This is Us: Meet some of our new UNC MPA Students
UNC MPA is excited to welcome 64 new students in fall 2024—with 29 joining the on-campus format and 35 enrolling in our online format. These students hail from Washington State to Washington D.C., representing different interests and academic backgrounds and professional goals.
They are unified in their pursuit for an excellent education among like-minded leaders who are committed to impacting communities, governments, and organizations that serve the public for the better. Meet a few of them below!
Carlos Morales
Hometown: Columbia, SC
Undergrad Degree and Alma Mater: BA in Public Health, with a major in Food Systems, Nutrition and Health and University of Washington
Areas of Interest: Food and Environmental Policy, rooted in social and racial justice
Q: Why the MPA? How did you decide it was the right degree for you and your career goals?
Over the past decade, I have been on a path of public service that has continually evolved, from owning a restaurant and serving community members to serving as a food educator with AmeriCorps and teaching kids how to grow and cook the food from the school garden. Next, I would find myself farming, learning regenerative practices, and working to reconnect to the land and my body. This path brought me to the local food bank in Bellingham, WA, where I would serve on the Board of Directors for the past two years, serving the community and trying to discover how we can better meet the needs of the people who use us a resource. All of these steps along the way were driven by relationship building, learning, and hearing one another’s journey. These experiences helped to reconstruct my focus and illuminate a new path forward, focusing on my goal of policy reform and having a seat at the table to imagine how we can deconstruct and reestablish policies that better serve the communities they are trying to impact. Gaining an MPA will help prepare me with the tools necessary to help facilitate, lead, and construct the change I’d like to see and will prepare me to be a public service leader and beyond.
Q: There are lots of places out there to get your MPA. How did you end up at Carolina?
I appreciate that Carolina’s MPA program has a focus on local government. To me, local government is where a lot of policy and programming gets to be practiced and implemented firsthand. Being involved with the public sector on a local level gives you the opportunity to have relationships with the community you serve and allows for more robust interventions and systemic change, identifying gaps and working together to bridge the change that’s needed. UNC’s dedication to the state and local government will give me the required knowledge and help illuminate each sector’s nuances, privileges, and barriers. Carolina will build my confidence around scalability and prepare me to help our systems better reflect the city and the people we serve.
Q: Is there a class or professor or experience you are looking forward to in the program?
I’m looking forward to getting to know our cohort and professors. One thing that stood out about the MPA program was how tight the cohort size was. I’m excited to develop my relationships with everyone, dive into discussions, and learn from one another.
Q: Last question for fun, what are you currently reading or listening to?
I’m currently reading What It Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World by Prentis Hemphill.
Andrea Sheetz
Hometown: Olmsted Falls, Ohio
Undergrad Degree and Alma Mater: Bachelors in Economics and Sociology from Elon University
Current job title/Employer: Workforce and Economic Development Administrator at Forsyth County Government
Areas of Interest: Public-private partnerships, strategic planning in local government
Q: Why the MPA? How did you decide it was the right degree for you and your career goals?
In undergrad I studied systemic social and economic disadvantages and often saw the public sector as a solution to those issues through policy revision and assistance programs, but only when led and managed effectively. In my current role, I collaborate with many businesses, educational institutions, and non-profits around helping the private sector find a talented workforce, ensuring jobs in our community are accessible through training programs, and that wrap-around supports are adequately funded and meeting the needs of their target population. I regularly make and see decisions around funding, policy language, and eligibility criteria that can determine a program’s success in helping the community. Earning an MPA will enhance my ability to affect change in my current community, hone my professional interests and talents to learn where I can be the most effective leader, and help me develop the skills and resources necessary to succeed in a variety of settings.
Q: There are lots of places out there to get your MPA. How did you end up at Carolina?
When working with County management on a new project or issue, one of the first questions our leadership asks is “What does the School of Government have to say about that?” I have frequently seen the School of Government serve as the preeminent expert on local government leadership and policy in North Carolina. It is clear this institution and program understands the importance of, continually invests in, and stays committed to public servants. I have been fortunate to find a variety of mentors in my organization and across my community whose perspective and dedication to public service I deeply admire, all of whom have received their MPA from Carolina. From my current director calling a former faculty member to get his advice on legal housing solutions, to classmates of a former County manager attending his retirement celebration, the relationships I am looking forward to building in this program will go beyond graduation and shape my career for years to come.
Q: Is there a class or professor or experience you are looking forward to in the program?
