Rutgers SPAA NEWS – Fall 2021/Winter 2022 by RutgersSPAA

SPAANEWS

FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022

Advancing Citizen Leadership in Greater Newark and Beyond

Classes of 2020 and 2021 Finally Celebrate In-Person

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Rutgers SPAA and The Citizens Campaign establish partnership

SPAA graduates walk across the stage after two years of missed commencements

SPAA Service Day 2021

Exemplary public service leaders from across NJ share their expertise and motivations to serve their communities PAGE 10

DEAN’SNOTE Dear SPAA Family: I certainly hope that this message ﬁnds you and your families doing well. After two full years of enduring a global pandemic, we are now faced with the news of a new threat in Europe. As you go about your day-to-day activities in the safety of your workplaces and homes, I ask that you keep the residents of Ukraine and Russia in your prayers. This past fall, SPAA was awarded the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration’s Diversity Award. As the most diverse public affairs program in the country, we were very excited to receive such an honor that recognizes our efforts to achieve not only racial diversity in our programs, but also intellectual diversity. In recognition of the 15th anniversary of our school in 2021, we held a number of events that celebrated our legacy. This culminated in a hybrid/in-person event which featured a keynote presentation by one of our alums, Shantè Palmer (EMPA’14), the Vice Chancellor for External and Governmental Relations at Rutgers University–Newark.

We formalized our longstanding relationship with The Citizens Campaign by signing an agreement to create a partnership designed to train students and members of the community in the “no blame, pragmatics problem-solving” model of policy making. This leadership-driven approach should have a long-lasting impact on our students and the residents of Newark and the surrounding cities who engage in the program. Lastly, I continue to be amazed by the hard work that our students, staff and faculty put into our activities. Despite the limits that have been placed on us due to the pandemic, we continue to provide services at a very high level. I salute all who have gone beyond the call of duty despite many deaths and illnesses in our family. In spite of these and many other challenges that lie ahead, we will continue to thrive and advance our profession in every way possible. On behalf of the student body, SPAA Ambassadors, staff, and faculty, I thank you for your support and wish you the very best in all of your endeavors. –Charles E. Meniﬁeld, Dean

The School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark was awarded the 2021 Diversity Award by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) during a ceremony at the annual NASPAA conference held virtually this year. The award recognizes a NASPAA-accredited program that exempliﬁes the highest standards in promoting and supporting diversity through research, teaching, and service by faculty and staff. "As one of the most diverse public affairs and administration schools in the country, as well as being part of one of the most diverse university campuses in the country, we are quite excited to receive this award for a variety of reasons," said Dr. Charles Meniﬁeld, dean of Rutgers SPAA. "One of the reasons that stands out is this recognition of all the work that we put into making the learning experience positive for our students, regardless of their racial and ethnic backgrounds." Rutgers SPAA has a proud history of making meaningful contributions to scholarship, diligently preparing students, and thoughtfully serving its diverse student body, the city of Newark, and beyond while practicing and promoting diversity

through various activities and initiatives. The school exemplifies and illustrates the highest standards in diversity through outstanding contributions in teaching, research, and service. Most recently, SPAA spent the last year evaluating the school's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and made several positive changes, including working with other schools on the RU-N campus to create university-wide DEI concentrations, certificates, and minors. "SPAA works to ensure that the diversity we all bring to the school is viewed as a significant source of strength, and this award reflects SPAA's ongoing commitment to honor such diversity," said Dr. Rachel Emas, assistant teaching professor and director of the Master or Public Administration (MPA) program at Rutgers SPAA. "It is our goal to not only provide the best education experience for our students and to prepare them for real-world experiences, but we want to be trendsetters when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion for other programs," said Dr. Menifield. "This award is one more indicator that we are doing the right thing."

