Flying Through the Internships!

Internship Experience

As a first year student in the KU MPA program, I have a part-time internship with the Division of Aviation at KDOT in Topeka.  This is the first year that KDOT Aviation has had an intern from the MPA program at KU.  I am very grateful to C. Edward Young (KU MPA alumni) for creating this opportunity.  When I entered into the MPA program, I was still uncertain where I wanted to work, whether for a state, county, city, or private sector.  My experiences at a state agency paired with my classroom learning in city and county management have complemented each other greatly.  I have learned a lot from my internship and have been able to apply that to the classroom.

Celebrating Sean's Birthday

When the students introduce themselves at the beginning of each semester in all the classes, I always mention that I am a “jack of all trades” at KDOT Aviation.  Although my formal title is “Engineering Technician,” I am really a general intern.  Our staff consists of the Director of Aviation, Program Consultant II, Aviation Coordinator, and Senior Administrative Specialist.  It is a small staff, so I get to take part in literally everything that happens in the office.  For example, we just hired our Aviation Coordinator, so I was able to sit in on the interviews, ask questions, discuss the candidates, and provide feedback into the decision of which candidate to hire.  All of my experiences and projects have involved coordination with public and private partners, which has given me invaluable experience in communication.  I am able to travel a lot, participating in numerous conferences and meetings.  All this traveling allows me to spend a lot of time in small aircraft, and so far I have flown 10 hours myself.   That has been the most memorable experience of my internship: flying!  I also spend a lot of time researching and writing reports on several topics.  KDOT also provides me an extra education in the form of computer training courses such as Microsoft Office programs and Adobe programs.  These have allowed me to make changes to the Aviation website and update and create new databases.

First KDOT flight

A wonderful part of the KU MPA program is the strong network.  I have developed a strong mentor-mentee relationship with my supervisor, Ed Young, the Director of Aviation at KDOT.  He has provided continuous guidance in the workplace, on school work, and in job searching for next year.  Ed came to one of my classes in the fall semester (Grant Proposal Writing) and gave an outstanding presentation on grant management.  His law degree also proved to be very useful when I was taking the Law and Public Management class.  Our common interest in running even led us to run the 29th Annual Groundhog Run together in Kansas City, MO and we are looking forward to running the Brew-to-Brew with other KDOT employees in April!

Advice to Class of 2013

I just thought I would throw in a few points of advice for the incoming class.

§  Once you have accepted your admittance into KU, I would definitely make plans to come to the April KCCM conference in Lawrence at KU.  I went in 2010 when I had accepted to KU; I met a lot of people and established a more thorough understanding of the program.  It was a very memorable experience.

§  Once in Lawrence, connect with the other new students and create friendships.  You can learn a great deal from your peers.

§  Enjoy your first summer in Lawrence before all the students come back and the streets become congested.  There are lots of fun things to do in the summer in both Lawrence and the Kansas City area.

§  Familiarize yourself with the Northeast section of Kansas.  There will unlimited examples and references to the cities, town, counties, and organizations in this area.  It would also be helpful if you learned how to pronounce places like “Olathe” and “Wyandotte” because it’s embarrassing when you mess it up.

§  Check out buying your textbooks online because they are SO much cheaper than the bookstores.  But if you go to the bookstore, be sure to get a Jayhawk-blue t-shirt for basketball season.

§  Eat at Burger Stand on Mass Street. Best burger place ever!

Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.  Thanks.

Hadley Skeffington-Vos

More MPA celebration for Sean's Birthday

KU MPA Class of 2012

In order to help alumni and prospective students get a better idea of what the current program is like, we created a video providing each of our short bios along with some behind the scenes shots and the new MPA study.  I hope you all enjoy it!

First Semester Experience

By Tyler Burkart

As we begin the second semester in the KU MPA program, I would like to take a moment to reflect on first semester and all the different experiences.  I initially chose the KU MPA program for three reasons.  First of all, I wanted to go to a reputable program that offered several learning opportunities and mentors that allowed me to grow not only as a public administrator but as a leader, too.  Secondly, I wanted to be challenged and tested with material that I had not learned at my undergraduate (shout out to UW – La Crosse).  And finally, I wanted to experience something outside of Wisconsin and test myself personally in a different lifestyle.  Throughout the first semester, I was able to do all these things!

