What's New in the MPA Program

NKU’s graduate programs have been recognized for their quality and value by U.S. News & World Report in 2025. In particular, NKU’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program was ranked 3rd among graduate public affairs programs in the state of Kentucky, behind only the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville.

In addition to the MPA program, other graduate programs at NKU made it to the U.S. News national rankings: Nurse Anesthesia, 68th; Law, 134th; Occupational Therapy, 212nd; and Social Work, 241st.

Our undergraduate micro-credential in Arts Administration will launch in Fall 2025! The MPA program has been offering a graduate micro-credential in this area for a few years, and we're excited to bring a similar version to undergrad students and community members interested in gaining knowledge, skills, and experiences around the management of arts organizations, most of which are nonprofits. Upon completion, micro-credential earners can share a digital "badge" on their LinkedIn profiles and other platforms as well as more traditional resumes. Please share with folks who may be interested! 

An interested student could start the Arts Administration micro-credential in Fall 2025 and finish it by Summer 2026. One of the required courses -- Managing Nonprofit Organizations (PAD 562) -- is being offered this Fall and currently there are seats/spaces available. PAD 562 is only offered in the Fall semester, so those folks wanting to earn the micro-credential sooner rather than later should register for this class. Please contact MPA Coordinator Missy Gish (gishm@nku.edu) for more information.

Very exciting news! Dr. Darrin Wilson will be leading a study-abroad course in Australia -- called "Parliament vs. Presidency: Exploring Governance Down Under" – during the Winter 2025 term. The 3-credit course will take place from December 26, 2025 through January 07, 2026, and the application deadline is September 15, 2025. The following are some highlights of this incredible study-abroad opportunity:

• Take exclusive field trips to the Australian Parliament and High Court in Canberra, providing a rare opportunity to step inside the halls of power and understand the inner workings of the Australian political system.

• Visit key political sites in Sydney, comparing governance and public administration in Australia with the United States.

• Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef and hike through the Daintree Rainforest, examining the administration of natural areas and policies related to the sustainable tourism sector.

• Explore rural areas to gain insight into the traditions of Australia’s indigenous peoples, how they are governed, and how their heritage shapes the country today.

Dr. Wilson's course is being offered through the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad (CCSA), which is a statewide consortium that supports faculty-led study-abroad experiences. You can learn more about his course on CCSA's web site. Also, feel free to reach out to Dr. Wilson at wilsond32@nku.edu.

Luke Price is the new MPA Graduate Assistant! Luke is assisting with student recruitment, writing the MPA student blog, supporting faculty research, engaging with the Public Administrators Study Society (PASS), helping implement MPA events, and working on special projects in the MPA program and our department.  

Luke earned his bachelor's degree at NKU in May 2024 with a major in Law and a minor in Public Service. He was a member of NKU’s Student Government Association (SGA) all four years and has a great deal of experience with student organizations on our campus. Check out Luke's blog to learn about his experiences as an NKU MPA student.  

Congratulations to our newest MPA graduates -- Avery, Clayton, Sylvia, Matt, Ben, Amara, Chris, Amy, India, Sam, Michelle, and Josh!  

Great news for public service in our region! The American Society for Public Administration's Greater Cincinnati Chapter (ASPA-GCC) has been re-energized by some NKU MPA faculty, staff, and alumni. New board members have joined experienced board members to relaunch the chapter's web site and social media platforms (see links below). And the board has focused on bringing back the Outstanding Public Service awards program with some new energy. The awards celebration was on October 22nd, and it was a positive event with lots of and networking and socializing. Learn more about ASPA-GCC at the website, Facebook and LinkedIn pages.

ASPA-GCC board members:

• Jim Flick (MPA 2010), President
• Missy Gish (MPA Coordinator), Vice President
• Julie Olberding (MPA Director), Secretary/Treasurer
• Elishia Chamberlain (MPA 2008), Past President
• Kerri Castlen (MPA 2005)
• Amy Humphrey (MPA 2018)
• Jeremy Worley (MPA 2019)

A special welcome to our 2024 MPA students – Jennifer, Lesley, Brielle, Lucas, Jessica, Kaitlin, Matthew, Kel, Jenna, Nina, Isaiah, Caroline, and Kennedy (pictured) and David, Halleigh, Porcha, Luke, and Bobby (not pictured).

