Matthew Rowe, 2025

Matthew graduated from UNC MPA in May 2025. He earned a B.S. Political Science from the United States Military Academy.

Q1: Matthew, you are finished with your MPA!  Congratulations, how does it feel?

I certainly have a feeling of accomplishment, but more than anything, gratitude. Going to class, even online, became a valued and consistent part of my life. I experienced many challenges along the way. However, I had a little Tar Heel family I got to be a part of, and with it, many fond memories. This grad school experience, my wonderful classmates, and incredible professors were there with me through it all. For that, I feel nothing but gratitude.

Q2: Tell us about your initial decision to pursue an MPA.  Did you consider other grad degrees?

I have a strong motivation for public service and wish to work in government. UNC offered me the opportunity to learn from excellent faculty and students in a virtual classroom environment, which enabled me to continue to grow as a public sector leader. Unlike other online programs, this program had the flexibility to demand high standards while also meeting students where they are at in life. This made the MPA@UNC a perfect fit.

Q3: Was it difficult working full-time and going back to school?

There are no shortcuts to this degree program. It takes work. Much of my free time went to school. In that regard, yes, it is difficult and requires sacrifice to work full-time and go to school. I had many late nights. However, this program is designed to help students learn and succeed. I never found a professor who was not willing to go out of their way to help me understand a concept or succeed on an assignment. So, like any worthwhile endeavor, the MPA@UNC was not easy, but there was help where I needed it.

Q4: Can you tell us about a favorite class, specific project or experience, or meaningful professor in the program, and what you gained from it?

 I previously mentioned a sense of community in the program. I found that particularly in some of the most difficult life environments, UNC became an academic refuge and a safe place where I could learn and grow as a public leader. One memory about how much this community meant to me really stands out. While conducting a counter-ISIS operation in Africa, I needed to attend a class for PUBA760. I enjoyed the material for Public Administration Law that week and really did not want to miss class. My Special Forces team and I were in an extremely remote location, and there was a lull in activity during the mission. So, in an armored vehicle under a tarp to obscure the light for security reasons, I attended a class in the middle of the African Sahel with a portable satellite connection. It was moments like these that made me realize how much this course and the UNC School of Government meant to me. Some of the most meaningful things are the things we take with us through struggle and hardship. The UNC School of Government became that meaningful companion.

Q5: What advice do you have for those considering going back to school or starting a career in public service?

Know why you want to go to grad school and be a public servant. Orient on the meaningful purpose behind these things, and the day-to-day rigors of the coursework will not seem as daunting. I have no doubt there will be obstacles that prevent someone from pursuing grad school. I had my own. I led a Special Forces team of Green Berets fighting ISIS beside African partners while completing 12 credit hours of course work, I had a complete life change and moved to a whole new career field as a wildland fire fighter for the US Forest Service moving my family from North Carolina to Oregon all while taking classes, I completed two wildland fire seasons sometimes writing papers in FEMA style fire camps or remote spike camp locations, and I fulfilled my role as a youth pastor for my church all while taking classes. I say all that not to brag, but to encourage anyone considering grad school, if you know why you want to attain your MPA, then stay focused on that why, and pursue your MPA. Obstacles will always be there. However, it you can obtain your MPA if you take it one step at a time with the purpose in mind.

Q6: What are you looking forward to in your career?

 I love working for the US Forest Service in wildland fire. I find stewardship of one of our nation’s greatest treasures, our public lands, to be rewarding and meaningful. Even more importantly, I love the people I work with. I view an MPA as a commitment to leadership in the public sector. I look forward to leading the effort to conserve our public lands and all values at risk in times of crisis, when the stakes are high and families are evacuating. I welcome the challenge to take responsibility for complex government processes and systems to ensure the welfare of all stakeholders. Most importantly, I relish the opportunity to utilize my education to support wildland firefighters and the many dedicated individuals who conserve our public lands, especially as climate challenges and concerns only intensify the threat of future catastrophes.

Q7: And a fun question to end with.  What are you reading or listening or looking forward to most this summer?

Great question, I am in the midst of and looking forward to working with my crew this fire season. I am currently reading The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers for my entertainment. I am also enjoying a reread of Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam as I take the extended time with my crew in remote non-cell-receptive areas while on wildfires to consider how we as a society can better connect with each other again in human centered discourse and community.