There are numerous of mentors and role models that I met during first semester that I would love to thank.  For starters, Ray Hummert and the Kansas faculty have been absolutely amazing in providing a fresh and upbeat experience for all the intern option students.  Professor Alfred Ho has provided an experience outside of Kansas (more specifically the Indianapolis metro area) as well as did a fantastic job covering Performance Measures.  This knowledge became exceptionally handy when I was asked to come up with a different process for Johnson County in developing performance measures for county departments.  I also became deeply appreciative of Professor Chuck Epp not only because he graduated from the University of Wisconsin, but he provides a great amount of knowledge and structure to his administrative law class.  Finally, Professor Steven Maynard-Moody was an incredibly entertaining individual who not only touched our class with his jokes, but he provided beneficial advice on statistical analysis and ways to write analytically.  I owe these individuals an incredible amount of thanks for the work that they devoted to their classes and feel much more confident moving forward.

However, as great as the KU MPA faculty is, I also had the great opportunity to meet some fabulous KU MPA alumni that provided me with some additional advice.  For starters, the Johnson County family is not only loaded with several Kansas alumni, but they are incredibly helpful and inspiring, too.  County Manager Hannes Zacharias along with Bernice Duletski and Penny Postoak Ferguson have shown me several different leadership and managerial styles.  Meanwhile, working with Megan Laha and Jo Ella Hoye have assisted in my growth in writing, analytical skills, presentation and speaking abilities, and continue to encourage me to attend more county functions to develop further skills.  I have been able to do a number of things with Johnson County, ranging from presenting the approval of funds to the Board of County Commissioners, putting together benchmarking projects analyzing Johnson County funds and expenses with comparable counties, taking a closer look at the county’s social media policy, exploring more youth avenues to help them become more engaged in county issues, revamping the county’s performance measures and the process that department’s use to gather those measures, and the list just continues to grow.  I am extremely proud and thankful of my experience with Johnson County and look forward to the learning opportunities that lie ahead.

However, the amount of professional assistance and number of role models doesn’t stop here.  Numerous Kansas alumni have provided additional advice and guidance over the past months.  Clay Pearson and all the KUCIMATS have been incredibly supportive to all of us.  One night at ICMA I had the opportunity to talk with my city manager from my hometown, Eric Levitt, who is also a KUCIMAT along with Clayton City Manager Craig Owens.  These two individuals spent several hours with me answering any questions that I had regarding city management.  Other KUCIMATS such as Eric Stuckey, Jeremy and Becca Smith, Megan Dodge, Julie Novak, and especially our Practitioner Craig Weinaug has provided both professional and personal advice to me over the past few months.  True, I’ve included several names in this blog of individuals that I am appreciative (and there are probably several more names out there), but the number of role models and KUCIMATS that are willing to help is what makes this program so special and is something I hope to pay forward if given the opportunity.

Therefore, as I conclude my reflection on first semester, it has been an incredible experience.  I had four extraordinary classes, I attended ICMA, I have the best classmates (this I understand can be debated), I have a great internship with Johnson County, and I attended the All-American Cities Conference.  Hey, and even to add frosting onto the cake, I get to see my Packers in the Super Bowl and my brother got married in California last week.  Hence, I had a great semester personally and academically as I hope to carry that momentum forward!

The Bielser Column

– Written by Collin Bielser–

One of the great qualities of the KU MPA program is its strong alumni network. Thanks to the generosity of the KUCIMAT Association, the class of 2012 was able to spend four days in San Jose, CA, and attend the MMANC and ICMA annual conferences. This gave us the chance to interact with city managers and local government professionals from literally around the world.

Our class arrived in the Golden State on Thursday night, nearly 24 hours before the start of the Municipal Management Association of Northern California’s Annual Conference. Although the flight was long and we were tired, we mustered up enough energy to start familiarizing ourselves with the local nightlife. We spent much of our first evening wondering throughout downtown San Jose looking for a good place to unwind after the long day of travelling. Finally, we came upon a Gordon Biersch restaurant, which we unanimously agreed would be the best place to begin the evening. After a few beverages, we retired to our rooms, which were quite cramped (there were four people in my room alone). Lucky for us, we weren’t in our rooms much.