Congratulations to Dr. Nana Arthur-Mensah on her new role as Interim Chair of the Department of NKU Political Science, Criminal Justice and Organizational Leadership (where the MPA program is housed)! Dr. Arthur-Mensah is an Associate Professor of Organizational Leadership (OL), has been teaching at NKU since 2015, and has served as Assistant Chair of the department since 2022. Some MPA students might recognize her from teaching PAD 632 Executive Management and Leadership in Spring 2024.  

Dr. Arthur-Mensah's academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development and a master's degree in Human Resource Education, both from the University of Louisville. Originally from Ghana, she earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Ghana.

The Wall Street Journal ranked Northern Kentucky University 29th out of 500 universities offering the best value in the United States. NKU is the ONLY public university in our region and in Kentucky to make the Top 100 on the Best Value list! Read more here!

We celebrated our newest MPA graduates on May 5 at Truist Arena! Congratulations to Tim, Rick, Elissa, Matt, Hanna, Zachary, Kyle and Eric.

With the help of MPA students, alumni, faculty/staff, and friends, our program  raised over $9,600 on NKU Founders’ Day! The funds came from 44 donors and  two challenges sponsored by the NKU Board of Regents.

The Founders’ Day dollars will support: the MPA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship; our mentoring program; networking and socializing events; student  fees for conferences and simulation competitions; and other student support  resources. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Congratulations to our newest MPA alumni –  Brittany, Matt, Abby, Bailey,  Stephanie, Angela, and Brandon (not pictured)! Here are some photos from the May commencement ceremonies.  

Five NKU MPA students and alumni were inducted into the Pi Alpha Alpha (PAA)  global honor society at the MPA Spring Celebration. Congratulations to Paula,  Abby, Matt, Bailey, and Tim!  

PAA membership identifies and recognizes individuals with "the highest performance levels in educational programs preparing them for public service careers."

It's official! We have launched a new Community and Economic Development micro-credential, available at the graduate and undergraduate levels at NKU. The credential can be readily earned as part of the MPA degree or a bachelor's degree. There are two required courses: Community Development (PAD 560) and Local Economic Development (PAD 561).  

The Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati region has a vibrant environment of community and economic development professionals -- including many NKU MPA alums! -- who enhance job creation and retention, neighborhood revitalization, and community sustainability. The micro-credential is designed to help prepare more people to do this work in a variety of organizations, including nonprofits, local governments, and state governments.   

Thanks to Dr. Darrin Wilson for initiating the new micro-credential at NKU and for teaching the required courses! More information can be found here, which includes a link to the application process and FAQs about micro-credentials.

Meet the new MPA Graduate Assistant (GA) Avery Adams! Avery graduated from Wittenberg University in May and started the NKU MPA program this Fall. As an undergraduate student, Avery completed an internship in Washington, D.C. with the United States Marshals Service in the Prisoner Operations Division. During this internship, she worked closely with deputies and administrators to ensure safety and care of those in federal custody by organizing transportation and tracking COVID-19 in the prisons. This internship is what solidified Avery’s decision to earn an MPA and serve in the public sector.

As the MPA GA, Avery will use her experience and skills to assist with MPA student recruitment, work on special projects within the MPA program, manage the Public Administrators Student Society (PASS), maintain the MPA student blog, and much more.  

The NKU MPA program is very excited for the opportunity to further our mission of preparing public servants, managers, and leaders in our region. We look  forward to deepening our relationships with three public/nonprofit organizations that are partnering with us on the tuition reduction project -- City of Cincinnati, City of Covington, and Northern Kentucky Area Development District (NKADD). Thanks to everyone at NKU and our partner organizations who have supported and championed this endeavor! Read about the tuition reduction program here.  

The NKU MPA has a new promotional video! It was fun working with Dylan, Abigail, and Zach from NorseMedia and, of course, our rock star alumni and students. Check out the final cut here!

