Recent reflections from MPA students at the Truman School offer a small but instructive data point for those studying the theory-practice divide in public affairs education. Kali Michael's internship led her to conclude that core MPA competencies, communication, leadership, strategic thinking, ethical decision-making, collaboration, are not merely pedagogical constructs but operational variables that shape organizational effectiveness and service delivery.
Introducing From the Field: Alumni Perspectives—a new way to bring firsthand insights from graduates of the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs. In their own words, alumni reflect on the paths they've taken, the lessons they've learned, and the ways their time at the Truman School continues to shape their impact in public service, policy, service, and leadership. Each installment offers a candid look at the real-world experiences of those who once walked our halls and now help shape communities across Missouri and beyond.
Columbia, MO – The Volcker Alliance launched the Service to Service initiative, a partnership with We the Veterans to help schools of public service connect veterans and military families with public service education pathways and propel them into stable and impactful careers in public leadership.
Our faculty regularly produce research that help us understand and contextualize voting patterns and habits. Jake Haselswerdt, Assoicate Professor in the Truman School, along with his co-authors, recently published some new research into how a personal crisis impacts voter turnout.
“I'm most excited about practicing Russian language in a more immersive environment. It's one thing to study a language, but to be able to live alongside native speakers is a really rare experience, and I'm so grateful for it.”
Weijie Wang in the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs recently was published in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (JPAM). He asks the question, "Do government performance signals affect citizen satisfaction?" Read more: article link.
Syrus Duffy, MPA candidate and IPP Research Specialist II, Sara Gable, IPP Director, Kelly Schultz, Director of the Legislative Leadership Academy and Truman School Undergraduate Internships, and Hannah Shupert, MPA candidate and IPP Graduate Research Assistant attended the annual meeting of the Consortium of University Public Service Organizations (CUPSO), April 3 – 5, 2024, at UMass Amherst.
Billed by the host of the NCSL podcast “The Inside Storey” Tim Storey as the person who “may know more about state legislatures and their history than anyone,” Truman School Professor Peverill Squire recently co-hosted an episode of Storey’s podcast entitled “A Walk Through the History of Legislatures.”