On Friday, our only plans were in the evening, so we had the day to explore more of the city. I had done some research prior to the trip and had an idea: the Winchester Mystery House. I first heard of the Winchester House while watching a show on the Travel Channel a few years ago around Halloween. The Winchester Mystery House, located in San Jose, CA, was the mansion built by Sarah Winchester, widow of William Wirt Winchester heir to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company fortune. Construction of the mansion lasted from 1884 until September 5, 1922, the day of her death, at a reported cost of more $71 million in today’s currency. According to a psychic whom Ms. Winchester visited after the death of her husband and young daughter, the constant construction was necessary in order to appease the spirits of the individuals murdered by the Winchester Rifle.

My classmate Kelsey and I were the only two who had heard of the Winchester House, but we managed to excite seven of our classmates to join us for the guided mansion tour. We had a great time exploring the 160-room mansion, and we definitely got our exercise for the day! In fact, we walked more than a mile on the tour alone! After the tour, we managed to make our way back to the hotel and prepare for the evening festivities. We had been invited to attend a portion of the ICMA Board Meeting on behalf of KUCIMAT Jesus Nava. Afterwards, Jesus and his wife were kind enough to invite the entire class to their house for a party where there were plenty of libations, fantastic food, and great people.

Saturday was the first full day of the Northern California Annual Conference, and the first day of working the KUCIMAT registration table. Beforehand, we had figured out a schedule that would allow us to rotate from staffing the registration table to being able to go to the various workshops that were taking place. The workshops as part of the MMANC actually turned out to be very educational. The sessions I attended were formatted so that we broke up into teams to discuss the specific topic at hand. Of the couple workshops I went to, I learned how to manage co-workers in order to find and utilize their individual strengths as well as how to fiscally prepare for an economic downturn.

Saturday night was the annual dinner with the second year students. To the class’s chagrin, the dinner was at none other than the Gordon Biersch brewery and restaurant we had gone to the night before! Regardless, the KUCIMAT association is to be thanked again for this event. This is a great tradition, not only because we all received a free dinner and one free beverage of choice but because this was the first opportunity for both first and second year classes to interact with one another. I enjoyed their company and look forward to seeing all of them in January when they return to Lawrence. Many of us have already started brushing up on our bowling skills as part of the annual competition between the two classes. In fact, our classmate’s, Michelle, mom is a bowling coach, so we are preparing to claim the coveted bowling trophy, which is merely an old bowling pin.

After dinner, many of us decided to once again explore the downtown area. We ended up at the San Jose Bar & Grill, which was really a dance club with a large fully stocked bar. We all cut loose and danced the night away to the music stylings of what was perhaps the most talented D.J. I had ever heard. I personally am a fan of classic rock. In fact, I have been to more than 60 concerts from artists like the Eagles, and Bon Jovi, to my personal favorite .38 Special who I’ve seen four times. However, the compilation of Sweet Home Alabama with a current rap artist (whom I can’t recall) was perhaps the most intriguing mix of two polar opposite forms of music.

Sunday was the wrap-up of the MMANC Conference and the first day of the ICMA Conference. The opening session began in dramatic fashion with the beat of Taiko drummers followed with the opening presentation about gaming and how being a “game-master” can help create better cities. Unlike the MMANC Conference, I felt the ICMA Conference consisted of many lecture-style meetings, which gave us the chance to learn about what other communities are doing throughout the nation in regards to citizen engagement immigration issues, etc.; the choice of topics were practically limitless.

Sunday night, a few of us decided to take the last chance to be politically active and ventured over to the University of San Jose, where former President Bill Clinton was making a campaign stop for the gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial candidates of California. Politics aside, it was a memorable opportunity to see and hear a former President of the United States. Before the trip to California, I had never seen a president besides on T.V. The trip to the ICMA Conference not only provided me with that opportunity, but it was great to observe the political process and how it impacts/interacts with the profession of local government administration. As someone who has lived in Kansas all his life, it was dually fascinating to experience the political expressions of a state that couldn’t be more dissimilar from the Sunflower State.