Special thanks to Anson Turley, Paula Brehm-Heeger, Chris Moriconi, Bradley Dickerson, Deanna Hillard, and Julie Muehlenkamp for their time and energy!

We're excited to be part of the U.S. News & World Report list of best graduate public affairs programs in the country ... and #3 in the state of Kentucky. Check out the Northern Kentucky University article about this accomplishment!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The MPA program raised over $3,100 from 50 donors and two challenges on the 2022 NKU Founders’ Day that will go towards our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship and other resources to support our students!  

Our MPA Program has started a student chapter of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). It is the only ICMA student chapter in the Northern Kentucky / Greater Cincinnati region and the second chapter in the state of Kentucky.

The ICMA student chapter will be an excellent opportunity for NKU students to network and learn more about local government. Chapter meetings will include guest speakers, tours of local government facilities, and networking events with local government managers and leaders. All student members will receive a free ICMA membership and access to the resources provided by the organization, including discounts to the annual conference. (The 2022 annual conference will be held in Columbus, Ohio, September 17-21.)   

Many thanks to Chapter President Pierce Turner, Faculty Advisor Dr. Darrin Wilson, and Chapter Mentor Tim Williams for their efforts! (Tim is the former City Administrator of Crestview Hills, KY.) For more information, please contact Peirce at turnerp7@mymail.nku.edu.

Many thanks to our MPA Advisory Board members for their commitment and engagement over the years! We truly appreciate their ongoing leadership and optimism during the pandemic and their time and energy working with our MPA students, especially in the Capstone course.  

Also, we want to recognize the two newest members of the MPA Advisory Board: Tim Haizlip, Vice President at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), and Stacie Strotman, Executive Director of Covington Partners. We are very happy and honored that both have agreed to join the team!  

Last but not least, we want to give a special thanks to two board members who stepped down after many, many years of service: David Elmer, Director of Administrative Services for the Village of Evandale, and Mary Ucci, Director of Research, Grants and Contracts at Northern Kentucky University. Mary retired from NKU in December 2021, so we wish her the very best in this next phase of life.

BIG congratulations to our newest MPA graduates – Angie, Krystal, Nick, Victoria, Chris, Grace-Marie, Josh, and Sydney! We were excited they could celebrate at an in-person Commencement Ceremony at BB&T Arena in December 2021.

A warm welcome to the new MPA students who started in Spring 2022 – Rachel, Mark, Ron, Kyle, Sam, Stephanie, and James.

Say “hello” to Julie Muehlenkamp, the 2021-2022 MPA Graduate Assistant (GA)! Julie is an MPA student and currently the Community Learning Center Coordinator for Covington Partners. In this role, Julie manages a federally-funded after-school program in the Covington Independent Public School District, collaborating with community partners, school district employees, families, and students to create an inclusive and equitable learning environment for students in need of extra support and resources.

As the MPA GA, Julie is using her experience and skills to assist with recruiting new MPA students, working on special projects within the MPA program, managing the Public Administrators Student Society (PASS), maintaining the MPA student blog, and much more. Students interested in participating in PASS can reach out to Julie at muehlenkaj1@nku.edu.  

The NKU MPA program is featured in Newsweek's list of "Leading Public Affairs, Policy & Administration Programs 2021." Please check out the Newsweek web page and share with co-workers, friends, and family who may be interested in pursuing public service careers.

On the local level, The River City New published an article about some exciting changes with our MPA program. Here are highlights from the article:

• The MPA degree will have a fully online modality or format to enhance accessibility to our students who live and work in Lexington, Louisville, Columbus, and beyond. It will continue to be delivered in the more traditional format with a mix of face-to-face, online, and hybrid classes for those interested.
• The MPA degree will require the completion of 36 credit hours, down from 39. Many of our in-career students take two classes per semester, so they can now finish in six semesters or two years. The program will maintain its flexibility so that each student decides on the number of classes they take each semester -- usually one, two, or three.
• Students can continue earning graduate certificates in Nonprofit Management or Emergency Management, along with the MPA degree. In addition, they can readily earn micro-credentials (6 to 9 credit hours) in areas such as Arts Administration, GIS & Mapping, Disaster Readiness, Serving Veterans & Families, Rural Leadership, and Cybersecurity.  

