Current student Ryan Ledbetter provides marketing services for economic develoment priorities in Stanly County for his Professional Work Experience

This post was written by 2nd year student Ryan Ledbetter.

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My name is Ryan Ledbetter, and I am a Master of Public Administration (MPA) student at the UNC School of Government. I’m originally from Harrisburg, North Carolina, a town just outside Charlotte and right next to the Charlotte Motor Speedway. I have always been interested in government, although I didn’t initially plan to pursue an MPA. After graduating from NC State University with degrees in political science and history, I took a job in project management at a technology company. While the role offered valuable experience, it didn’t align with my interests or feel particularly fulfilling. Luckily, a few months into that position I came across a fellowship hosted by the UNC School of Government called LEAD for NC. The LEAD for NC fellowship places recent college graduates in local governments across the state to strengthen public institutions and help develop the next generation of public service leaders. I was placed with the Town of Spencer, just outside of Salisbury, where I worked on several meaningful projects, including designing and administering a school safety and support grant program, developing town policies, and gaining hands-on experience in local government operations. This was a great experience and it played a key role in shaping my decision to pursue a career in public service at the local level.

That experience ultimately led me to pursue my MPA at UNC, especially given that the School of Government is one of the top programs in the country for local government administration. I hope to use this degree to build a career in local government, with the goal of eventually serving in a city or county management role. An integral part of the UNC MPA program is the Professional Work Experience (PWE), which takes place between the first and second year. For my PWE, I am interning with the Stanly County Economic Development Commission (EDC). The EDC is responsible for promoting economic growth and job creation throughout Stanly County. It works to attract new businesses, support the expansion of existing industries, and enhance the county’s overall business climate. Through partnerships with local governments, educational institutions, and private industry, the EDC provides support for site selection, workforce development, and access to both local and state incentives.

As part of my internship, I will be developing a master list of the properties the EDC markets for economic development and working with county businesses and municipalities to create a recommended social media content plan for the next year as part of a broader marketing campaign. In addition to my work with the EDC, I will also get the chance to observe the budget process by shadowing the county manager and commissioners through attending budget workshop meetings. This opportunity is especially exciting because it allows me to gain experience in county-level administration while exploring the field of economic development for the first time.