Discovering New Directions in Public Service
Written by Desiree DeDolce
When I began the MPA program, I already had a strong interest in public service, particularly housing, housing justice, and the ways public policy affects people’s daily lives. I had also followed local government closely for years, but primarily from the perspective of a constituent and community advocate. I paid attention to decisions made by elected officials, spoke at meetings, and saw how local policies affected my community, but I had given less thought to the internal work required to carry those decisions out.
My local government–focused classes began to change that. I became increasingly interested in how local governments operate, how decisions move through an organization, and how staff balance political priorities, community needs, financial limitations, and administrative capacity. That growing interest led me to pursue my PWE with the Chapel Hill Town Manager’s Office, where I could see that work from inside the organization rather than only from the outside.
One of the biggest surprises was the range of work happening within local government and how interesting I found areas I might not have initially sought out. During the internship, I was exposed to budgeting, performance management, employee engagement, organizational processes, Council relations, and partnerships with other governments and community organizations. I saw how responsibilities that may sound purely administrative from the outside can involve research, problem-solving, relationship-building, facilitation, and careful judgment.
The experience also challenged the way I had been thinking about my future career. I had assumed that I needed to identify a specific policy area or job title and follow a fairly direct path toward it. My internship showed me that meaningful public-service work does not always fit neatly into those categories. A position does not have to be explicitly focused on housing or equity for those values to shape the work. Budgets, internal systems, community partnerships, and organizational decision-making all influence how well a government serves its residents.
Rather than pointing me toward one particular role, this experience made me more open to different kinds of work. I still care deeply about housing and community-centered policy, but I am less focused on finding a position with the perfect title or subject area. I am more interested in understanding what the work actually involves, what problems I would help address, and whether the role allows me to contribute to an organization and the community it serves.
My next step is to approach my career search with greater curiosity and flexibility. I want to consider opportunities across local government and related public service organizations, including roles I may not have recognized as a good fit before this experience. The MPA program first expanded my understanding of local government, and my internship reinforced that there are many ways to do meaningful work within it. I am leaving the experience with broader interests, a clearer sense of the values and skills I want to bring to my work, and a greater willingness to let my career develop in ways I may not yet be able to predict.