Congrats to our MPA Spring 2021 graduates - Stefanie, Tom P., Sydney, Michelle, Austin, Bobbi, Erin, Tom E., DiEshia, Danielle, and Dan! NKU held a commencement ceremony at the BB&T Arena on NKU's campus where family and other guests cheered for them in-person, while faculty and staff participated virtually (due to the overwhelming number of students and COVID-19 limitations).  

There was also a special ceremony at BB&T Arena for Spring 2020 and Fall 2020 graduates, who did not have the opportunity to "walk" last year due to the pandemic.

The NKU Master of Public Administration is offering a new graduate micro-credential in Arts Administration, starting in Spring 2021. It was created to help meet the need among arts organizations in our region for more professionals with knowledge and skills in program management, fundraising, financial management, volunteer coordination, and so on.  

The Arts Administration micro-credential will prepare post-baccalaureate students for various administrative and management positions in arts organizations, from entry-level positions on up. These organizations include art museums, theaters, dance companies, and community-based art centers.  

The new Arts Admin micro-credential fits in very well with our existing curriculum and our faculty's work in creative placemaking and related areas. The micro-credential (9 credits) is "stackable" toward our Nonprofit Management graduate certificate (18 credits) and our MPA degree (39 credits).  

Please share with co-workers, friends, and family members who may be interested. More information including links to the FREE application and FAQs can be found here.

A big “THANK YOU!” to all who donated to the MPA Program on NKU Founders' Day, March 10! We raised more than $3,200 for the MPA Program, including the MPA Diversity Scholarship. 

Over half of that amount was from winning two challenges throughout the day. A very special thanks to Lisa Desmarais (MPA 2012) and her husband Norm Desmarais (NKU Regent) for their generous donation that supported the early morning and final countdown challenges! The MPA program won both of these with a number of big and small donations, so please know that all of those $5 and $10 donations helped us earn an additional $1,000 from each challenge.

Everyone who donated was entered into a drawing for some MPA swag. Congratulations to our winners – Anne Powers (current MPA student) and Tim Delaney (MPA 2010)!

Again, thanks to alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends who donated to the MPA program! And kudos to MPA Coordinator Missy Gish for serving as our #NKUFOUNDERSDAY Ambassador! Our collective efforts will help support our students, alumni, and program through scholarships, events, and other activities.

Huge CONGRATULATIONS to our newest MPA graduates -- Brandi, Brian, Chris, Coleen, Dennia, Jenna, Madeline, Molly, Nathan, Rachel, Ryan, Sara, Sokoni, Stefanie, and Travis!  

Of course, we aren't able to celebrate with them in-person, but we held a virtual celebration in January.  

Check out the new NKU MPA video produced by the MPA Graduate Assistant, Sydney Renner.

If you have any colleagues or friends interested in the NKU MPA program, feel free to share this video and Missy Gish’s contact info (gishm@nku.edu) with them!  

Our MPA program has developed and deepened a partnership with Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati, which is a network of about 30 nonprofit organizations "fighting for fairness, equality, and opportunities for all." Community Shares helps empower these nonprofits through fundraising, research, public education, and advocacy.

In terms of fundraising, Community Shares hosts workplace campaigns that provide employees the opportunity to make charitable donations through payroll deduction to causes of their choice. Northern Kentucky University is one of Community Shares' workplace partners.

The following are the various ways that our MPA program is partnering with Community Shares and its member organizations:

• A Capstone student is researching and drafting position statements on  issues important to Community Shares related to social and economic equality.
• Another MPA student is working to help Community Shares expand the
  organizations in our region involved in its workplace giving campaign.
• Students in our Volunteer Management class (PAD 622) this Summer are engaging in service learning projects with two Community Shares member organizations to enhance their volunteer efforts: Invest In Neighborhoods (IIN) and Youth At The Center.
• MPA faculty Julie Olberding and Darrin Wilson are collaborating with IIN on
  community-based research related to Community Councils in Cincinnati
  neighborhoods.
• MPA faculty members have provided training for IIN in the past and plan to provide training for Community Shares in the future.

