by Katie Geith
The UNC Master of Public Administration program celebrates the kickoff of the first cohort of students to pursue their MPA degrees through “Service to Service”, a program connecting veterans and military families with education pathways and careers in public service. Launched in October 2024 by the Volcker Alliance and We the Veterans, 12 schools were selected to be part of the program to recruit participants, provide networking opportunities and professional development, and facilitate job placement in state and local government upon graduation.
The UNC School of Government is uniquely positioned to set up the initiative for success. Nearly 15 percent of the School’s MPA student body are either active duty, veterans, or serving in the National Guard. Additionally, North Carolina has one of the largest military footprints in the United States, with over 89,000 active-duty personnel serving at bases across the state. With our mission of preparing public service leaders, our dedicated career services team, and 43 percent of our alumni network working in state or local government, the program is thrilled to be among the chosen schools for interested students.
UNC MPA’s inaugural cohort includes 12 new students, the largest cohort of all the University partners. The national cohort includes 40 students including military service members, retired veterans, and military dependents/spouses. An orientation was held in mid-September at the Ohio State University to kick off programming. Students were able to meet with each other, hear from a panel of other service members who transitioned into state and local government careers, and receive guidance from academic advisors on ensuring a smooth transition into graduate school.
Below, two participants in the program share their stories.
John Terziu
Why did you decide to join the Service to Service initiative?
Since retiring, my heart has been set on finding a way to keep serving, not just in theory, but in a way that lets me stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those who share the same calling. Service to Service felt like the perfect opportunity to do exactly that: to be back among my brothers and sisters in arms, united by a common mission and a relentless drive to make a difference. This isn’t just a program for me; it’s a chance to live out my purpose again in the company of those who know what it means to sacrifice, lead, and serve.
What draws you toward a career in public service?
For me, the answer is simple: people. I believe deeply in helping people, lifting them up, solving their problems, and making their lives better. Public service gives me the chance to channel my energy and capabilities into something far bigger than myself. It’s about impact. It’s about using every ounce of energy I have to ensure that communities thrive, and people feel seen, heard, and valued.
What was orientation like in mid-September?
I walked into that room and immediately felt like I was surrounded by the highest caliber of people this world has to offer. Every single person was educated, driven, mission-focused, and deeply inspired. The air carried the weight of purpose. It reminded me of being back in uniform, where excellence was the standard and you could feel the energy of a team that refused to settle for less than greatness.
What are you most looking forward to during this experience?
The people, without question. To be surrounded by such highly intellectual, passionate individuals is an honor. But more than that, I look forward to being part of a team again that doesn’t allow differences to divide us. Instead, we embrace diversity as our strength. We come from different walks of life, with different beliefs and values, but at the end of the day, we are united by one thing: the mission. And when you bring that kind of unity and focus together, there is nothing we cannot achieve.
Erin Mathis
Why did you decide to join the Service to Service initiative?
I joined on a recommendation from Cara Robinson and Elizabeth Langefeld when I was first accepted to the UNC MPA program. Prior to that, I did not really know much about it.
What draws you toward a career in public service?
My experiences as a kid drive my interest in public service now. My father retired from an enlisted career in the Air Force when I was eight and did not work until I turned 16. My mother worked a minimum wage job. My mother suffered a debilitating injury at work, which left her permanently injured and unable to work. Due to the income reduction, my family qualified for free breakfast and lunch programs at school. I cannot overstate how much of a difference the free and reduced lunch program made for me. Now that I am older and in a very different situation financially, I want to play a role in ensuring that others are able to receive necessary assistance like I had.
What are you most looking forward to during this experience?
I am most looking forward to the opportunities to meet other people interested in public service who have different experiences than my own.
(Re)Connect with MPA alumni, students, faculty, and staff for drinks, lite bites, and great conversation in Tampa, FL for a UNC MPA Happy Hour Hub. Whether you are attending the ICMA Conference or not, we’d love to see you.
Where: Motorworks Brewing – 707 Harbour Post Drive Tampa, FL 33602
Join Director of Admissions, Cara Robinson as she discusses our broad-based leadership degree and how it can support you starting, advancing, or transitioning your career. Special attention will be paid to discussing what the MPA is and who it’s for, our career and program outcomes, and how this degree fits with a lot of different interest areas.
Those considering the online and oncampus formats are invited, as we will be comapring the options.
