Category: Interests

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What is a PWE?

If you have ever looked into obtaining your MPA at UNC, you may have come across the acronym ‘PWE’ while browsing our curriculum or attending a webinar. The PWE, which stands for Professional Work Experience, is one of the most important parts of our program and distinguishes us from other programs because it is a required component in our curriculum.  A lot of programs out there don’t require an experiential component to their curriculum where students have to go out and practice what they learn in the classroom.

The Professional Work Experience or PWE is (in the most simplest terms) our version of an internship. But, it really is so much more.  It is the opportunity to apply the leadership theories you study in class to a current and relevant public sector work environment.  The experience is meant to be high level (no coffee fetching here) and provide our students an opportunity to cultivate their leadership or project management skills in a practical setting.

Summer is a popular time for many of our students to complete their Professional Work Experiences, so we’d like to take the opportunity over the next few weeks to have some of our current students write about their PWE’s.  We have 34 students who are currently completing the PWE requirement.  Our students represent placements across local, state, and the federal governments as well as nonprofit organizations and the private sector.  See the list below for some of our Summer 2021 placement sites, and enjoy the posts by our students over the next few weeks sharing their PWE experiences.  Learn about the type of work their doing, the impact they are having, and think about how this could be you one day!

Buncombe County – Emergency Management Services

Town of Henderonville

Community Worx

USDA Rural Development Division

Town of Morrisville

Town of Chapel Hill

Town of Holly Springs

Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness

Dogwood Health Trust

Durham Management

Triangle J Council Of Governments

Town of Hillsborough

Orange County Human Resources

Town of Apex

Families Together

County of Hoke Board Of Education

United Way of Anderson County

UNC-CH Division of Finance and Budget

Virginia Coastal Policy Center

Rural Forward NC

North Olympic Healthcare Network

New Friends New Life

City of Winston-Salem

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

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Stress Management for Students

Current MPA Student Clay Fleming on a coffee break/hike with pals from his cohort.

Hello again everyone! We are one month away from the end of the semester, which is always a busy and stressful time in the MPA program. The second-year students have submitted their final Portfolios and are preparing for their Oral Examinations while also applying for jobs. The first-year students are finalizing the research papers they have been working on all year while submitting group projects they have been managing throughout the semester.

All of these requirements can be overwhelming and stressful. For this reason, I decided to ask my peers about their stress management habits to see how they are prioritizing their wellbeing. Below are their responses:

I’ve found having a morning routine helpful in managing stress. I like to take a few minutes in the morning (without my phone) to think, set intentions, and just exist before jumping into the chaos of the day. When I wake up on time I also like to start the day with a quick yoga practice. If I have extra time I will scroll through social media. Then, I make a cup of tea to enjoy during the beginning of work or class.
-Valencia Wagner, (2nd year)

I like to take long walks next to the Potomac River and C&O Canal! On days I can’t get out for a walk, I at least try to sit on the porch with some coffee or kombucha and enjoy the sunshine for a bit. Being outside always helps with my stress levels. That and napping!
-Mira Singhal (2nd year)

Working out, playing basketball, reading, trying to get outside as much as possible.
-Sam Ingalls (1st year)

One of the biggest ways I have managed stress is to make running a daily habit. Carolina North Forest is a wonderful space in Chapel Hill with fabulous trails, which I have made great use of. Running has helped me be intentional about a stepping away from my computer, sticking to schedule, and taking a much-needed break. I also find when I run I am hydrating more, eating healthier, and sleeping better- all aspects that I can neglect when I don’t properly manage my stress. Even if running isn’t your thing, getting outside and moving your body for just 30 minutes a day can make a big impact. Do it- I know you can!
-Laura Robinson (2nd year)

I’ve found that doing things that allow me to tap into my creativity has been really helpful in managing stress — especially things where I’m working with my hands and can be away from screens. I’ve been making polymer clay earrings, and it’s been a really wonderful way to unplug and do something just for myself.
-Kathryn Paquet (2nd year)

Taking a lot of walks, listening to true crime and comedy podcasts, and trying new recipes.
-Maggie Bailey (3rd year, dual-degree student)