If you're interested in learning more about becoming a Community Shares member organization or workplace giving partner, send a message to info@cintishares.org.

The NKU Master of Public Administration program recently established a chapter of the Pi Alpha Alpha (PAA) global honor society for public administration and affairs. PAA membership identifies and recognizes individuals with "the highest performance levels in educational programs preparing them for public service careers."

To be eligible, NKU MPA students must complete at least 20 hours toward the required 39 credit hours and have a 3.7 cumulative GPA.

PAA membership is also available to NKU MPA alumni who meet the requirements. Interested alumni should send an email message to MPA Coordinator Missy Gish at gishm@nku.edu.

A special induction ceremony for students and alumni will take place at our MPA Spring Banquet on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Please save the date, and plan to attend.

In Fall 2019, 17 students earned their MPA degrees – making this the largest class since 2012. NKU’s Fall commencement was held on Saturday, December 14 at BB&T Arena. As you may know, NKU has commencement in the Fall and Spring.

In addition to the MPA graduates, three students earned a Nonprofit Management graduate certificate, and another three were awarded an Emergency Management graduate certificate.

The newest MPA alumni hold positions in public or nonprofit organizations such as Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency, City of Covington Parks and Recreation, Metro, Internal Revenue Service, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Cancer Family Care, and Northern Kentucky University. Congratulations to Julie, Sheena, Taylor, Courtney, Mark, Alaina, Marsha, Deanna, Sherri, Abbey, Jaclyn, Andrew, Jill, Caitlin, Bethany, Anthony, and Nikki!

Check out some photos and video here!

The NKU Master of Public Administration program has been working in partnership with Invest In Neighborhoods​ (IIN) on a few efforts including the Board Basics Leadership Series.

IIN is a nonprofit organization that works collaboratively with Community Councils in the City of Cincinnati to build strong neighborhoods, enhance civic engagement, and improve quality of life. Specifically, IIN helps empower Community Councils and their resident members, volunteers, and related community organizations in the following ways:

1. leadership development such as the Board Basics series;

2. annual grants to Community Councils;

3. resource and capacity development such as an insurance aggregation program; and

4. ongoing technical assistance for the operations of Community Councils.

One of IIN's signature programs is the annual Cincinnati Neighborhood Summit, which brings together 500+ community leaders and volunteers to engage, share, learn, and plan for strategies to improve the quality of life in the City of Cincinnati. The 2020 Neighborhood Summit will be held on Saturday, March 14.

It's official! The NKU Master of Public Administration program has been re-accredited through 2026 by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), which is the "global standard in public service education." We continue to be the only accredited MPA program in the Northern Kentucky / Greater Cincinnati region and one of seven accredited programs in the state of Kentucky.

NASPAA's Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation (COPRA) re-accredited our MPA program for seven years ... the maximum amount of time. COPRA found our program to be in "substantial conformity" on all seven standards, which "form the quality benchmark used by graduate public service programs around the world."

Once again, many thanks to MPA faculty, staff, Advisory Board members, alumni, and students as well as NKU administrators for the time and energy they invested in the accreditation process. We also want to thank the COPRA members, NASPAA staff, and Site Visit Team members (who traveled here from various regions of the country) for their diligence, professionalism, and collegiality throughout the process.  

NKU MPA 30-year t-shirts are here! These limited edition shirts are available with
a minimum donation of $15. If interested, please email Missy Gish at gishm@nku.edu

NKU MPA faculty and students presented at the Midwest Public Affairs Conference (MPAC) in Indianapolis! Their presentations included:

- Dr. Shamima Ahmed: Social Media and Human Resource Management: The Evolving Landscape

- Dr. Nicole Dillard and Marsha High (MPA student): Exploring Employee Engagement for Women of Color Leaders in Public Administration (pictured here)

- Dr. Darrin Wilson: Impact of the Economic Environment on the Fiscal Health of
County Governments

- Dr. Darrin Wilson and Rosie Polter (MPA student): Creating a Sustainability
Index for Neighborhood Sustainable Local Economic Development

- Taylor Schafer (MPA student) and Dr. Darrin Wilson: Examining the Co-production of Public Services, Specifically within Parks and Recreation, in the Context of a Budget Saving Measure

A warm welcome to the 2019 Fall MPA class!  