As a new semester at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill kicks into full swing, the School of Government’s Master of Public Administration faculty and staff are busy at work welcoming new and returning students. With summer now behind us, the School decided to check in with Dean Aimee Wall and MPA faculty to find out what they listened to and read during the summer—right as they kick into the new fall semester.
Ricardo S. Morse, Professor of Public Administration and Government
“I finished a real page-turner of a book this summer called Left for Dead by Eric Jay Dolin. The subtitle kind of says it all; it is about ‘shipwreck, treachery, and survival at the edge of the world.’ It is a story that takes place in the Falkland Islands during the war of 1812, and the twists and turns it takes are one of ‘those real-life is stranger than fiction’ kind of stories.”
Kimberly L. Nelson, Professor of Public Administration and Government
“I have three books I have started recently. They are: Finding Grace, The Chain, and Getting to Yes. Two fun books and one workbook. I would describe The Chain as a crime thriller. I just started Finding Grace, so I can only say that it has a great beginning. I also recently finished a book titled, Who is Government? I would definitely recommend this book for MPA students. The author Michael Lewis uses a set of essays to highlight the importance of the work of the government bureaucrat. Reading this book validated my passion for public service.
Podcasts help me relax at night before going to sleep. I like history podcasts and true crime, particularly ‘American Scandal: The Plague of San Francisco’. The podcast tells the story of a bubonic plague outbreak in San Francisco in 1900 and how a young, early bacteriologist tries to stop it and is faced with a corrupt city government that hinders his efforts.”
Charles Szypszak, Albert Coates Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government
“I’m reading Pat Conroy’s The Prince of Tides, about a troubled family from South Carolina. I was reminded of the title while watching Ted Lasso. In the show, Ted asks others about their favorite books. His is The Fountainhead, which is one of my all-time favorites. A therapist for the team tells Ted that hers is The Prince of Tides. One interesting aspect of the book to me is the contrast of the author’s portrayal of the cultures of New York City and South Carolina.”
Aimee N. Wall, Dean
“I just finished reading Southern News, Southern Politics by Rob Christensen. The Daniels family and the Raleigh News and Observer serve as the anchors—but this book is really a fascinating study of the role of journalism in local, state, and even national politics. I learned a great deal about North Carolina politics and history. I came away with a long list of questions I need to investigate and rabbit holes I need to go down.”
Jeffrey Welty, Professor of Public Law and Government
“One book I’m reading now is Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. Much of the book is about housing, infrastructure, and how to make our great cities more affordable and more livable. It also examines the unintended consequences of zoning and development regulations—concerns that are as pertinent in Chapel Hill as they are in New York or San Francisco.”
Teshanee Williams, Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Government
“I listened to ‘Ear Hustle’, which is a podcast that shares daily realities of life inside prison and stories from people once they’ve gotten out. It was created inside San Quentin State Prison by visual artist Nigel Poor and formerly incarcerated men Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams.
The episodes cover everything from the nuances of prison culture to the challenges of reentry, told in first-person narratives that are raw, empathetic, and often surprisingly funny. I enjoy listening to it because it brings attention to many unseen issues and raises awareness of the benefits associated with rehabilitation in prisons. The podcast’s stories, whether about cooking in a cell or facing parole hearings, offer a humanizing and eye-opening look at life during and after incarceration, showing resilience and the importance of second chances.”
We invite you to join us next Wednesday, October 1st as we welcome Mitch Landrieu, former Louisiana Lieutenant Governor and New Orleans Mayor, to the School of Government.
He will share insights on leadership in times of crisis, drawing on his experiences rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and overseeing nationwide infrastructure renewal at the presidential level. Dean Wall will moderate the Q&A session.
This event is presented by the Chancellor’s office and hosted at SOG. It is free and open to the public, with a livestream option available. Please share with clients, colleagues, students, and others who may be interested.
———————————————————————————————————-
As the two-term mayor of New Orleans, Landrieu led one of the most ambitious recoveries in American history, guiding the city’s rebound following Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill. His administration delivered major infrastructure investments, fiscal reform, and economic growth that positioned New Orleans as a model for post-crisis rebuilding.
Landrieu most recently served as senior advisor to the president and White House infrastructure coordinator, overseeing the implementation of the historic $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
He is the founder and president of E Pluribus Unum, an organization focused on strengthening leadership and civic capacity across the American South. Landrieu is also the author of the New York Times bestseller In the Shadow of Statues, which chronicles his experiences in public life and the lessons learned from decades of service.