Monday was a continuation of the ICMA Conference, but many of us were looking forward to our first KUCIMAT banquet to be held that evening. However, before the start of the KUCIMAT, banquet I as well as many of my classmates attended the KACM social located at none other than Gordon Biersch. The KACM event was very well organized and was another great opportunity to meet city managers from around Kansas, some of who were KUCIMATS. It was also exciting that the mayor of San Jose briefly stopped by because he grew up in Garden City, KS. It was intriguing and encouraging to learn that like me, the current mayor of the 10^th largest city in America grew up in western Kansas.

After spending an hour or so mingling with fellow KACM members, many of the KUCIMATS present at the social departed for the KUCIMAT banquet. The banquet was again another opportune time to interact with alumni on a more personal level. While the banquet lasted nearly three hours, time felt like it flew by, and I congratulate Clay Pearson, the acting KUCIMAT president, on his fine moderating skills.

Following the banquet, many of us again had a night on the town. This outing was necessary, however, since Monday was the last night of our trip in California. We ended up going to the Dive Bar where a gaggle of KUCIMATs had ended up, and a great time was had by all. We ended up staying out until last call upon which we were forced to go back to our hotels, but we easily could have continued till sun up!

The next day was somber as we all had to catch our flight back to Kansas. While I’m sure we all weren’t sad to leave our cramped hotel rooms, it was a bittersweet moment to know that our first ICMA Conference had come to a close. Upon arrival in Kansas City, it was great to know that I would be sleeping in my own bed that night, but a part of me can’t wait for next year. Milwaukee here we (class of 2012) come!

ICMA Reflection

– Written by Josh Jones –

The International City/County Management Association’s annual conference in San Jose, CA was definitely a highlight of my graduate school experience in the KU MPA program. First off, I would like to thank the generous alumni and Public Administration department who supported our attendance at the Municipal Management Association of Northern California and International City/County Management Association conferences this year. We are one of a few lucky programs that are able to fund and send its students consistently year after year.

Both conferences were amazing opportunities to learn and network. Whether it was through attending large lecture-style speeches or small interactive workshops, opportunities to learn more about public management were abound. One such workshop in particular stands out in my mind: for this workshop, which was dedicated to improving skill development among employees, we were put into groups and instructed to identify key skills for every level of employment beginning at the most basic technician level, on through mid-managers, and ending at the department head or city manager level depending on the hypothetical organization being focused on. This exercise was invaluable at helping us to see where we were at currently in our career development, and it gave us a clear and defined path towards furthering our careers and attaining higher levels of expertise through skill development.

The learning was beneficial and will be of great value to us when we begin our full-time careers and are able to put the principles into practice more fully, but the networking aspect of both conferences was an incredible opportunity whose benefits were readily attainable now. Through hallway conversations, formal meetings, and friendly introductions we were all able to meet influential managers who may serve as mentors to us in the future. I, along with many of my classmates, developed solid contacts that are already beginning to turn into job leads for our second year internships. KU’s reputable placement rate can be partly attributed to the head start that the San Jose experience afforded us.

I would encourage future students to make the most of their ICMA annual conference experience and to capitalize on the opportunities presented there. I know that my own personal experience there has propelled me far into the future as I begin to plan my entrance into the full-time workforce as a local government public servant.

Do You Know the Way to San Jose?

– Written by Nijah Fudge –

I’d like to start this blog posting by first saying, I do not know all the words to the song that entitles this blog, but I was video tapped during the ICMA Conference singing a few lines! In other words I suppose I’ll learn anything to be a part of the lime light! (Just Kidding!)

Greetings I’m Nijah Fudge, MPA class of 2012’. Since this is my first post I’d like to tell you a bit about myself. I was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised in Denver, Colorado; my parents now reside in Morris, Oklahoma. I completed my undergraduate degree in Sociology and Human Services at Ottawa University, Ottawa, KS, and this year I am in pursuit of a Master of Public Administration degree at the wonderful KU. My personal background is full of obstacles that I’ve overcome, stories of support from friends and family, as well as determination. However, I will describe more about my life in a later blog. The topics I wish to share in this posting are about my internship experience and our class trip to the ICMA Conference. I will try and keep this brief since at this time our wonderful professors have given us quite a bit of homework to complete! Academics first!