Meet our new Graduate Assistant, Sydney Renner! Sydney earned a bachelor’s degree from NKU in May 2019 with a Criminal Justice major and a Computer Forensics minor. She officially started the MPA Program this Fall but has already
completed a few MPA courses.

During her undergraduate career, Sydney chose to take the three intermediate MPA core courses -- Foundations of Public Administration (PAD 500), Human Resource Management (PAD 501), and Budgeting (PAD 511). These 500-level courses can be taken by undergraduate students at NKU and the hours waived once accepted to the MPA program. She also completed four internships with the following organizations – Hamilton County Office of Budget and Strategic Initiatives, Greater Cincinnati Fusion Center, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice.

Sydney works part time at NKU’s Recreation Center, is President of the Norse Bowling Club Team, and serves on NKU’s University Conduct Board (a hearing panel charged with enforcing the Code of Student Conduct). Currently, she is working with Drs. Marcos Misis, Danielle McDonald, and Jae-Seung Lee on a research project examining the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) program in the Butler County (Ohio) Probate Court. She is also working on a separate research project with Dr. Misis exploring the perceptions of gun ownership and gun control among college students.

As the MPA GA, Sydney is using her experience and skills to assist with recruiting
new MPA students, working on special projects within the MPA program, managing the Public Administrators Student Society (PASS), maintaining the MPA student blog (which you can check out here), and much more.  

It’s time to celebrate! For the past 30 years, the MPA program has been preparing public and nonprofit professionals to lead, manage, and serve in the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati region and beyond!

In 1986, the Council on Higher Education (CHE) granted permission to Kentucky State University to implement a remote MPA program on NKU’s campus. In 1989, the CHE gave permission to NKU to initiate its own MPA program. And in 1990, the first two students officially graduated from the NKU MPA program.

We’ll be celebrating this milestone throughout the 2019-2020 academic year starting with the Fall Open House on Tuesday, September 17 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. It will be held on the 5th floor of the Health Innovation Center and the Eva G. and Oakley B. Farris Rooftop Patio. Save the date and help celebrate three decades of public service in our region. Other 30th celebration activities will be announced throughout the year!

The NKU MPA program will receive the official decision letter about our reaccreditation in the near future ...by early August. Our accreditation is a peer-review process designed to assure quality of education and continuous improvement for MPA programs and related master’s degree programs across the United States and the world. The accrediting body is the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), and the peers are academics and practitioners in the field of public policy, affairs, and administration.

Our self-study year was the 2017-2018 academic year. We submitted the self-study report to NASPAA in August 2018 and hosted a site visit in late February 2019. During the visit, the team met with MPA faculty, staff, students, alumni, advisory board members, and university administrators to discuss experiences with and observations of the program. The site visit team submitted a report to NASPAA's Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation, which met in June to make accreditation decisions about our program and others.

Previously, our program went through this process in 2011-2012, and we were granted accreditation for 7 years, which is the maximum period of time. We will let you know as soon as we get the decision letter this round.

Thanks to all who participated in the process! It is appreciated more than you know. 

Congrats to all of the Spring 2019 graduates – Angie, Brionna, Devin, Eric, Jessica, Nikki, and Tom! With a 3.6 average GPA, these seven graduates were awarded their MPA degrees along with two Emergency Management Certificates and one Nonprofit Management Certificate. These newest NKU MPA alumni hold positions in public, nonprofit, and private organizations such as Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, City of Cincinnati’s Office of the City Manager, Brighton Center, NKU, and Apple, Inc.

Check out some more commencement photos here.