Rutgers SPAA Receives 2021 Diversity Award from Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA)

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Rutgers SPAA and The Citizens Campaign Establish Partnership to Advance Citizen Leadership in Greater Newark

Rutgers SPAA and The Citizens Campaign announced the establishment of a partnership designed to train students and members of the community in no-blame, pragmatic problem-solving skills and provide opportunities for them to put their training to use as “citizen leaders” working to better their communities and our country. The partnership will have three core components: (1) offering training in leadership and no-blame problem solving in undergraduate courses; (2) offering citizen leadership training to the broader community via the university’s continuing education program with a free certificate in Leadership and No-Blame Problem Solving; and (3) hosting the Newark Civic Trust, a society of Newark community members who work together to solve community issues through a no-blame problem solving process. “Our partnership with The Citizens Campaign will make an impact on multiple levels,” said Rutgers University–Newark Chancellor Nancy Cantor. “As our faculty and staff gain new tools to help our students grow as citizens, our students in turn will become even more empowered change makers who are even better prepared to collaborate on no-blame public problem solving across their many diverse communities. That ripple effect will be felt not just across our campus, but across our region and across the state.” “The School of Public Affairs and Administration is excited to partner with The Citizens Campaign,” said Charles Menifield, dean of Rutgers SPAA. “They have created a very unique model for solving public policy issues and it fits quite nicely within our public administration framework. In the future, we hope that we can expand the model beyond our classrooms and into some of our other community engagement efforts.” Harry Pozycki, founder of The Citizens Campaign, said, “The work done here at Rutgers-Newark will not only empower students and community residents to work together to advance solutions to better Newark and its surrounding communities, it will help create a national model for the development of citizen leaders whose example of unselfish service and no-blame problem solving can bridge our divides and heal our nation.”

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said, "As Mayor of Newark and a former educator, I thank and congratulate Rutgers University–Newark and The Citizens Campaign for establishing a partnership which is designed to train students, citizen leaders, and community members in pragmatic problem-solving skills that improve our communities and increase community/civics engagement." The three core components of the partnership will bring a greater understanding of “No-Blame Problem Solving” to citizen leaders and provide them with opportunities to put these skills to use: (1) “Leadership and No-Blame Problem Solving” training incorporated into undergraduate courses: Both as standalone courses and as a course component, training in “Leadership and No-Blame Problem Solving” will be incorporated into undergraduate course offerings at Rutgers-Newark. The curriculum introduces students to the power levers of local government; a proven problem-solving method developed by successful practitioners in local and state government; and accessible opportunities for students to put this knowledge to work as non-partisan civic trustees and in other accessible leadership posts. (2) “Leadership and No-Blame Problem Solving” training added to continuing education offerings: To provide the broader community with the opportunity to learn how to become effective leaders improving their own hometowns and the nation, the SPAA will support a free non-credit certiﬁcate in “Leadership and No-Blame Problem-Solving” as a continuing education offering. (3) Hosting of the Newark Civic Trust: Rutgers SPAA will serve as the host of the Newark Civic Trust, a society comprised of 24 civic trustees who come together in monthly no-blame problem solving sessions, searching the nation to identify successful solutions to better Newark. Trustees pledge to work to “leave their city better than they found it.”

Read more and view event recording:

https://go.rutgers.edu/spaa-citizens-partnership

ON THE COVER: Rutgers SPAA and The Citizens Campaign announce a partnership to advance citizen leaders. (L to R): Andrea Mason, Charles Menifield; Carole Dortch-Wright, Harry Pozycki, Jane Sharp, and Michelle Curry. FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022

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Celebrating Rutgers SPAA's 15th Anniversary & RU-N’s 75th 2021 Marked SPAA's 15th Year as a School at Rutgers University–Newark | #SPAA15

The School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark was established in 2006 after providing doctoral and master’s public administration education for over 30 years as a department. In recognition of the 15th anniversary of the founding of the School of Public Affairs and Administration – as well as the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Rutgers University–Newark – SPAA hosted several events throughout 2021 highlighting our faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Read more and view recordings of SPAA’s 15th anniversary events: http://go.rutgers.edu/spaa15

Fall 2021 Events Creating a Pipeline of Hispanic/Latinx Leaders in Nonprofit Organizations In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the 15th anniversary of SPAA, and the 75th anniversary of Rutgers University–Newark, SPAA hosted a panel to discuss the importance of diverse representation for leaders in the nonproﬁt sector. Panelists: n Leonor Camarena, PhD – Assistant Professor, Rutgers SPAA n Victoria Fernandez (MPA'12) – Acting Executive Director, Rutgers Institute for Ethical Leadership (IEL); Co-founder, The Nonproﬁt Professionals of Color Collective n Carlos Valentin Jr. (BA'13) – Executive Director, ASPIRA Inc., of New Jersey Moderator: n Anna Agbotse (BA'20) – SPAA MPA Student Read more and view event recording:

https://go.rutgers.edu/spaa-hhm-2021

RUN75: The Black Organization of Students Alumni Association presents “Born This Way: The Origin Story of Rutgers University–Newark” A discussion of Rutgers-Newark as an institution and community originating from the life and history of Newark as part

