Marvin Andrews Fellows

The Marvin Andrews Fellowship offers a great network of experienced local government managers that are willing and able to help MPA students start their career. I have been amazed at how willing all of the managers in the area are to take time to teach us about the profession and offering opportunities to gain experience.

I chose ASU because of the opportunities the Phoenix area has for MPA students to gain experience in local government. Phoenix is the largest city in the country with the council manager form of government and there are many other cities in the valley that operate under the same form, and all are considered well managed communities. The large amount of professionals working in local government in the Phoenix area allows students who attend ASU opportunities other schools are unable to provide. ASU also has great mix of faculty that have many years of experience working in the subjects that they teach and to be able to learn from practitioners and academics will add great value to my education.

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ASU was my graduate school of choice for 3 reasons: access to opportunities, location, and the ease of coordinating work, school, and personal schedules. At ASU, students have the opportunity to work closelywith academics and practitioners to gain hands-on experience in the career fields they would like to pursue. Because the MPA program is located in downtown Phoenix, I am in close proximity to many opportunities forinternships, jobs, and volunteering. ASU also provides options for night, online, and intensive classes toaccommodate students who work during the day.

I intend to make a career out of public service. My sights are set on ultimately becoming a city manager and working with multiple communities over the course of my career. I am looking forward to earning my MPA because I am committed to working for the public good, and it is an incredibly versatile degree in the public sector. Even if my specific career goals change, I know that the knowledge and skills I will gain during my graduate school years will translate to many different
jobs, whether in government or nonprofit work.

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I wanted a program that didn’t focus on the theory of administration taught me the practical side as well. ASU’s MPA program does just that. The program is a perfect balance between the theory of administration and the practical side of administration. At ASU, I have the opportunity to study with some of the nation’s leading scholars and practitioners in the field of public administration.

I love the diversity at ASU and the wide range of experiences that are represented among the student body. A lot of the students work full-time and have a lot of experience working in the public sector. This makes class discussions really interesting because you are able to see how the concepts we are discussing are applied to real world applications as these students share how situations are handled at work.

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I knew I wanted to pursue a MPA after my undergraduate studies and one of my professors recommended the Marvin Andrews Fellowship. After looking into the program, I could not imagine a more comprehensive fellowship. I was interested particularly in the second year internship with an actual city. The first year experience in the Alliance is a great introduction to the problems and issues facing local municipalities. The Marvin Andrews Fellowship provides me everything I could want in a graduate program.

Currently, at the Alliance for Innovation, I interface with cities and counties around the nation and various other research projects for current themes in local governments. I want to work at the local level because it will allow me an opportunity to genuinely help others and make a difference in my immediate community. It is possible to actually see and be a part of progress at the local level. I want to truly make a difference.

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I chose ASU’s School of Public Affairs because of its Marvin Andrews Fellowship Program. Being in the program has been remarkable and has provided me with invaluable experience. The aspects to the program are unique and cannot be found in any other graduate program. In addition, I came to ASU because of its nationally ranked urban management program and its reputation of supplying communities with high-skilled professionals. ASU’s renowned faculty, highly regarded practitioners in the School of Public Affairs, and along with being in downtown Phoenix provides for an exceptional environment in studying city management.

The School of Public Affairs is one of the most welcoming departments I have encountered. I am impressed with the commitment the School of Public Affairs has for its students. Everyone from professors to staff has been dedicated to my academic and professional success. The School of Public Affairs goes out of its way to ensure you are receiving the best possible experience one can have.

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I chose an MPA because service is the core of the curriculum and coursework; how to achieve it, what it entails, and its future in the public sector. No other professional degree offered me the opportunity to meld my interests in the future of our world and service to other people at the local level.

The best feature SPA offers is the blend of practitioners and academics that actively work together to both educate students and engage them for their future careers. The coursework is both academic and practical and allows a student to develop a career that will prepare them for the real-life rigorous challenges of public service, while developing analytical skills that will aid them indefinitely. Its location in Phoenix gives any student an opportunity to look at public administration at all levels of government of service so no prospect is off limits.

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Working with the the Alliance for Innovation has exposed me to some of the most interesting programs and the most innovative cities. With the Alliance, I am not only privileged to work with some of the top academics in public administration, but I also work with active practitioners in public administration.

The ASU MPA program has a great combination of well respected academics on the subject of public administration and retired practitioners that provide a practical backbone for the program. I feel that my professors always have their doors open for any issues I may have. Professors want their students to succeed, and strike a great balance top grade research and the needs of students. After graduation, I would like to work in public service, particularly local government. I consider local government the frontline in government service, directly working with residents. Therefore, as an employee with a local government, I help my community and improve lives.

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The MPA was the perfect choice for me. I have always wanted to contribute to my community in a meaningful way and was looking for a graduate degree that would teach me the theories and practices of local government. Local government provides a place that I can work closely within a community and see the fruits of my labor every day.