Fall commencement was held on Saturday, December 15 at BB&T Arena. With a 3.7 average GPA, 14 students (8 female/6 male) were awarded MPA degrees along with four Nonprofit Management Certificates and two Emergency Management Certificates. All currently hold positions in public or nonprofit organizations such as Great Parks of Hamilton County, Greater Cincinnati Water Works, Cincinnati Police Department, Center for Local Government, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, Cincinnati Ballet, Brighton Center, and Cooperative for Education. Congratulations to Dave Bruce, Rhea Floyd, Tiphanie Galvez, John Hennessey, Yuliya Johanningmeier, Keegan Jones, Emily Kitzmiller, Austin Lee, Lindsay Lomax, James McManus, Erin Owen, Mayra Sidler Guzman, Rachel Staley, and Jeremy Worley. We can’t wait to see the contributions you will all continue making to our local, national, and international communities!

Check out more pics from Commencement here.

Watch a short video clip of our graduates here.

The MPA program is coming to the end of the two-year reaccreditation process. Our accreditation is a peer review process designed to assure quality of education and continuous improvement for MPA programs and related master’s degree programs across the United States and the world. The accrediting body is the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA), and the peers are academics and practitioners in the field of public policy, affairs, and administration. Previously, our program went through this process in 2011-2012, and we were granted accreditation for 7 years, which is the maximum period of time.

The 2017-2018 academic year was our self study year. We submitted the report to NASPAA in August 2018 and hosted a site visit in late February 2019. During the visit, the team met with MPA faculty, staff, students, alumni, advisory board members and university administrators to discuss experiences with and observations of the program. Thanks to all who participated in the process! It is appreciated more than you know.  

We are excited to introduce the Fall 2018 MPA class! This group of 21 students consists of 14 in-career (7 female/7 male) and 7 pre-career students (4 female/3 male). Our in-career students hold positions as city planners, community development managers, police officers, tax administrators, and program managers in government agencies such as a juvenile court system and in nonprofit organizations such as the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative.

Nine of the 21 students earned their bachelor degrees from NKU. Their undergraduate majors include Organizational Leadership, Political Science, Criminal Justice, and Early Childhood Development. #NorseNation

Brandi Mulligan was selected as the recipient of the 2018 MPA Diversity Scholarship. This is the third year of the annual scholarship, which is awarded to a new MPA student with “a demonstrated commitment to enhancing the understanding and appreciation of diverse populations.”

As an undergraduate student at NKU, Brandi founded the Black and Brown Educators of Excellence (BBE of E) organization in Fall 2014 with the goal of promoting diversity and providing support for minority students in the program. Since the founding of BBE of E, the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS) doubled the number of minority students in their programs. BBE of E has become a resource for students not only in COEHS but also campus wide with programs such as resume building, standardized test preparation, community networking and more.

Also, Brandi served in leadership roles for a number of NKU student organizations including President of Zeta Phi Beta and Vice President of the National PanHellenic Council. In May 2018, Brandi received the NKU President’s Award which is given to a student “who has greatly contributed to the development of a strong sense of community at NKU through special efforts to: break down barriers of discrimination, or promote international awareness or promote the interaction of traditional and non- traditional students, or promote diversity, or promote handicap awareness and access.”

Brandi started the MPA program this Fall with the goal of attaining the skills and knowledge to work in higher education administration.

The NKU MPA program is among the schools that have decided to participate in the Voter Registration Challenge by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA). The goal is to encourage more MPA students – who have already demonstrated a commitment to good public governance and civic engagement – to register and vote.

As most people know, voter turnout is shockingly low in our country especially during midterm elections ... including among MPA students. In the 2014 midterm elections, only 36.4% percent of the eligible population cast ballots, which is the lowest since World War II. Only 36.3% of graduate students in public administration and related fields voted in those same elections. We can do better!   #NASPAAvotes #NKUMPA

Ashish Vaidya was named the sixth president of Northern Kentucky University on November 9, 2017, and began his tenure on July 1, 2018.

As NKU’s president, Dr. Vaidya will champion the university’s mission and core values, chart an adventurous course, and communicate the strategic priorities with internal and external stakeholders.  He will work toward fostering a culture that furthers NKU’s commitment to academics, access, and inclusive excellence.