New fun podcasts, different shows, trying new recipes, changing up my music tastes!
-Hallee Haygood (3rd year, dual-degree student)

My stress management mainly revolves around taking my dog for long walks and taking her to the dog park. For me, it just makes me stop thinking about my stress and bringing my attention to the present. Other than that, I am a believer in Netflixing. When I am stressed, I like to watch shows that will make me laugh and are not too serious or intense. Just lighthearted content. When I am extremely stressed I combine Netflix with intense cleaning and organizing (even if it is 11 at night).
-Anonymous

When I get stressed out I will do whatever assignment is stressing me out! Putting it off just makes me more stressed.
-Chrisy Hayden (1st year)

Morning meditation and yoga; Weekend hikes in Pisgah National Forest
-Macie Rouse (1st year)

I prioritize social and personal time doing things I enjoy, giving me a brief escape and mental reset. If I’m having a really bad day and have a lot of work but am really stressed, I’ll take two hours to go on a walk and facetime a friend, because nothing productive comes from an anxiety ridden mind.
-Anonymous

Definitely through exercise and what I like to refer to as “depression baking” which is what I do when I feel like things are too out of my control and I need to narrow my focus
-Mallory Verez (1st year)

Working out and yoga!
-Ansley Birchmore (1st year)

Identifying stress management strategies and activities is a crucial step to prioritizing wellbeing during overwhelming situations. I am very proud of my peers for knowing how they can best manage stress so they can regain their focus. It appears that some form of exercise and enjoying the outdoors is a common thread amongst my cohorts. My practice is very much the same.

Going on bike rides and long walks with my partner has helped me disconnect from my phone, email, and schoolwork to give me some time to be present. I also enjoy calling a friend and catching up on life so I can maintain some of my social needs. Additionally, sometimes I just need one lazy day where I binge watch a tv show, have a movie marathon, or play board games all day to really give myself some time away from what is causing the undue stress.

I hope everyone who reads this is considering ways to manage stress. Hopefully, you already have some strategies that you currently practice when you are in troubling times. If not, I hope this blog provided some motivation and ideas for various ways to prioritize your wellbeing.

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Some PWE’s (Professional Work Experiences) around Town

Occasionally, we like to feature current MPA students who are in the midst of completing the Professional Work Experience component of the program.  Our PWE’s are similar to an internship except we ensure your projects and duties are 100% leadership oriented because that’s what our program is about .  

This blog post was written by current MPA student Sa’metria Jones about her Professional Work Experience (PWE).  Sa’metria lives a native of Raleigh, North Carolina, currently residing in Clayton, North Carolina, and is a current MPA student in our online format.  She works full time in the North Carolina Office of the Governor as a Policy Advisor.  She is planning to graduate this December.

I am working with the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE) to fulfill my PWE hours for the MPA program. NCBCE is a non-profit organization that operates out of the Office of the Governor and serves as link for North Carolina employers and the education system. NCBCE invests significant time and resources to develop and promote work-based learning initiatives in North Carolina. In early 2020, pre-pandemic and before our lives changed, NCBCE, in partnership with the North Carolina Community Colleges, the Office of the Governor, myFutureNC, and the state Division of Workforce Solutions, launched NC Career Launch—an effort to increase post-secondary attainment and connect students to jobs in high-demand fields. Unfortunately, the pandemic interrupted the initiative’s momentum.  I am working with the Executive Director of NCBCE to elevate NC Career Launch and restore the pre-pandemic momentum. One way we are working to accomplish this goal is by developing youth apprenticeship programs to pilot under NC Career Launch.

For my day job, I work as a Policy Advisor in the North Carolina Office of the Governor. I have a far-reaching policy portfolio that touches several state agencies. Although NCBCE is housed in the Governor’s Office, it functions as its own nonprofit organization. In addition to program development, I thought it would be great to have practical experience working directly with an executive director to learn the ins and outs of nonprofit work. As a state employee and a student completing my PWE with a nonprofit, I have been able to see how the structure of both organizations can either help or hinder progress. In addition to that realization, I have also learned how nonprofits leverage their stakeholders, board members, and flexibility to make connections and promote their initiatives. It has also been rewarding to experience how innovative, proactive, and forward-thinking nonprofit leaders are, and effectively have to be, to accomplish their goals.