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RUTGERS SPAANEWS

of the celebration of Rutgers SPAA’s 15th anniversary and the 75th anniversary of Rutgers University–Newark. Speaker: n Quintus Jett, PhD – Author of “The Legacy of an Anchor Institution: Reclaiming the University of Newark” Moderator: n Sharon Stroye (MPA'06) – Director of Public Engagement, Rutgers SPAA A Celebration of Rutgers SPAA's 15 Years On December 9, Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) marked the end of its year-long 15th anniversary celebration with a hybrid in-person/virtual event highlighting some of the activities SPAA undertook this past year and recognizing its amazing students and alumni. Keynote Speaker: n Shantè Palmer (EMPA'14) – Vice Chancellor, External and Governmental Relations, Rutgers University–Newark Hosts: n In-person: Monica Galas – MPA student and 2021-2022 SPAA Ambassador n Virtual: Chastity Gooden-Clyne – MPA student and 20212022 SPAA Ambassador Read more and view event recording:

https://go.rutgers.edu/spaa-15-celebration

Rutgers SPAA Marks End of Year-Long 15th Anniversary Celebration with Hybrid Event On December 9, Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) marked the end of its year-long 15th anniversary celebration with a hybrid in-person/virtual event highlighting some of the activities SPAA undertook this past year and recognizing its amazing students and alumni. The event was introduced by Sharon Stroye (MPA'06), the director of public engagement at SPAA, and hosted by MPA students and 2021-2022 SPAA Ambassadors Monica Galas (in-person) and Chastity Gooden-Clyne (virtually). The event began with remarks from Dean Charles Menifield who noted the importance of recognizing milestones such as this, since they are a major part of our history. He provided a brief overview of the school's timeline, making note of important events and accomplishments such as the launching of the SPAA Student Ambassador Program. "As you can see, we've come we've come a very long way," he said, "and we're only getting started." He spoke about the strategic plan in place to take the school to the next level and provide SPAA students with the best education possible as they join the workforce. "None of these things will be possible without your support," said Dr. Menifield. "With that said, I charge each of you with the task of doing all that you can do to support our school and our students. I ask you to join me in investing in our future as a school and as a university. Rutgers SPAA is a place where service meets leadership, and we all embrace that." Keynote Speaker Shantè Palmer (EMPA'14), who became vice chancellor of external and governmental relations at Rutgers University–Newark this summer, spoke about the motivation that drove her to earn her master of public administration degree. "I heard if you stay ready, you won't need to get ready. That was my exact thinking when I applied to the executive master of public administration program at SPAA," she said. As a working mother who attended school at night, the desire to set a positive example for her daughters led her to be a first-generation graduate and motivated her to engage with politics and channel her passion through public policy. She urged SPAA students and alumni to continue to grow as leaders who exude compassion and integrity. "Your SPAA degree is not a sign of a finished product but an indication that you are prepared for life. You are ready and equipped for your next opportunity. Now remain committed to values, promote diversity, encourage ideas, be

persistent, stay motivated, and uphold civic responsibility, but most of all strive not to be a success but rather to be of value." The keynote speech was followed by a photo montage highlighting some of the events that SPAA hosted in the last year to mark the 15th anniversary, a poem presentation, a video reflection by SPAA father-and-son alumni Robert Friday (PhD'18) and Isaiah Friday (BA'10, MPA'15), and remarks from SPAA alumni. Director Stroye spoke of her own experiences as a SPAA graduate and working at the school. "Once I completed my degree, I knew that this is where I was supposed to be," she said. She spoke about becoming the first assistant dean for the school's undergraduate program and how fortunate she feels to have watched the program grow. She talked about how her current role as the director of public engagement gives her the opportunity to bring people together – faculty, staff, students, alumni, and our community partners. "The school's full of support and it's somewhere where you really could go so far if you just take the opportunity," said Simone Richardson (BA'19, MPA'20), who introduced her remarks by saying she wanted to be a part of the 15th anniversary celebration because of what SPAA means to her. Gloria Horton, director of social services at the Broadway House for Continuing Care in Newark, said she had the opportunity to interact with SPAA students when they came to the organization to talk about career paths and noted that some of them returned to intern in the organization. "I am also one of the field instructors for the social program here and I'm just grateful to be a part of making a difference in my community," she said. Michael Dillard (MPA'10), assistant teaching professor and director of the BA program, said a few words about his experience at SPAA, noting that the skills he learned have allowed him to give back to the community and to people who come from similar backgrounds and have faced similar challenges. The evening concluded with the presentation of musical performances from Shane Fuller (BA'16, MPA'17).

