Master's in Public Administration and Policy (MPAP) Alumni Spotlights
Our Master of Public Administration and Policy alumni use the leadership, policy, research, and management skills they developed at UM-Dearborn in careers across government, nonprofit organizations, public service, healthcare, education, and community development. Their journeys reflect the impact and versatility of the degree, with graduates leading organizations, shaping policy, managing programs, and working to improve communities at the local, regional, and national levels.
Current Career/Position: Senior Development Specialist - Permanent Supportive Housing
Employer: City of Detroit
Skills and areas of expertise: Policy Analysis, Housing Development, Strategy Development, Community Relations, and Strategy Execution
How did your degree help you in your career field? My degree gave me a better understanding of what to expect working in public administration. The various classes gave me experience in different areas of public administration, which ultimately helped me decide on my next career move. Much of what I learned in school I am using in my current career.
What did you like best during your time at UM-Dearborn and what is your fondest memory: During my time at UM-Dearborn, the Capstone project was most memorable and exciting. I was able to work with the City of Dearborn on their Capital Improvement Process. Working with city government staff and learning about their real-time challenges, wins, and opportunities was really helpful in applying everything I learned during my time in the Masters program.
Current Career/Profession: Court Clerk at the Third Judicial Circuit Court, Wayne County
Employer: Third Circuit Court/Wayne County (im considered an employee of both)
Skills and area of Expertise: Critical Listening and note taking, as well as effective communication, people management and social skills, along with team work, punctuality, and effective organization and system management.
How did your degree help you in your career field? My degree gave me the insight I needed to know how all the policy making processes and aspects came together, and taught me to have enhanced attention to detail, that is really coming through for me in this position as it is all about being attentive to what I am doing and making sure I am working diligently so as not to make a mistake, as the slightest mistake can have a massive impact on a person's life (as where I work, it is the criminal court and something as simple as checking the wrong box or leaving a box unchecked can mean the difference between someone getting off probation early or someone receiving an extended sentence when they're not supposed to.) It also helped me to enhance my people skills, as I need to work with people from all walks of life in order to do my job effectively.
What did I like best during my time at UM-Dearborn and what is my fondest memory? My fondest memory and what I liked best about my time at UM-Dearborn was my time working with people who are in a similar field to where I am, the Public Sector, but who also hailed from different aspects of the Public Sector, which helped me learn and see how far ranging the Public Sector is. Which is why my fondest memory is working with my classmates during my Capstone to produce a report for the City of Dearborn to use to revamp and fix their Capital Improvement Plan, something that will have reverberating positive impacts for years to come because all of our recommendations were adopted, which I greatly enjoyed hearing. I really had a lot of fun working on that project.
Current Career/Position: Founder & Executive Director of a nonprofit organization Chaplain
Employer: Founder, Love a Michigan Vet Project ; Chaplain, IFOC; Flight Attendant
Skills and Areas of Expertise: Nonprofit leadership, community engagement, veteran advocacy, crisis response, public policy analysis, program development, and organizational management.
How did your degree help you in your career field? My Master’s in Public Administration and Public Policy gave me the strategic foundation to lead with purpose. It strengthened my understanding of policy, budgeting, ethics, and organizational leadership — all essential in building and sustaining my nonprofit and serving veterans and vulnerable communities with integrity and impact.
What did you like best during your time at UM-Dearborn and what is your fondest memory?UM-Dearborn fostered a strong sense of service and practical leadership. My fondest memory was leading the Association of Women Veterans, organizing community events that united students and local partners in support of those who have served. That experience affirmed my commitment to advocacy and public service.
Current Career/Position: City Administrator, municipal management career field.
Employer: City of Gibraltar
Skills and areas of expertise: Administration, human resources, public policy, government relations, and community relations.
How did your degree help you in your career field? I utilize the skills and knowledge I obtained from my MPAP every day in my job. As a city administrator, I am tasked with handling human resources, managing budgets, developing pathways for economic development, creating and recommending policies for council, and handling community relations among various other day to day tasks. While I was able to learn all these core functions of my job from the MPAP program, it cannot be underestimated how the program helped me develop the confidence and proficiency required for me to pursue a career in local government management. The professors have a unique skill in not providing students with the answers but helping them feel supported in determining an answer for themselves. Local government is unique because while the balance sheets must balance at the end of the day, the process of getting there varies from community to community and council to council. Understanding that there is never just one right answer is the key to prosperous communities and that is a lesson UM-Dearborn’s MPAP program taught me throughout every day in class.
What did you like best during your time at UM-Dearborn and what is your fondest memory? The smaller class sizes gave me an opportunity to get to know my classmates and professors in ways that larger programs do not. They allowed me to not only have my coursework graded, but to learn about different career paths my MPAP degree could be utilized for. My fondest memory was having the program director send me a job opening for the Village of Milford and being encouraged to apply for it. Up until that point I had never considered municipal management as a career, but that internship showed me it was exactly what I had been looking for. I was subsequently supported by my professors to utilize the challenges I faced at work in my coursework and encouraged to ask questions outside of the regularly scheduled curriculum to help further my career.
Current Career/Position: Program Manager City of Detroit and WSU PhD Political Science Student
Employer: City of Detroit
Skills and areas of expertise: property tax policy, housing policy implementation
How did your degree help you in your career field? The program taught me to link the literature to the practical work environment. Having my degree has made my applications competitive in this difficult job market. Currently, I am also very likely going to accept an executive level position and start my teaching career by the end of the summer.
What did you like best during your time at UM-Dearborn and what is your fondest memory? I enjoyed learning from the expertise and professional experiences of my professors and classmates. I made life-long connections that I still lean on today.