My professional and academic background is in law and policy– all in the public sector. However, my experience with NCBCE is unlike one I have had before and compliments my background well. I am unsure of which route I will to take in the future, but I am grateful to have the opportunity to explore the nonprofit world and how it interacts with state and local government.

Stay tuned for more guest bloggers talking about their PWE experiences this semester!

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Wrapping up the Semester (Part 2)

The spring semester for MPA students is always an exciting time. The first-year students are exploring different classes and searching for the perfect Professional Work Experience (PWE) while the second years are preparing their portfolio and applying for jobs. During the winter break before the busyness of the season ensues, I wanted to give the students some time to think about what they are excited about in the coming semester. Here are a few thoughts from current residential MPA students:

Hallee Haygood (3rd year, dual-degree student)
I cannot wait to start my local government career! Only one semester between me and the best job ever.

Laura Robinson (2nd year)
Next semester I am hopeful that I can hone in on professional opportunities for my time post-MPA. I would like to see my professional background in education mesh with an open position in Public Administration, whether that is in local government or the nonprofit sector. The MPA Portfolio, while stressful and overwhelming, can offer an opportunity to synthesize the ways in which the MPA program has allowed me to grow as a leader and public servant. This, I hope, will not only help prepare me for interviews, but will help me to enter a new position with confidence.

Nikki Abija (1st year)
I’m excited for my PWE! I’ll finally get to work in a field I’m very passionate about.

Mira Singhal (2nd year)
I am interested to learn more about how public leaders solve (or try to at least lessen) the wicked problems we face in our communities. COVID seems like the perfect example of a wicked problem for so many reasons. As we deal with a global pandemic, I want to see how our leaders at the local level still maintain services and resources for their residents.

Mallory Verez (1st year)
I’m looking forward to learning more about PWEs and the core of public administration work.

Anonymous
I am excited to work on my PWE. All my work experience is with the federal government and am excited to work with a local/state government or non-profit. I imagine budget management may be much more difficult when working with a smaller department.

Sally Moore (1st year)
I’m super excited for Organizational Theory! I’ve heard it’s a lot of reading, but the course material seems super interesting to me.

Francesco Tassi (1st Year)
I’m excited to learn more about the financial and budgeting aspects of local government (Professor Afonso’s class) and taking my first elective in the Public Policy Minor. I’m also considering a dual degree in City & Regional Planning. Overall, grateful for the numerous paths available when pursuing an MPA at UNC.

Taking the time now to really appreciate the opportunities that lie ahead is important, as there is a lot to look forward to next semester. For me, I’m excited for the job search. Finding a position that will welcome me as part of the team and encourage me to flourish is a thrilling experience. I’m ready to land a job that will challenge me in new ways and help me cultivate new skillsets. Attaining a job that is a perfect fit will be a fun adventure, and I will have my Carolina MPA experience to thank.

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MPA Immersion 2020 – Diversity and Inclusion in Public Administration

 

2020 MPA Immersion (held virtually)

 

Over the weekend, online and residential UNC MPA students came together virtually to spend two days together learning how to navigate diverse perspectives as public administrators. School of Government and MPA Program faculty member, Professor Leisha DeHart-Davis, delivered a crucial lecture on diversity, equity, and inclusion for those who participated.

The course began with each person reading a novel that was written from a perspective different than their own. I chose to read Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson, as I wanted to learn more about the experience of a black man in the United States. Dyson is an academic, activist, and a minister. Hearing his perspective on whiteness and how it continually impacts people of color is an treasured educational opportunity.

Before reading the book, we were asked to write a short summary of what we thought the novel was going to be about, including values and beliefs of the author. Once we finished, we were asked to revisit our initial assumptions to see if they aligned. This assignment gave us our first opportunity to listen to and empathize with a person who has experienced the world in a differently than ourselves. Reflecting on the differences and similarities set us up well for the two full days of class.