The Fellowship provides incredible exposure to the world of local government as well as the unmatched support of faculty and staff. After meeting the fellows and Dr. Martin Vanacour for the first time, I knew that I had to apply to the program. The School of Public Affairs treats its students like family.

The constant support of faculty and staff makes graduate school such a worthwhile experience. Help or advice is always available. I love working with and learning from my fellow interns as well as the all-access pass to local government legends that happen to be available to us at ASU.

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Working for the Alliance has afforded the opportunity for constant learning with the variety of projects I’ve worked on so far, and look forward to researching in the future. I feel like I’m receiving a wealth of knowledge on innovative practices in local government that I hope to incorporate throughout my career. I have researched innovative partnerships and coalitions to provide content for the new content manager. I also co-authored an article in the Alliance’s IDEAS quarterly regarding Glendale Police Department’s strategic staffing model. I have also researched how municipalities can incorporate performance measures toward their biodiversity efforts.

I enjoy the small class sizes and the opportunity it enables to interact with faculty, staff, and classmates. It brings a real sense of community to the school.

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I love the challenge and the freedom to be creative and innovative. I love the relaxed, but professional, atmosphere that helps me be most productive and most creative. The program really challenges me to perform at my best – and supports me so that I can achieve at the highest level.

I am pursuing my MPA because I want to expand my base of knowledge and learn the theory behind the work I hope to spend my life performing. The more theory, discussion, information and application I have at my disposal, the better I will be as a city administrator. I want to pursue a career in city government, working at the highest level possible. In the future, I want to become an assistant city manager and then a city manager of a city that will let me make a difference in the world. It is through my work in city governments that I want to leave a lasting impact.

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The Marvin Andrews Fellowship in Urban Management is an exceptional program that surpasses all of my expectations. No other university offers what the Marvin Andrews Graduate Program offers in terms of academic rigor, the ability to network with public administration professionals, and combination of work experience and applicable courses. You quickly learn that the knowledge gain in your courses can be directly related actual application in the public sector.

I chose an MPA because I wanted to pursue a career in local government. I believe that local government is best suited to address the needs of citizens and communities in a proactive manner. More importantly, in local government you see the impact you make and find joy in doing what you do day in and day out. This is why I want to be a City Manager. I’ve seen the impact city manager’s can have in transforming communities. The MPA degree will provide me with the knowledge and skill set needed to be a successful city manager and face all challenges of managing and transforming a city.

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What I like best about my experience is the fact that I am learning about local government’s best programs and practices. My world view and the notion that I had about the role of local government has been influenced since I became a Fellow. I have come to understand that city governments play an important and essential role in the prosperity of city residents that goes beyond providing services. I also enjoy the ability to interact with city administrators throughout the nation. I am learning from a diverse range of people who come from unique communities and locations but who have one thing in common: community development.

The faculty at ASU is committed to expanding student knowledge and ensuring that students have the opportunity to network and learn from public administrators who work for various cities and towns. I am confident that an MPA will prepare me to pursue my professional goals and will allow me the flexibility to choose my desired career path.

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The program has provided me with an all-access pass to see the behind-the-scenes workings of local government, something that is invaluable in my preparation to become a city manager. I have learned a lot about life in the public sphere, including how to deal with citizen complaints and concerns.

The Marvin Andrews Fellowship provided me with the opportunity to get a really good education and really good practical experience. Because it is so hard to get started in a career with local government, the internship that accompanies the fellowship is even more important.

In addition, all of the faculty and staff at the School of Public Affairs are willing to help me out in any way they can. They are great!

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The Marvin Andrews Program provides resources and opportunities for local government managers you can’t find in any other school or community in the US. ASU is located in downtown Phoenix, which is the largest council-manager city in the world and surrounded by several cities that use the council-manager form of government. The managers of these organizations are nationally and internationally recognized. The program has managed to tap into these resources by connecting students with these local managers.

The MPA has given me a well rounded knowledge of organizations, how they work and how they are managed. I feel the principles learned in the MPA are broad enough to apply to any management setting while the issues are specific enough to help one understand which areas they can make the most rewarding contribution. The faculty and staff of the School of Public Affairs really care about the success of students and have the resources to make it happen.

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The Marvin Andrews program has opened doors that would not have been opened for me otherwise. I have a team of incredible mentors who are willing not only to provide personal advice and insight, but who have aided me in increasing and extending my network of municipal government professionals. I have been afforded the opportunity to attend local and national conferences, and the program directors as well as my mentorship team worked diligently to provide me with opportunities for direct interaction with locally and nationally renowned management professionals. With this program and the team of people involved who truly have a passion for municipal government, I feel like I am well prepared for a successful and fulfilling career in municipal government management.

After graduation, wherever I go, I plan to give my all to ensure that my community gets the best of me every day. It’s not the easiest profession, but it is certainly gratifying to know that, whether or not you’re thanked for what you do, your work truly does make a difference in the long term development of the community.

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