MPA NEWSLETTER
May 2018
Good News
Michelle Alfaro (MPA '16) is now President at Mama Chelle’s Kitchen, LLC in Papillion, Nebraska, in addition to being City Planner for the City of Omaha, Nebraska.
Dr. Theodore Arapis (MPA Faculty Member) was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor of Public Administration at Villanova University.
Dr. Theodore Arapis (MPA Faculty Member) and Dave Grady (MPA '15) were invited to the Association of Government Accountants (AGA) Philadelphia Chapter 60th Annual Professional Development Training on May 4, 2018. Dr. Arapis, a Public Finance and Budgeting expert, provided training to its members. Dr. Arapis then joined forces with Mr. Dave Grady, MPA alumnus and current Assistant Township Manager of Nether Providence, and offered a workshop on Financial Condition Testing and Benchmarking for Municipal Governments. To see a photo from the workshop please click here.
Bridget Boston (MPA '15) is now Associate Director of the Department of Public Administration at Villanova University.
Johnny Cooper (MPA '15) is now Chief of Philanthropy at Lions Clubs International Foundation in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Kathy Hall (MPA ’16) is now Executive Assistant to the President and CEO at Access Services, Fort Washington, PA.
Terrell Johnson (MPA '17) In 2016 spoke to NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice at Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School. Centered around the theme “mending gaps”, Terrell discussed the impact of expanded Medicaid on health coverage in Pennsylvania. As state legislators consider adding work requirements to the program (HB 2138) — an amendment that will have serious consequences for Medicaid-eligible Pennsylvanians’. To view the video of the presentation please click here.
Rebecca Leininger (Current MPA Student) is the winner of the 2018 MPA Your Way photo contest.
Kelsey Margey (Current MPA Student) and a member of the Women’s Villanova Track and Field Team, won the 4x1500m and 4x800m relays at Penn Relays in April. To view photos from the race please click here.
Michael Miller (MPA '16) is now Financial Accounts Technician at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Asheville, North Carolina.
Tolulope Omodara (Current MPA Student) recently wrote an article featured on linkedin.com titled "Integrating Competency Development into Early Education". To read the full article please click here.
Dontae Phillips (MPA '13) is now Chaplain (1st Lieutenant) HHC 1-224 AVN at Maryland Army National Guard in Baltimore, Maryland Area.
Scott Savett (MPA '15) is the founder of ATK Apparel, a company that manufactures athletic attire for men who are under 5-foot-8. Scott and his company were recently featured on Philly.com here.
Scott Swichar (MPA '11) was recently appointed as Township Manager of East Fallowfield Township, PA.
David Thompson (Current MPA Student) is now Assistant Township Manager at East Vincent Township in Spring City, PA.
Nathan Vader Wyse (Current MPA Student) is now Online Primary School English Instructor at Qkids based out of Xiamen, Fujian, China.
Nicholas Valla (Current MPA Student) was elected Vice President of Finance for the Graduate Student Council at Villanova.
Villanova University was listed in the Main Line Today as one of the 14 Great Places to Work Around the Main Line. To read the full article please click here.
Robert Williams (Current MPA Student) and Borough Manager of Orwigsburg, PA developed an Orwigsburg Town Survey as a result of taking Dr. Danielle Johnson’s Applied Data Analysis course in Fall 2017. Robert said this about Dr. Johnson’s class:
The class “made a difference in our community, it was the genesis of a community survey that produced a higher level of civic involvement, and produced a better understanding of a local government and our citizens.“ Robert continued, “fact is, every course and every Professor, has delivered results for the Borough of Orwigsburg.” He noted that the project “illustrate[s] the real-world, or practical benefits of an outstanding world-class program.”
Dr. Catherine E. Wilson (Chair of the Department of Public Administration) recently published an article titled "Faith, Refuge, and Resistance: The Innovations and Impact of the Modern-Day Sanctuary Movement" in the Public Justice Review. To read the full article please click here.