Please join us for a UNC MPA Special Topics Webinar discussing public administration and the nonprofit landscape. Attendees will hear from our nonprofit faculty advisor, Dr. Teshanee Williams, current student Emma Gilliam who helped co-found our nonprofit student organization Leaders for Good, and esteemed alum Tim Leshan who has worked in nonprofit leadership for the bulk of his career. Panelists will discuss how their careers/interests began, why they obtained the MPA, how the MPA has supported their careers, and advice on the current landscape of nonprofit administration and how to navigate a caeer in it.
Featured panelists include:
Teshanee Williams – Assistant Professor of Public Administration and Government
Emma Gilliam – Current UNC MPA Student, Co-Founder of Leaders for Good
Tim Leshan – Chief of External Relations and Advocacy Office, Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, UNC MPA Alum
The panel will be facilitated by our Director of Admissions, Cara Robinson
This fall, the UNC MPA program welcomes 71 new students to the program. 31 are enrolled in the full-time on campus format and 40 are enrolled in the online format—which launched back in 2013 to accommodate working professionals across the country. Currently, the School of Government has 247 students enrolled across both formats of the MPA program.
Director of Admissions Cara Robinson says, “We are continuously thrilled with the level our new students are at. The public service mindset is palpable, and their contributions are already marked with leadership and commitment.”
UNC MPA enrolls students at all different points in their careers–from the 21-year-old recent graduate just starting their career to the 67-year-old retiree looking to reimagine their career in public service leadership/nonprofit work and give back to their communities. Several of our students are currently employed across the public sector and looking to gain leadership expertise and new skills. With interests in local, state, and federal government work to nonprofit organizations and even the private sector, students in the MPA program come packed with a variety of interest areas and goals. Approximately 65% of our new students come from different parts of North Carolina while the other 35% come from different parts of the country–as far west as Washington State and as far east as Washington, D.C. 19% of our new students are military affiliated.
We have interviewed four of our new students to find out more about them and why they’re pursuing the MPA degree. From environmental protection of sea turtles to public health collaborations between the private and public sectors, read more about our new students and where they’re going with UNC MPA.
Justin Guinta, oncampus format
Sarah Marzouk, oncampus format
By Cara Robinson
“Invest in the people around you, and you’ll build something far greater than any individual accomplishment.”
UNC MPA student Javier Limon follows these words as he embarks on his coming term as the elected President of the UNC Association of Student Government (ASG) and his ex-officio appointment for the coming year to the UNC Board of Governors. Javier found his way into student government first as the President of Eastern Carolina University’s student government, where he received his undergraduate major in political science. There, he developed a passion for service, leadership, and collaboration.
Enter Cameron Brown, also a current student in the UNC MPA program, who first met Limon at ECU, where he was also an undergraduate student pursuing his passion for government and student leadership. Brown served on the executive board of the student government as the Vice President of Media Outreach while Limon served as President.
This was only the beginning of their joint service. Since this time, they have alternated back and forth several times serving with one another. While Limon served as student body president at ECU, he hired Brown to serve as his director of local and state affairs. When Brown became president of ASG, he hired Limon to serve as Chief of Staff. Now this year, after Javier was elected President, he selected Cam to serve as his Vice President of Budget and Finance.
While the two admit that they are friends beyond just their interests in student government, they take their positions seriously and ensure that their respective assignments on each other’s staff have been earned and based on the merit and trust they have developed in each other over time.
“We definitely know each other’s strengths—and we play on those as we navigate our professional relationship” said Limon.
The two also simultaneously applied for the MPA program at UNC, were admitted, and decided to enroll in the program independently of one another. They both credit the program for providing the space where they can each grow as a leader—especially in the areas of communication, objectivity, and budget management while doing the work that fulfills their passion.
By pursuing the UNC MPA program and continuing to surround themselves around work and people who care about their communities, they have found themselves with a tangible skillset to practice as well as more experiences to practice these skills in.
Limon states: “I don’t worry too much about what will happen in the next 5 years. The MPA is allowing me to do the work I want to right now, and this degree is versatile and will go with me as I move forward in my career.”
