Greetings from DPAP and the UM MPA program!
We are well into a busy Fall semester and want to share some of what’s been happening...
Our faculty continue to engage in practical research that is having a positive impact on our discipline and in our communities; please read on for details on their latest projects. Eli Redeker has joined the department as our new Administrative Associate Manager, and we’re happy to introduce him to our broader alumni community. Two of our alums have returned to campus as instructors, and we are launching an alumni survey to gather insight and information to assist with our reaccreditation efforts. We are thrilled to shine the spotlight on one of our exceptional MPA students – Amerra Felsman; please read how she is making an impact through research and service. There are also a few notes about our conference engagement, and a few words about our programming.
I hope you enjoy learning a bit of what we are doing at your alma mater. Please complete the alumni survey (details below) and share your contact information with us. Drop us a line sometime at mpa@mso.umt.edu. We’d love to hear from you!
Happy Hiking on the Trail of Public Service,
Shannon K. Vaughan, Ph.D., MPA
Professor, MPA Director and Chair
DPAP Faculty Engage in Timely, Practical Research on Public and Nonprofit Organizations
Dr. Blake Emidy recently published “Who Gets Denied Telework in the US Federal Service?” in the Review of Public Personnel Administration. He and his coauthors examined telework access through the lens of social equity and found that Black and Latino employees, younger employees, and employees with disabilities have requests denied at higher rates than others. They argue that as managers are given greater discretion in deciding who is given access to telework following the COVID-19 era, agency leaders should work to ensure that telework does not become yet another source of workplace inequity in the future.
Dr. Lauren McKeague has an ongoing research collaboration with Project:Camp, a relatively new 501(c)(3) organization that creates pop-up fun camps that provide vital, trauma-informed childcare for kids impacted by disasters. Along with several other research collaborators, Dr. McKeague has worked with Project:Camp in their efforts to support disaster resiliency for communities across the country. The current stage of this longitudinal research project includes a mixed-methods study that seeks to understand how different stakeholders perceive the needs of children in disasters, and potential ways those needs might be better met. Findings from this study will help inform both the work of Project:Camp as well as create awareness of the unique and important role similar nonprofits might play in complementing government-led disaster management efforts.
Welcome, Eli Redeker!
Three months into the job as our new Administrative Associate Manager, it is clear that Eli Redeker is a tremendous asset to the department. A proud UM alum – earning his BA in English in 2017 – Eli was a high school teacher and multi-sport coach in the Charlo School District before returning to Missoula and the UM campus as a graduate advisor. Knowledgeable about UM systems and Grad School policies, and enthusiastic about advising and assisting students, Eli has become an integral part of the DPAP community. One of his current projects is developing a Canvas site to more effectively communicate information to DPAP students. The site includes announcements of internship and job opportunities, so please let us know if your organization has an opening you’d like to share. If you haven’t had a chance to meet him yet, please reach out via email (eli.redeker@mso.umt.edu), or if you are in town, stop by his office in LAW 145.
Student Spotlight - Amerra Felsman
Amerra Felsman has questions about the world around her, lots of them. Finding answers to these questions has taken her down many paths, ultimately leading her to the University of Montana to work on a Master of Public Administration degree. She is part of a team collecting data and writing a publication on what it means for a community to “recover” from a natural disaster. This work has led to Webster being named a Founders’ Fellow by the American Society for Public Administration.
“It’s an honor to receive this fellowship,” said Felsman. “This will open up more doors for me through mentorship connections and through more networking opportunities.”
Felsman will be the first Founders’ Fellow from the University of Montana, a prestigious recognition for rising stars within the public administration field.
Amerra was nominated for her work on a large academic study on disaster recovery within south central Montana communities affected by the Yellowstone floods of 2022.
Felsman’s portion of the study is a glimpse into the lives of those affected by the flooding.
“Our team is sending out cameras to people affected by the floods in Livingston and Red Lodge,” Amerra said. “Then, they take pictures from their own perspective to answer the question ‘What does community recovery and resiliency look like after the 2022 Yellowstone River flood?’.”
Community members take the pictures and send them back to the research team. Felsman will then examine the images with the community using the Photovoice method.
“Gathering this type of data is important,” said Felsman. “It provides the opportunity to co-create research with the communities impacted by the 2022 flood, as well as generates information for and by these communities to better prepare for the future.”
Felsman grew up in Ronan and is a citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. She left Montana in high school to attend a Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) boarding school in Oregon, then onto the Ivy Leagues for her undergrad at Dartmouth College.
“I’m a Montana girl through and through,” said Amerra. “After living on the east coast and being in D.C., I knew I wanted to come home and shift focus towards serving my community.”
Amerra is now enrolled at the University of Montana and working on a Master of Public Administration degree after working for her tribal government through the Lead For America Hometown Fellowship.
“I always intended to go to law school and my undergrad resume reflects that,” said Amerra. “But during my experience working for my tribal government, I realized I was much more interested in doing research in my community and found public administration to be a better fit for me and how I want to serve in the future.”
Felsman noticed a strong presence of legal tribal governance and policy scholarship, but a lack of applied tribal governance and policy research within the public policy and administration field.
“I want to be helpful by studying various tribal issues and then work towards finding community-centered solutions,” Amerra said. “Not just for my tribe, but for all of Indian Country.”
Alumni Return to DPAP Classes as Instructors
The UM Department of Public Administration & Policy is pleased to welcome two of our alums – Stephan Licitra (JD/MPA) and Hannah Zuraff (MPA/Nonprofit Admin Certificate) – back to the classroom as instructors for our Fall 2024 undergraduate NPAD classes.