Read more and view event recording:

https://go.rutgers.edu/spaa-15-celebration FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022

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Classes of 2020 and 2021 Come Together to Celebrate Commencements In-Person

Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration graduates from the classes of 2020 and 2021 finally had the opportunity to celebrate their commencements in-person after missing out on the rite of passage the last two years due to the pandemic. Rutgers University–Newark officially conferred degrees via virtual graduations on May 20, 2020 and May 16, 2021, and SPAA virtually celebrated the classes of 2020 and 2021, but on November 8, 2021, SPAA graduates were at last able to walk across the stage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and commemorate the occasion alongside family, friends, and the school's administration. "At long last graduates, it’s time for you to take your rightful place on this grand stage as we recognize your accomplishments at Rutgers University–Newark!" said Dr. Charles Menifield, dean of the School of Public Affairs and Administration. “This commencement ceremony represents not just your academic achievements, but your courage, determination, and willpower too," he said. After the prolonged delay, graduates were eager to participate in their much-deserved moment. “It feels especially important to have this graduation ceremony because of everything that we have gone through in the last two years," said Elizabeth Somai (MPA'20). "I feel immensely proud to be able to celebrate with my fellow SPAA students. Ashlie Claxton (BA'21) said, “I’m really happy to finally get to celebrate with fellow students and SPAA family members.” “It felt like the end of a chapter finally closing by being able to step across that stage," said Ana Olivera (BA'21). "As a first-generation student, this ceremony meant the world to me and my mom. It’s only up from here!” Dean Menifield bestowed some powerful words of encouragement on the graduates. "We want you to leave here today with renewed energy and vigor. Take all of the things that you learned over the last two years that made you more resilient and battle-tested as you embark on your next chapter," he said. "We have trained you to be strong leaders. So, go forth and live up to your abilities and skills. You are the voice of the future and we know that you will make us proud." 6 |

RUTGERS SPAANEWS

Rutgers SPAA celebrated the classes of 2020 and 2021 at in-person graduations on November 8, 2021.Above: Ashlie Claxton (BA'21) and Ana Olivera (BA'21). Below: Monica Bastos (BA'20, MPA'21), Associate Dean of Student and Academic Services Aaron Gibbs, Diana Jones (MPA'21), and Dean Charles Menifield.

Rutgers SPAA Remembers 9/11 – 20 Years Later: A Public Administrator Perspective

To mark the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Rutgers SPAA hosted a remembrance panel with alumni and community partners to reﬂect on the importance of being a public servant amidst a tragic situation. Panelists shared their perspectives on the events of that day, and the lessons in diversity, competency, knowledge, ethics, and service that emerged through the process of collaborative rebuilding and healing. SPAA alumni Michael Brown (MPA’05) and Anthony Gardner (MPA’09), and Margarita Gravesande, a community partner of the school, participated as panelists and the session was moderated by the director of public engagement at Rutgers SPAA, Sharon Stroye. Read more and view event recording: https://go.rutgers.edu/spaa-9-11

ALUMNINEWS NORMAN ECKSTEIN (MPA'08) was appointed to the Government Finance Oﬃcers Association's Committee on Retirement and Beneﬁts Administration.

MARC FUDGE (PHD'11) was elected to be the Chair of the American Society for Pubic Administration's (ASPA) Section on Public Performance and Management.

PATRIA DE LANCER JULNES (PHD'97) joined the University of New Mexico as the inaugural Rosenthal Endowed Professor of Public Administration and director of the School of Public Administration. IRENE O’BRIEN (MPA'05) was named Vice President, Central

Fundraising and Donor Engagement at the Rutgers University Foundation.