The first day focused on understanding and recognizing implicit biases, so each of us can continually dismantle them as we progress through our life and careers. Much of the conversation stemmed from theories of recognizing implicit bias and practical approaches to addressing them in ourselves and organizations. We also discussed the consequences of when biases go undressed and the impact it can have on our work in the public sector and the people we serve.

On the second day, the class took a deep dive into discussing individual identities. An important aspect of this conversation centered around understanding the hurtful impact of making assumptions based on peoples’ identities. Additionally, when a person is speaking from their specific identity and others do not listen or invalidate their experience, this can create a more challenging atmosphere for success.

Through this class, I learned the importance of taking the time to analyze oneself to discern the impact one can have on the wellbeing of others. As an individual pursuing a career within the public sector, carrying the lessons from this class is crucial to ensuring that I am serving people equitably. I have a responsibility to understand that everyone experiences the world a little differently and that is okay. I must ensure that I am doing my part as a public servant to promote inclusion in all spaces and remain empathetic to the needs of others.

During the final reflection as a class, many people praised the class content and suggested that it be regularly offered as part of the curriculum. As current and future public administrators, we are called to ensure equity in our work and inclusion to help those who need the services provided by public servants. Professor DeHart-Davis’s course was a clear demonstration of why equity is a core value of Public Administration.

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A Salute to a Legacy of Public Administration

This weekend, I had the pleasure of traveling to our nation’s capital city for a few days. While in Washington D.C., I toured the monuments honoring historical figures and events and gazed at the many important buildings that offer space for decision-makers.

 

The most impactful moment of the trip was paying my respects to the former Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Her casket was on display for public viewing on the steps of the Supreme Court building. The line to walk up the steps for a closer viewing weaved back and forth along First Street for a few blocks.

 

Across the street from the Supreme Court building, many individuals left flowers, gifts, notes, and signs expressing their gratitude for her legacy and the difference she made in their life. While the emotions of the environment still had an element of sorrow, reading the notes and experiencing the incredible outpour of love left me with hope.

 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg dedicated her life to public service. She was motivated by her passion of fighting and protecting the rights of the most vulnerable. In our MPA classes, we discuss the power of public service motivation. RBG’s life and legacy is a testament to that power.

 

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Welcome to our new ‘On-campus’ Class of 2022

1st year orientation
Our 1st year residential students gather for a socially distanced orientation.

Hi again,

With the beginning of a new academic year comes new experiences and people. This is particularly true for the MPA program’s first-year ‘residential’ students (residential being in quotation marks due to the ongoing pandemic which is keeping us from being truly in-person), which is why I wanted to take some time to introduce you to this cohort.

The incoming class is one of the largest and most diverse that the residential program has welcomed in years, with 28 students joining UNC’s MPA network exemplifying various academic backgrounds and career interests. The cohort is representing 18 different undergraduate institutions including, UNC-Asheville, N.C. State University, Vanderbilt, Clemson, University of Kansas, and others. To accompany these undergraduate institutions, these individuals are bringing a wide variety of academic backgrounds to the classroom with undergraduate degrees in Political Science, Sociology, Psychology, Sport and Entertainment Management, Civil Engineering, Physics, Philosophy, and more.

While there is a large number of students joining the program from various undergraduate universities, another interesting characteristic of this class is that it contains our largest number of graduates from UNC-Chapel Hill. We have 9 students who are continuing their time as a Tar Heel in this cohort. Among the nine, 3 students are pursuing the Environmental dual degree that UNC offers. In looking at North Carolina as a whole, there are 12 additional students continuing their education within the program after receiving their undergraduate degree from an in-state institution.

Along with the rich amount of in-state representation in this cohort, there is significant number of students welcomed to the program from outside of North Carolina. Roughly a third of this cohort consists of out-of-state students. These individuals are bringing their passions from states such as Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.

While this semester looks a little different due to COVID-19, we are so proud of how well the first-year students are transitioning into this virtual learning environment. With most of the students averaging over three years of professional experience already, the passion and motivation for public service is tangible among this cohort. We are very happy to have these students providing insight from their experiences to make this program more enriching.