Stephan Licitra is Associate Law Librarian for the Jameson Law Library at the University of Montana. Prior to earning his Juris Doctor and Master of Public Administration degrees at UM, Mr. Licitra earned his Master of Library and Information Science at Dominican University in River Forest, IL. His library and legal research experience is extensive and includes positions with the State Law Library of Montana in Helena, Oak Park (IL) Public Library, Nona McGreal Center for Dominican Historical Studies in River Forest, IL, the Center for Research Libraries and the Pritzker Military Museum and Library (each located in Chicago, IL), as well as the Missoula Public Library, Mansfield Library, and Montana Legal Service Association, all located in Missoula.
Hannah Zuraff is the Executive Director of Families First, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to “empowering Western Montana families with parent education and learning through play” with offices in the Missoula Public Library. As Executive Director, Ms. Zuraff manages a team that includes 12 staff and an operating budget of $1.2 million, and has significant experience in fundraising, volunteer recruitment/retention, and grants management. She earned her MPA and Certificate in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Montana, her CNP (Certified Nonprofit Professional) credential from the Alliance Management Institute, and is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work degree at UM.
On the Road for DPAP
Fall is a busy time, with many opportunities to engage with professional colleagues to promote and enhance our DPAP programs. In early October, DPAP faculty participated in UM’s Public Service Pathways Week, inviting individuals from the Partnership for Public Service to speak in their classes as part of their Public Service Roadshow. The Public Service Roadshow puts a spotlight on federal government job and internship opportunities – for graduate and undergraduate students. UM has and continues to develop resources to assist students with finding and applying for jobs in public service.
Also in early October, DPAP once again participated as an exhibitor for the Montana Nonprofit Association (MNA) annual conference (https://conference.mtnonprofit.org/), and we were fortunate to meet with many nonprofit professionals during the in-person conference in Helena. Montana has a vibrant nonprofit sector staffed by committed and enthusiastic individuals, and I hope we will see many more of them in our classes in the future. Please note that NPAD graduate classes make good electives for the MPA degree, so if you or someone you know is interested in learning more about our graduate certificate in nonprofit administration and/or NPAD grad classes, please contact Eli Redeker (eli.redeker@mso.umt.edu) for more information.
Fall is also NASPAA conference time. This year’s annual meeting was in Washington, D.C., held just a few blocks from the Capitol building. As the accrediting body for our MPA program, NASPAA provides an important and informative conference. The panels, committee meetings, plenary discussion, and multiple conversations with colleagues provided a plethora of information, strategies, and tips we can use to enhance our already outstanding MPA program. Notable at this year’s conference was celebration of the 50th anniversary of Pi Alpha Alpha (PAA), the global honor society for public affairs and administration. UM's Chapter – UMPAA – fosters innovative applied learning experiences and scholarship in public administration, policy, and affairs. By serving the students, alumni, and associates of the University of Montana, UMPAA strives to enhance the experiences of its members and community by providing opportunities for professional development, applied learning, and networking through academic and professional support. If you didn’t join as a student, membership is open to alumni! More information is available at: https://www.umt.edu/law/mpa/umpaa/.
Program-related conference travel wrapped up for the Fall with the Certified Public Manager’s Consortium annual meeting, held this year in beautiful Scottsdale, Arizona. DPAP is in the process of developing Montana’s Certified Public Manager® program. Curriculum of the CPM program is competencies-based, designed to enhance the performance of public and nonprofit sector managers and their agencies. If you would like to learn more or assist in development of our program, please contact Shannon Vaughan (shannon.vaughan@mso.umt.edu).
UMPAA Notes
The University of Montana is very proud to have an active chapter of Pi Alpha Alpha (UMPAA)- The Global Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration. Pi Alpha Alpha members are recognized for their outstanding scholarship and achievement in our DPAP courses. Aside from the honor and recognition that Pi Alpha Alpha students have earned, students in UMPAA have also elected to take on servant leadership projects- including social events to be announced in the coming months.
Please join us in recognizing our 2024-2025 UMPAA Leadership Team:
- Zoe Bommarito, President
- Morgan Hahn, Vice President
- Ty Robinson, Treasurer
- Stephanie Lynch, Secretary
- Daisy Gilham, Officer
Alumni Input Needed
2024-25 is our self-study year for NASPAA reaccreditation. The primary focus of our self-study is assessment of how effective the UM MPA program is at equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to succeed as leaders and managers in public service. To help us with this assessment, we ask all UM MPA alumni to participate in a survey designed to help us identify program strengths as well as areas we can improve. The link to the survey is included here: https://umt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b8vkYTl01N2aDsi. Please be on the lookout for an email reminder, as well. We appreciate your assistance with collecting this important information.
Trailhead to Public Service
Uniquely situated within the Alexander Blewett III School of Law and home to the only NASPAA-accredited MPA program in Montana, the Department of Public Administration & Policy offers a transformative educational experience that prepares students for a rewarding career in public service. In addition to the MPA and dual/joint degree options in law, public health, and social work, DPAP offers 4 graduate certificate programs: 1) law, policy, and administration; 2) nonprofit administration; 3) public administration; and 4) public policy. We provide a comprehensive curriculum that includes hands-on learning and real-world projects. Our courses are offered fully remote/online with some in-person options. Admissions are made on a rolling basis, so applications are welcomed at any time. Please contact Eli Redeker (eli.redeker@mso.umt.edu) for more information and assistance with applying.