MARCELA OSPINA MAZIARZ (MPA'10) was named vice pres-

ident for Community and Government Affairs at Thomas Edison State University (TESU).

LORI SCOTT-PICKENS (MPA'09) was elected Board President

of the Newark School of the Arts.

CARLOS VALENTIN JR. (BA'13) was named a member of the

Wealth Disparity Task Force established by NJ Governor

Phil Murphy.

We welcome SPAA alumni news about career, professional, and

educational accomplishments. For more alumni information and

to share updates, visit http://spaa.newark.rutgers.edu/alumni.

FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022

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Dr. Miyeon Song Joins Rutgers SPAA Faculty as Assistant Professor

Dr. Miyeon Song has joined the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark as an assistant professor starting in Fall 2021. Prior to joining the Rutgers faculty, she was an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina and a visiting research scholar at American University. She is also aﬃliated with the National Bureau of Economic Research as a research economist. "I am thrilled to join SPAA at Rutgers University–Newark," said Dr. Song. "SPAA has such a collegial and supportive environment,

and I look forward to being part of it. I am also very excited to work alongside great scholars whose work I really admire." Dr. Song’s research interests include topics in public management, organizational theory, performance assessment, democratic governance, and health policy and management. Her current research focuses primarily on public management and policy implementation with a particular emphasis on issues of quality and equity in public service provision.

Read more: https://go.rutgers.edu/ms-assist-prof

Dr. Madinah Hamidullah Named Associate Professor at Rutgers SPAA Dr. Madinah F. Hamidullah has been named associate professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark. She has been at Rutgers SPAA since 2009 and previously served as the director of the undergraduate program in public and nonproﬁt administration at the school. “I'm excited about the opportunity to continue to work with SPAA students, faculty, staff, and the greater Newark community,” said Dr. Hamidullah. Her research focuses on diversity and gender differences in public and nonproﬁt

organizations, and undergraduate education. Her work has appeared in Administration & Society, American Review of Public Administration, International Journal of Public Sector Management, Public Organization Review, and Public Management Review. She is a reviewer for American Review of Public Administration, the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs, and Public Administration Review. She is the editor of the upcoming book, “Undergraduate Public Affairs Education: Building the Next Generation of Public and Nonproﬁt Administrators.”

Read more: https://go.rutgers.edu/mh-assoc-prof

Dr. Gregory Porumbescu Named Associate Professor at Rutgers SPAA

Dr. Gregory Porumbescu has been named associate professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) at Rutgers University–Newark. Currently the associate director of the Transparency and Governance Center (TGC), he has been at SPAA since 2017. "I am grateful for my time at SPAA and having the opportunity to learn from such a great group of colleagues,” said Dr. Porumbescu. “I look forward to this next step in my career." As a scholar of digital inclusion and equity, and transparency and accountability, Dr. 8 |

RUTGERS SPAANEWS

Porumbescu’s work has appeared in The Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Public Administration Review, Policy & Internet, and Public Performance and Management Review. He is on the editorial board of Government Information Quarterly and the Korean Journal of Policy Studies. Dr. Porumbescu is also a co-principal investigator on a Smart and Connected Communities grant from the National Science Foundation and serves as a senior researcher on an international project sponsored by the Social Sciences Korea foundation.

Read more: https://go.rutgers.edu/gp-assoc-prof

ACCOLADES DOMONIC BEARFIELD (PHD'04), associate professor,

was named the 2021-2022 chair of the Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA), the accrediting body for the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). https://go.rutgers.edu/bearfield-copra + Bearﬁeld was awarded the inaugural 2021 Hobby Prize for the Best Article on Ethics, Leadership, and Public Policy for his co-authored article "The Disenfranchisement of Voters of Color: Redux.” https://go.rutgers.edu/hobby-prize-2021

PhD student FANGDA DING was selected as a 2022 Founders’ Fellow by the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA).

MPA student ASSITAN DRAME was nominated and selected to serve on the Rutgers Global Health Institute’s Student Council.