I currently intern at the Willow Domestic Violence Center in Lawrence, KS as the Executive Assistant. The Willow is a nonprofit whose mission is to restore the lives of those who’ve suffered through domestic or family abuse.  Both Ray Hummert and John Nalbandian are responsible for my discovery of this opportunity. After interviewing with the Executive Director, Sarah Terwelp, I was hired on the spot. I began working about a week after I was hired and was met with a huge challenge right off the bat; Coordinating the relocation of The Willow into a new building. In order to complete this task I asked co-workers about their opinions on moving strategies, went and got boxes from various places to save money on moving costs, solicited pro bono services from movers and painters, and worked with Roger Hill Volunteer Center here in Lawrence to get help from volunteers to complete the task. By the end of this move I had obtained free boxes, much needed time of professional painters and movers, discounted paint, plenty of help from volunteers in the community, set up electricity, water and trash services from the City, upper body strength from moving boxes and painting walls and a sense of accomplishment!

The Willow was previously located in a building from which United Way operates and now operates from 1920 Moodie Rd! After completing the move I can honestly say the new building feels like home to me. After the move I’ve had the responsibilities of grant writing, budget monitoring, problem solving when building issues arise, and organizing opportunities for KU and The Willow to collaborate.  In case you didn’t know the month of October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. We share this month with Breast Cancer Awareness advocates. The Willow initially planned to have a huge event called, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes (Coming soon!) however due to event overlap in this month I came up with a small scale fundraising event to help increase our organization’s cash flow.

The name of my event was called, “Wear a Shirt Be a Witness.” The purpose of the event was to raise awareness of domestic violence by allowing KU students to wear shirts made by or in memory of survivors. These shirts make up The Willow’s Clothesline project, used to educate and promote awareness to the community. The event took place on October30, 2010, and witnessed financial gain but was more successful in increasing the presence of The Willow on campus. During the event we were able to speak with many students, student organizations and faculty members about their interest in volunteering and their appreciation of our services. We also met survivors who were very glad to see us on KU’s campus.

After this event I learned of the many challenges in fundraising and hope to be able to convince our Director to bring this event to a more controlled environment, such as to high schools and middle schools next October.

Now, on to ICMA! Recently we were able to attend the ICMA conference, which took place in San Jose, CA. This trip was made possible for my class by the KU KUCIMATS, who we are forever indebted to! The trip was amazing. During the conference I had the opportunity to meet so many people working in the field. In speaking with several of our alumnus I perceived characteristics of humbleness, compassion, and tenacity. It was very comforting to learn that so many people look forward to our becoming a part of the field. During the conference we were assigned to interview a few alumnus in the field, Paul Lampe and I interviewed, Alan Simms, City Manager of Cedar Hills, TX and Maria Lara, Assistant Manager of Pleasantry, CA. Each of our interviewees expressed a deep love for the field, offered some encouraging words of wisdom and extended their hand if we ever needed anything.

A few highlights from the trip for me were being able to attend an ICMA board meeting where a recent controversial issue was discussed, being welcomed into the home of Jesus Nava and meeting so many wonderful people from IHN, hearing of but not being a direct witness to John Nalbandian’s dancing skills, being a witness to my own classmate’s dancing skills, and attending the KU Alumnus Banquet where so many honorable people were recognized.

Overall I must say that the ICMA conference appears to be a must attend event simply because there couldn’t possibly be a greater time and place to meet with peers and share your opinions and concerns, reunite with those who you’ve built relationships with and contribute to the Cities which make such unions possible. I truly enjoyed ICMA and hope to attend again in the future.

In the eyes of Hadley

Hello!  My name is Hadley Skeffington-Vos and I am a current KU MPA student.  I would like to share a little bit about me and my experiences thus far at KU.

I am originally from Iowa and grew up on an organic farm.  I attended Lake Forest College for undergrad, which is in the Chicago-land area.  When I was applying to graduate school, I never expected to find myself in Kansas.  I was pretty torn between Public Policy and Public Administration programs.  I knew that I wanted to make a positive difference in people’s lives but I wasn’t sure in what form: policy, administration, or other means.  When I had received all of the final notices from graduate schools, I made my decision to come to KU for the well-renowned MPA program.

This was no easy decision, and all my friends and family had no idea what I would end up choosing.  Before making my decision, I spoke with a city manager who was both a LFC and KU alumni.  We talked about my education, interests, skills, and future goals.  This city manager was extremely helpful and encouraging; he helped me towards my final decision.  Then after several phone conversations with current students and a campus visit, I was sure that I could not turn down the #1 rated public administration program in the country.