I am most looking forward to the applied research problem! There are many topics in my day-to-day work I want to dive deeper on and can’t wait to have that opportunity with the expertise of scholars and other practitioners.
Q: Last question for fun, what are you currently reading or listening to?
Recently my music has been a rotation of Lord Huron, Maggie Rogers, and the new Glass Animals album. I just finished reading Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro and am in the middle of Real Americans by Rachel Khong.
Kara Morton
Hometown: Milton, Florida (currently resides in Raleigh, NC)
Undergrad Degree: BS Criminal Justice, concentration in Homeland Security
Alma mater: North Carolina Central University, Eagle Pride!
Civilian Job Title: Federal Police Officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs, United States Army Reserves Seargant First Class (SFC)
Areas of Interest: Military Police & Anti-Terrorism/ Force Protection Advisor
Q: Why the MPA? How did you decide it was the right degree for you and your career goals?
My earliest memories are of my parents’ selfless service to others, which sparked a desire in me to serve others from a young age. My experience in the U.S. Army and law enforcement has not only deepened this commitment but also ignited a passion for public service leadership. With an Master’s in Public Administration (MPA), I aim to become a skilled leader prepared to apply policy that effectively addresses complex issues in public service. My ultimate aspiration is to join the Department of Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC), where I can leverage my unique blend of military, law enforcement, and academic expertise to recommend and implement vital security policies that benefit both the private and public sectors.
Q: There are lots of places out there to get your MPA. How did you end up at Carolina?
Easy question! Carolina has a rich history of public service and reputation of leadership excellence and policy. From the faculty to advisors, and even alumni- I am confident that I am among likeminded driven leaders who are committed to my academic and professional growth. The thought of being apart of a supportive and collaborative community, excites me as I look forward to the fall semester.
Q: Is there a class or professor or experience you are looking forward to in the program?
Absolutely, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to attend Leadership Courses under Dr. Morse, an expert in Public Administration and Leadership and to be a part of the MPA Immersion experience. The immersion experience will provide a valuable opportunity to network and learn from seasoned professionals, who currently work in the government sector.
Q: Last question for fun, what are you currently reading or listening to?
Currently, I’m reading The Serving Leader Jennings and Stahl-Wert (2016), which has been a really impactful book for me. I’ve only made it to the fourth chapter so far, but I’m already seeing a lot of relevance to my own leadership style and goals.
Noah Champion
Hometown: Ellenboro, NC
Undergrad Degree and Alma Mater: Bachelor of Arts in History, North Carolina State University
Current job title/Employer: Procurement Intern with the North Carolina Department of
Administration
Areas of Interest: Local Government & Economic Development
Q: Why the MPA? How did you decide it was the right degree for you and your career
goals?
Throughout undergrad, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in public service and find
a way to better my community but I tossed around how. Following an internship with the City of Gastonia, I fell in love with local government work and discovered the MPA. After extensive research, I realized how versatile the degree is and how I could make a real impact on my community and others. Along with that, the degree itself will allow me to pursue a career where I feel fulfilled in the work that I am doing.
Q: There are lots of places out there to get your MPA. How did you end up at Carolina?
After discovering that I wanted to pursue a career in government I began to research MPA
programs. When I saw that Carolina was ranked #2 in local government management it was the obvious choice. However, what sealed the deal for me was the community that I not only read about on student blogs and reviews of the program but also what I experienced at the MPA Open House. During this event, I was able to hear about the cohort community along with interacting with prospective students, professors, and some alumni. These interactions proved to me how engaged the community is at Carolina and how I wanted to be a part of it.
Q: Is there a class or professor or experience you are looking forward to in the program?
From the outside looking in I am extremely excited about jumping into coursework while also getting to know the 2025 & 2026 cohorts. With my coursework, I am looking forward to taking some electives in economic development and potentially making it my concentration. One course I’m especially excited about eventually taking is Community Development and Revitalization Techniques with Professor Mulligan. This topic interests me especially because my county’s economic growth has been tepid for as long as I can remember and I would like to explore ways to potentially remedy that problem. Along with coursework, I am looking forward to the MPA Immersion and seeing how AI is going to potentially revolutionize public sector work.
Q: Last question for fun, what are you currently reading or listening to?
This summer, I have slowly been reading “A People’s History of the United States” by Howard Zinn. I picked the book up both out of genuine curiosity and because it focuses on wiring a history from below, an area of historical writing that I find fascinating. Along with reading, I have been listening to both Elton John’s album “Madman Across the Water” and Rod Stewart’s album Every Picture Tells a Story on repeat.