Together, with their work in ASG and the UNC BOG, they have found themselves surrounded by other like-minded leaders who were put to the task of advocating for the more than 240,000 students they serve and helping to allocate resources across the 17 higher education institutions.
Through this work, they are harnessing what they have learned in the UNC MPA program to meet these goals. Whether it is strategic planning, reorganizing a department, or communicating out to a student body in a way they will understand, they have gained a tangible skillset to apply in their ASG and BOG work from UNC MPA.
“I’ve learned the importance ofbeing a leader who has morals and principles and isn’t afraid to put their foot down while also trying to be a leader who is collaborative and trying to build partnerships and coalitions so that everyone feels heard,” Brown reflected.
Looking forward to the future, neither knows exactly what is in store for their careers. Brown is drawn to local government and economic development work at the moment while Limon is currently interning with the federal government in the Minority Leaders Office in the United States House of Representatives. No matter where they end up, they both have their eyes on leaning into the challenges that exist in government work.
As Brown states: “Public service work truly matters, and if you understand what motivates you, nothing can keep you from wanting to do great work like this.’
Limon agrees.
“I can’t resign myself to complacency. Doing nothing is not an option for me. The best public servants understand that and understand that the challenges are the biggest opportunities for us to really make a difference.”
With the backing of the MPA program from UNC and their transferrable experiences across the BOG and ASG, the two’s path to joint service may come together again.
By Andy Bradshaw
The School of Government congratulates faculty members Whitney Afonso and Kimberly Nelson, who were honored with receipt of the 2025 Best Book Award from the American Society for Public Administration’s (ASPA) Section on Public Administration Research.
Their joint publication—Municipal Corruption: From Policies to People—is the most comprehensive exploration of corruption in U.S. municipal governments written to date. Exploring the 30-year period from 1990 to 2020 and including all U.S. municipalities with populations of 10,000 people or more, Afonso and Nelson used both quantitative research and case study analysis to answer the question of why some municipalities fall victim to corrupt acts, while others do not. It tells the stories of a number of communities that suffered through public corruption; the book investigates factors that contribute to a greater risk of corruption in municipalities and identifies steps to prevent corruption in communities―including strengthening resident interest and involvement in local affairs, offsetting the decline in local journalism, and reinforcing scrutiny by state governments.
The publication begins with two sets of quantitative analyses that expand on work published in two peer-reviewed articles. From these studies, the book concludes that the council-manager form of government is associated with lower risk of a municipal corruption conviction. The remainder of the book dives deeper into the variables associated with corruption risk through its examination of corruption cases in U.S. municipalities and provides recommendations for methods for reducing corruption risk.
The collection of the data was challenging, according to Nelson.
“The process of collecting the data on municipal corruption was time-consuming; we spent more than two years collecting it,” she said. “We first used data from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Public Integrity Section and supplemented it with a keyword search in newspaper databases to find corruption convictions through the courts system.”
“We are really proud of this book. It couples rigorous analysis with an incredibly important topic—public corruption,” said Afonso. “We analyze what governments may be particularly susceptible to corruption from bad actors and what are actual policies and levers that governments can pull to lower the likelihood of corruption. We hope that this book will be a resource to academics, state and local governments, and those interested in hindering corruption.”
ASPA’s SPAR welcomed nominations for books on public administration published in 2024 and 2023. The Best Book Award evaluates criteria such as outstanding accomplishment of the research objectives, high-quality writing, and potential to constitute a lasting contribution to public administration literature.
The theme of this year’s Deil S. Wright Public Service Forum is emergency management. Organized by School of Government faculty member Crista Cuccaro and offered In conjunction with the UNC MPA Immersion course on Emergency Management, this year’s Deil S. Wright Public Service Forum will feature an engaging discussion on the topic with experts and practitioners in the field.
The Deil S. Wright Public Service Forum will again be linked to the UNC MPA program’s Immersion course, this year on Emergency Management. The Forum will be a panel discussion moderated by Norma Houston that focuses on relationships and coordination between local, state, and federal governments for successful emergency management.
Speaking about emergency management from the local government perspective will be UNC MPA alumna Christina Farrell ’92, First Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Emergency Management; Will Ray, North Carolina Emergency Management Director; and Erik Hooks, former Deputy Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
In person registration for School of Government community members and #uncmpa program alumni. Reception to follow.
Virtual registration available for prospective students and those interested in emergency management.