Hadley and Michelle support KU at their game against North Dakota State

Like several other MPA students, I had less than a month of summer vacation before I moved to Lawrence.  When I moved to Lawrence, I moved in with another MPA student, Michelle Stevens.  We took a risk and agreed to share an apartment before even meeting each other.  However, it has turned out to be great!  It is also convenient for carpooling, assignment help, and group projects.  Since Michelle went to KU as an undergrad, she was a great resource to me.  She told me about where to shop, eat, find the cheapest groceries, and so much more.  Now, five months into the program, all twelve MPA intern students have really gotten to know each other and are very close.  It has been great going to football games, trying out new restaurants, and visiting Kansas City together.  I can guarantee before and after every class, we’re always chatting away about something and making plans together for the weekend.

The KU program is a little different for me than for the other students.  I have no previous work or volunteer experience in a city office.  In undergrad, I majored in International Relations and French with an Economics minor.  Throughout school I volunteered a lot, got involved with party politics and studied abroad to work at an international organization.  However, I never worked for a city manager.  I had never even taken a public administration class.  I had not even taken an American government class!  Despite starting off with a clean slate, it has been an easy adjustment.  The faculty, alumni, staff, and students are great resources and have been very helpful.

Paul, Hadley, and Tyler at First Friday in the Arts District of Kansas City

I have really enjoyed the classes at KU.  Unlike undergrad, there are no unappealing requirements to fill like science or math (at least those are unappealing to me).  All the classes are relevant and important to our future professions.  The professors are so knowledgeable and have interesting perspectives and experiences to bring to the table.  I found that I especially learned a lot over the summer sessions.  The interaction with career-option students has is also beneficial inside the classroom.  While we enjoy listening to their real-life stories, the career-option students enjoy our book-oriented, “untainted by the industry” viewpoints.

My part-time internship is with the State of Kansas Department of Transportation.  I love my internship and have already learned so much.  My boss is a great resource and has innumerable experiences in every aspect to public administration.  Working for the state also has its perks.  I have resources in public affairs, computer technology, GIS maps, bike trails, surface transportation, and so much more.  The people are so friendly and willing to answer any of my questions.  And since I work for the Division of Aviation, I am also learning how to fly a plane!  Who knew?

I am excited about this blog and hope it gives alumni a good idea of what the current students are achieving.  I also hope it can help prospective students get a better idea of what to expect besides just classes and an internship.  If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at h811s818@ku.edu.

Meet the Class of 2012

Hello everyone!  My name is Tyler Burkart, and it is my honor and privilege to be a part of the class of 2012.  I would like to personally introduce you to the blog that has been created for the class of 2012.  Over the next year or so, different members of the class will be reflecting on their experience so far at Kansas and the different things they enjoy about the KU MPA program.  We also hope to download some videos or photos for you so that you get a closer look at all of our adventures and educational opportunities.

The summer for all of us was very busy.  We enjoyed our Urban Planning and Human Resource Management classes.  Several of the intern option students including myself appreciate listening to the career option students’ perspectives since it expands our knowledge of current topics in public administration.  We also met with Craig Weinaug, Douglas County Administrator, who will be our Practitioner-in-Residence this year.  Finally, almost all of the class has found part-time internships for this year.  My class is very excited for all these opportunities, as it should greatly expand our understanding of issues in local government.

In other news, my classmates and I have also organized numerous socials.  Some of these events included attending a T-Bones game, bowling, golfing, appreciating the art exhibits in downtown Kansas City, and hanging out at each others' homes.  Thanks to these events, the class of 2012 has become very close as we look forward to the upcoming months, including the ICMA conference.

On a final note, my class and I would like to thank the KUCIMATS for their support so far.  After meeting with President Cynthia Wagner and President-Elect Clay Pearson, several of us are anxious to chat with more KUCIMATS and learn from your experiences.  If you would like to contact any of us, feel free to email me at t691b820@ku.edu.  Otherwise, I expect our backgrounds and biographies will be posted shortly on the KU website.  Stay tuned for further updates and reflections from other students.  Thanks again for tuning in, and go Jayhawks!