Dr. Catherine Wilson (Chair of the Department of Public Administration) received the Trocaire Leadership Award for Education on April 14, 2018 from Gwynedd Mercy Academy (GMA), Dr. Wilson’s high school alma mater. Pictured here with Dr. Wilson is Denise Marbach, President of GMA, and Lisa Tierney, Communication Chair of the GMA Alumnae Board.
Michael Wisniewski (MPA '17) is now the Special Park and Land Use Manager for the National Park Service in the NY/NJ area and recently published an article on international relations in the New Oxford Review titled "Why is the European Union Bullying Poland & Hungary". To view the full article please click here.
Events
Thank you for all who attended our Annual MPA Dinner!
Thank you for all who came out for our Annual MPA vs. HRD Kickball Game!
Congratulations to the 2018 Pi Alpha Alpha Inductees!
Thank you to all who attended our 2018 Graduation Brunch!
VU-PAA Webinar - Equity: Not Falling Prey to the Latest Buzzwords
Hosted by: Maria Miranda, MPA '17
When: June 4, 2018 at 12:00pm
Where: Webinar
To more information and to register please click here.
Nonprofits & Policy Makers II: Voices from the Field
Presented by the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO)
When: June 8, 2018 from 8:00am to 12:00pm
Where: Villanova University
For more information please click here.
Interested in attending? MPA students and alumni can receive a fee waiver by contacting Dr. Lauren Miltenberger.
Do you have a friend, family member, or colleague who is interested in pursuing an MPA degree? Please encourage them to join us for a virtual information session to learn all about our campus MPA degree from faculty, staff, and alumni! Participants also receive an application fee waiver.
When: June 12, 2018 at 12:00pm
Where: Virtual
To register, please click here.
Join the Office of Graduate Studies for a presentation and networking event just for teachers! $50 application fee waiver for attendees.
When: June 26, 2018 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
Where: Curley Exchange, Bartley Hall
Register: gsevent.villanova.edu
For more information please click here!
MPA Alumni and Faculty Spotlights
Alumni Spotlight – Michelle Alfaro
Michelle Alfaro ’16 MPA was the first person in her family to graduate from college – and the first to earn a master’s degree. Read more here.
Faculty Spotlight – Eric Hamberger
Important Dates to Know!
Summer 2018 Comprehensive Exam
- Exam Date: July 14, 2018
- Application Deadline: May 25, 2018
September 2018 Graduation
- Application Deadline: June 15, 2018
- Find all details regarding the application process here.
Graduate Academic Calendars
Students - please note that every year, the university surveys graduate students about their experiences at Villanova. Additionally, we reach out to graduating students to learn about their plans post-graduation. Please be on the lookout for emails about these surveys. We greatly appreciate your feedback and use it to inform our activities.
Thank you!
Job/Internship Opportunities
Additional Opportunities
Want to Help an Aspiring Villanova Undergraduate Student interested in Public Service? Say Yes to Being a Mentor! One of the major strengths of our Villanova MPA is the community connections we have with you - our outstanding alumni and current students. We would love to share this strength with aspiring undergraduate students enrolled in our Public Service & Administration minor. The new mentoring program will connect undergraduate students who want to learn more about public service as a profession with our network of Villanova MPA public service leaders. Interested in helping out? Please email Professor Lauren Miltenberger at lauren.miltenberger@villanova.edu to learn more about the new mentoring program.
Join the Nova Network - Villanova's Social and Professional Networking Platform
The Nova Network is Villanova's official, new social and professional networking platform!
Click here to join the Nova Network to find Villanovans in your industry and local area, discuss career-related topics and access resources for your professional development.
It takes just a few minutes to sign up and you can even use your LinkedIn profile to assist. Learn all about the Nova Network here. Questions? Contact the Alumni Association alumni@villanova.edu.
Social Media
Helpful Links
Share your news with us and update your contact information - Email publicadmin@villanova.edu