Wes Shinego

Q: Wes, you are finished with your MPA!  Congratulations, how does it feel?

In a word? Unreal. I enrolled at Carolina in the summer of 2022, during a deployment to Iraq and Syria, attending a single synchronous class once a week at 3:00AM local time—a challenging start. But I stuck with the program, slowly chipping away at the coursework. I finished in just over three years’ time. I’ve completed several master’s degrees since finishing my undergraduate career over fifteen years ago, but closing out the MPA at Chapel Hill felt especially satisfying—like a real accomplishment.

Q: Tell us about your initial decision to pursue an MPA.

I’ve spent nearly my entire career serving the public, since earning my U.S. Army commission in 2010, so it made sense to supplement my professional experience with an academic foundation in public administration. I’d taken classes in organizational leadership at the Army’s Command and General Staff College several years ago, but the MPA program at UNC offered an opportunity to explore the art and science of leadership, management, organizations, and public service beyond what I’d been exposed to previously. I’m also strongly considering a pivot to local or state government after retirement; an MPA helps pave the way for that career change.

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

During PUBA 711 – Public Service Leadership, our class was assigned a “Reflected Best Self” exercise to help us develop personal leadership plans. The exercise demanded that students contact past subordinates, peers, and leaders to survey them on traits that resonated, strategies that succeeded or failed, and high or low points during the student’s leadership tenure. I’ve held plenty of leadership positions throughout my fifteen-year Army career—and even commanded twice—so I had plenty of former and active-duty service members at my disposal. As I collected their responses, I realized that the version of me that I imagined fondly—the commander at the point of friction, sitting on his preverbal horse and wielding a saber—was not Wes Shinego at his best. My subordinates, especially, believed that I was the best commander when I guided their hands through one-on-one counseling, challenged them with new assignments, and delegated responsibilities when possible. The “Reflected Best Self” paper was a valuable assignment, and it supplied me with the data I needed to develop an improvement plan I could implement quickly.

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

Stop considering. Don’t hem and haw. Just do it—and if you’re new to public service, leverage the MPA program at Chapel Hill to propel you into your new career. Public service doesn’t always keep pace with the private sector in terms of pay or flexibility, but it offers a kind of satisfaction that doesn’t exist elsewhere. If you want to give a part of yourself back to your community, take the leap.

Q: What are you looking forward to next?

Two things, I think. First, I’m looking forward to fully leveraging what I learned at UNC in my current assignment. I work in the Office of the Secretary of War for Public Affairs—a strategic echelon—and while UNC’s MPA program is appropriately aimed at local governance, many of the principles taught apply at the federal level. Second, I’m happy I’ve got a little white space in my evenings now so that I can focus energy on volunteer work, professional development, and family time. 

Q: And a fun question to end with.  What is a new year’s goal of yours or something you are looking forward to in the new year?

I’m focusing on improving myself—physically, academically, spiritually, and personally—by maintaining the self-discipline I improved during the MPA program and applying elsewhere in my life. I’m running more now, attending Mass weekly, and spending meaningful time with my girlfriend (she likes this, to be clear). I’m looking forward to just being a better employee, partner, and person.