Thirty-three MPA students presented their Capstone research projects over the last two weeks of spring semester.
Working individually, or in groups of two or three, students have been planning their projects since last fall. The presentation is the culmination of the program, the last challenge prior to obtaining their Master of Public Administration degree.
Students met with leaders of a public or nonprofit organization to understand their needs and then mutually agreed upon a project that provided the organization with research needed for positive change. They applied sound research methodologies to study and analyze real-world problems and made recommendations to improve or solve the problems.
The diverse projects addressed issues such as employment and job training; business and economic development; urban living; housing and neighborhood development; reaching and serving at-risk populations; building code enforcement and abandoned properties; justice and law enforcement; public works; economic and business development; transportation; marketing and communications; best practices and process improvement; citizen engagement; and more.
The last evening of the presentations, the MPA alumni society invited students to celebrate at a local restaurant. Here’s to our newest MPA alumni!