On behalf of the MPA Class of 2021, I would like to officially welcome each student of the first-year cohort to Carolina MPA. We are looking forward to providing support and getting to know each of you as we continue this year together! Remember that you have a purpose for being in this program, so let your values and passions guide you and you will make an impact!

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Celebrating Work and Managing Endings

On Day 1, the public forum, things went forward nearly seamlessly in our virtual environment. SOG faculty and staff presented on collective impact, summarized two-year project, and facilitated excellent break-out sessions with team members who had expertise on topics like transportation, housing, and employment and recovery courts. There were some hiccups with the keynote speaker, Sam Quinones, the author of the highly acclaimed book Dreamland. As a journalist, he had a specific perspective of the opioid crisis, which did not always mesh with the experience and expertise of these community teams. For example, he spent over five minutes talking about how the word “addict” should be used to describe people who use drugs or who have Substance Use Disorder (SUD), despite the fact that community members in the chat attested that it was stigmatizing language. Despite these issues, the first day was a great spotlight of the project as a whole.

The second day of the forum was a teams-only event, summarizing the results of their efforts in 5-minute presentations, as well as workshops to focus on their sustainability and further work moving forward. Although there were some minor technical problems with showing some of the first presentations, these were ironed out as the day went on. Teams praised each other’s accomplishments and videos, which allowed them to make even more connections among communities using similar strategies. The teams were also able to use breakout rooms to discuss public values, collective impact, sustainability, and more, and then debrief with SOG faculty as facilitators. It was not the ending that partners may have wanted; their work, and the forum itself, were greatly complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it seemed like a fitting celebration of the teams themselves, one of the ways that ncIMPACT is managing the end of such a momentous and publicly-involved project.

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Creating a Community Resource

As my PWE enters its final few weeks, I have been working on finishing several long-term projects, including the presentations for the Opioid Response Project that I spoke about last week. My other major product for that project has been the Online Resource Library that will be put up on its current microsite, and eventually the permanent website that will launch sometime in late fall or early winter. This library contains well over a hundred resources, in ten different subject areas compiled over the course of the two-year project by multiple participants, including past research assistants. Its purpose is to codify the resources created and shared by our community teams, as well as ones that would assist communities in undertaking a collective impact-style response to the opioid crisis. Although there is a guidebook in production that specifically focuses on the implementation of a collective impact project, these resources are substance use-specific, and can assist organizations who are in any stage of addressing opioids in their communities.
While working on this product, there have been many thumbs in this metaphorical pie. Since this project involved many staff and faculty members from across the SOG, it has a series of subcommittees, including one for the website. But because the project is being managed through ncIMPACT, there is an input and review process there as well. This means that I have had to manage the expectations and ideas of many individuals as I create this product, including people who have not had the chance to see the library or been involved in its compilation. Although this has at times made creating this resource more difficult, it has also raised useful questions about its purpose, format, and realistic usefulness in the wider community. For example, these conversations led to the decision to add a brief context statement to each resource and category, so that users do not have to actually click on or read the resource in order to see if it is useful to them. This made the library a much more time-intensive product for me, but will also make it much more helpful to the public audience it is meant to serve.
Creating products for a general audience is something that I have learned much more about during this PWE experience. I have been involved in academia for almost seven years now, and see it as my future career. My perspective, writing, and priorities often reflect that bias. Although I realize the importance of public-focused work, I have traditionally felt uncomfortable creating resources for this audience. How was I supposed to know what people wanted or needed? How was I, with an outsider’s perspective, going to be able to create something that would assist communities in a real, tangible way? Working with ncIMPACT has given me a much more nuanced perspective of making research and project results accessible to those who they affect most. I still know that I have an outsider’s perspective, but now I am able to speak with professionals and clients to understand how resources like this one can best support them. I am also more able to put myself into the shoes of others, and think critically about how to most efficiently communicate this information to a non-academic audience. Being able to learn more about the crossroads of policy, research, practitioners, and communities is helping me grow as a professional, and put the “social” in social worker and the “public” in public administrator.