of Law, and the Carolina Inn also provided space to accommodate the crowds.
An Academic Slam Dunk
The School of Government faculty prepared an extraordinary line-up of speakers and a rich platform for this multidisciplinary exchange. Many of them appeared on panels to present their own work and as gracious moderators and hosts throughout the four days. The receptions and entertainment—including a bluegrass band, an improv comedy performance, and of course, barbecue—also did not disappoint. During the conference, DeHart-Davis was elected vice president of PMRA; she will ultimately become president. This conference touched each staff division at the School and many people were involved in making it a success. Outgoing PMRA President and University of Kansas Professor Rosemary O’Leary said the conference was “superb, excellent, first class, intellectually-stimulating, and fun… It was a complete ‘slam dunk’ in every way. You have set the bar high for those who follow.”
The UNC School of Government’s Master of Public Administration program is ranked among “America’s Best Graduate Schools” by U.S. News & World Report. The program improved two positions since the 2020 rankings, ranking 19th overall in the public affairs category and maintaining its ranking as second in the nation in the local government specialty area.
The program also retained its status as 15th best in the public management field. The 2021 list marks the third consecutive improvement for the program’s overall ranking in the public affairs category.
In addition to ranking master’s degree programs in public affairs, this year U.S. News & World Report ranked master’s degree programs in social work, public health, health care management, physician assistant and rehabilitation counseling, and doctorate degrees in veterinary medicine.
Find all of the U.S. News & World Report rankings online and learn more about other graduate programs at UNC-Chapel Hill and their rankings.
Justin Stirewalt’s grandfather, retired First Sergeant Robert C. Lawson, served in the North Carolina State Highway Patrol for nearly 30 years, from 1973 to 2001. During his first year on the job, Lawson came to the then Institute of Government to train at the 54th North Carolina State Highway Patrol Basic School.
More than 40 years later, Stirewalt is studying under the same roof, of sorts, as his grandfather once did, as an MPA@UNC student. “I’ve got a picture of his class of graduates from the Patrol School program standing in front of Knapp-Sanders, and it’s really humbling to think that I’m now following in his footsteps,” said Stirewalt.
In addition to continuing his family’s legacy of education at the School, Stirewalt has built a career that mirrors his grandfather’s dedication to public service. Following his graduation from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2007, he went to work for the Surry County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy sheriff. During nearly a decade of service, he’s worked his way up through the ranks to become a detective.
The spectrum of crimes Stirewalt investigates is wide-ranging, covering everything from mailbox tampering to homicide. Regardless of the type of case, however, Stirewalt said that his responsibility remains the same. “It’s my duty to help protect this community,” he said. “And I would never want to do anything to betray the trust of the people I serve—the citizens of Surry County.”
In service of this mission, Stirewalt has often turned to the School’s publications for guidance. “Working in law enforcement really shows you the value of the School,” said Stirewalt. “From North Carolina Crimes to legislative updates, the School of Government has practically been a daily resource for me.”
But Stirewalt felt that the School’s potential to serve and enhance his career could extend beyond its publications. He applied and was accepted into the MPA program, proudly embracing the opportunity to return not only to his alma mater, but also to the institution where his grandfather trained four decades ago.
Since enrolling in the fall of 2016, Stirewalt has found not merely a balance between his career and his coursework, but also a connection between the two. “The courses—particularly on public service leadership and organizational theory—have really exposed me to a broader range of leadership styles,” he said. “I’ve learned how to lead in different ways, and appeal to each of my colleague’s strengths and deficiencies.”
Like his grandfather before him, Stirewalt is striving to be the best public servant he can be for his community. With the help of the MPA program, he believes that lofty goal is well within his reach. “Growing up, I always admired how the other officers respected my grandfather not just for the job he did, but also how he did it,” he said.
“We only get one chance to build a reputation in public service, and I’m learning the tools to build one my grandfather can be proud of.”
Justin Stirewalt received the 2017 Megan Cornog Memorial Highway Safety Scholarship from the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center. Read more at the Center’s website.
This profile was written by Andy Bradshaw and originally appeared in the winter 2018 issue of IMPACT. To view previous issues of IMPACT, visit the UNC MPA website.