KYLE FARMBRY, professor, was named the 10th president of Guilford College. https://go.rutgers.edu/farmbry-guilford + Farmbry was elected to the National Academy of Public Administration’s (NAPA) 2021 Class of Academy Fellows in recognition of his years of public administration expertise. https://go.rutgers.edu/farmbry-napa-fellow

PhD student APOORVA GUPTA was named a Doctoral Seminar Fellow at the 2021 Association for Research on Nonproﬁt Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, November 2021. MADINAH HAMIDULLAH, associate professor, was

elected to the Executive Council of NASPAA for a threeyear term. https://go.rutgers.edu/hamidullah-naspaa-ec

DIANE HILL, assistant professor of professional prac-

tice, was awarded a grant from ScreenNJ to support the Center for Health Equity and Community Engagement/Advocates for Healthy Living Initiative’s AHLI for Life Cancer Screening Campaign. + Hill was named a member of the Wealth Disparity Task Force established by NJ Governor Phil Murphy.

+ Lu joined the Board of Editors at the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory.

PhD candidate HANJIN MAO was selected as a 2022 Founders’ Fellow by the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA). CHARLES MENIFIELD, dean, was awarded the 2021 NJ

State Governor’s Jefferson Award in Education which recognizes volunteers who provide academic and/or extracurricular support to others of all ages.

https://go.rutgers.edu/menifield-jefferson-award

MPA student EPIPHANY MUNZ was nominated and selected to serve on the Rutgers Global Health Institute’s Student Council.

MPA student ANA OLIVERA (BA'21) was chosen for the Association for Research on Nonproﬁt Organizations and Voluntary Action's (ARNOVA) 2021 Graduate Diversity Scholars and Leaders Professional Development Program. https://go.rutgers.edu/olivera-arnova-2021

GREGORY PORUMBESCU, associate professor,

joined the Board of Editors at the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory.

NORMA RICCUCCI, Board of Governors Distinguished Professor, was awarded the inaugural 2021 Hobby Prize for the Best Article on Ethics, Leadership, and Public Policy for her co-authored article "The Disenfranchisement of Voters of Color: Redux.”

https://go.rutgers.edu/hobby-prize-2021

PhD student GABRIELLE ROSSI was named a Doctoral Seminar Fellow at the 2021 Association for Research on Nonproﬁt Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, November 2021. GREGG VAN RYZIN, professor, had his co-authored

https://go.rutgers.edu/hill-task-force

book Research Methods in Practice: Strategies for Description and Causation, Third Edition, published by Sage Publishing in October 2021.

JIAHUAN LU, associate professor, was appointed as an associate editor for the journal Nonprofit Management & Leadership.

https://go.rutgers.edu/warner-p3-fellowship

PhD candidate INKYU KANG will be joining the University of Georgia's Department of Public Administration and Policy as a tenure-track assistant professor in Fall 2022.

LOIS WARNER (PHD'07), assistant teaching professor, was selected for the 2021-2022 Chancellor’s Scholar-in-Residence Fellowship Program (SIR) supported by the P3 Collaboratory for Pedagogy, Professional Development, and PubliclyEngaged Scholarship at Rutgers University–Newark.

FALL 2021 / WINTER 2022

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SPAA Service Day 2021 Features Exemplary Public Service Leaders from Across NJ

On the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the School of Public Affairs and Administration hosts its annual SPAA Service Day. This year, SPAA family and the community had the opportunity to join in discussion with a panel of exemplary leaders working as dedicated public servants. The experience was complementary to typical classroom instruction and helped students to understand the complexities of public leadership and its impact on society. The event also connected the over 75 SPAA students in attendance to potential future employers in the ﬁeld of public administration; panelists offered internship opportunities and job shadowing experiences for SPAA students. The event was organized and moderated by Michael Dillard, assistant teaching professor, and moderated by Sharon Stroye, director of public engagement, at Rutgers SPAA.

Clockwise from top left: LaMonica McIver – Central Ward Council Member, City of

Newark; Roger León – Superintendent, Newark Board of Education; Judith Persichilli – Panelists included: Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Health; Patrick Callahan – Colonel, New n Patrick Callahan – Colonel, New Jersey State Jersey State Police Police n Roger León – Superintendent, Newark Board inﬂuence and how does it impact society? n At what point in your education and/or professional jourof Education n LaMonica McIver – Central Ward Council Member, City ney did you know this was the career for you? n What have you learned about overcoming failures? of Newark n Judith Persichilli – Commissioner, New Jersey Departn What advice would you give to students entering the ment of Health workforce during a pandemic?

Panel questions included: n What does it mean to be a public servant in your area of