Read about how the economics professor son of an Indian government engineer became NKU's sixth president.

We are excited to announce that Marsha High is our new MPA Graduate Assistant! Marsha graduated from NKU in Spring 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in History, a minor in Black Studies, and a concentration in Women’s Studies. She started the MPA program in Fall 2016.

As an undergraduate student, Marsha held executive positions with NKU’s Activities Programming Board, Northern Kentucky Leadership Institute, and Presidential Ambassadors. Immediately following graduation, Marsha spent a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA member working as the NKU Volunteer Coordinator with the Northern Kentucky Leadership Institute. In this position, she was responsible for planning monthly service events for 150 to 250 students and advising freshman in leadership and service. Marsha is currently the AmeriCorps TASK VISTA Leader with Kentucky Campus Compact where she mentors and manages over 50 VISTAs throughout the state who are working on projects focused on education, healthy features and economic relief.

As GA, Marsha will assist with recruiting new MPA students, maintain the MPA student blog, manage the Public Administrators Student Society (PASS), work on special projects in the MPA program, and much more. You can find Marsha in 569 Founders Hall this Fall!

We are very happy to announce that Darrin Wilson will join our MPA program as an assistant professor in Fall 2018. His teaching, research and consulting experience in local government finance and economic development will strengthen our Metropolitan Governance area of concentration, which will benefit our students and the region.  

As a teacher, Dr. Wilson actively engages students in learning through case studies, simulations, field research, and other activities. In the coming academic year at NKU, he will teach Foundations of Public Administration (PAD 500), Budgeting Techniques (PAD 511), Community Planning and Development (PAD 560), and Local Government Management (PAD 675).

As a researcher, Dr. Wilson has focused on "practical problems facing local governments." He has examined responses by local governments to falling tax revenues and economic dislocations, development strategies for rural areas in the 21st century, and contributions of educational institutions to the economic and civic development of their host communities. His research has been published in the International Journal of Economic Development, Community Development, the Journal of Public Affairs Education, and the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management.

Dr. Wilson has served as an assistant professor in the MPA program at Eastern Kentucky University for three years. He has a Ph.D. in Public Administration from Florida Atlantic University, an MBA from Suffolk University in Boston, and a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Wilson to NKU and Northern Kentucky.

Northern Kentucky University launches micro-credential programs to help people achieve professional development milestones while working toward a graduate degree. Micro-credentials are mini-certificates in a specific topic area that demonstrate an achievement in a particular skill or set of skills. 

NKU’s micro-credentials are available in a variety of areas, including management, leadership, health, counseling, education, information technology and communications.

Micro-credentials may also serve as stackable components toward an advanced degree. Any earned micro-credential in NKU’s graduate courses may be applied to a graduate certificate or master's degree.

“These credentials meet a need for individuals who are looking for ways to demonstrate mastery of new skills to employers, both to secure a job and/or for professional advancement,” said Provost Sue Ott Rowlands, Northern Kentucky University. “To earn a micro-credential, an individual would typically complete two to four courses; once completed, the digital credential is awarded. Courses taken to earn micro-credentials appear on a transcript and can be attached to LinkedIn and other e-portfolios.”

NKU has partnered with Credly, a secure platform for earning, distributing and displaying digital micro-credentials.  When micro-credentials appear on Credly, LinkedIn or another social media platform, they are clickable and bring the viewer to an official NKU certification site. There are no special fees for micro-credentials.

To see a current list of NKU’s micro-credentials, check out the Micro-credential Program Index. For questions, contact microcredentials@nku.edu.    

Congratulations to Jess Link for being the recipient of the MPA Diversity Scholarship this fall! Currently, Jess is the Coordinator for a pilot program for the Center of Disease Control that is focused on prevention services for teens related to substance abuse and HIV/STDs. She was previously the Community Outreach and Recruitment Manager at the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio.

Through these positions, Jess has been an advocate for underserved populations and a champion for underrepresented populations in the workplace. Her passion for facilitating open dialogues about diversity and equality is why she was selected as this year’s recipient.